LAC AIGUEBELETTE, France - The United States women's quad was just inches across the finish line when Amanda Elmore's port oar hit the water wrong, driving her head back onto the deck from her seat in the bow.
Her head hit hard and water splashed all around her, but she bounced right back up, smiling. And there was good reason for the expression. She and her United States Training Center - Princeton teammates Olivia Coffey (Watkins Glen, N.Y.), Megan Kalmoe (St. Croix Falls, Wis.) and Tracy Eisser (Fair Lawn, N.J.) had just come from behind on Germany in the second 500 meters of their race and surged into the lead, finishing first and winning gold at the 2015 World Rowing Championships on Lake Aiguebelette, France on Saturday.
"It was all a blur," said Elmore (West, Lafayette, Ind.). "I saw that we crossed the finish, and I just let go. I don't even remember."
What she will remember is that she was in the first-ever U.S. women's quad to win a world championship. U.S. crews have won medals at world championships and the Olympic Games before, but this is the first world title.
They were the second U.S. crew to medal here Saturday.
A few races earlier, the women's pair won bronze. Of the nine U.S. boats to race, five qualified their boat classes for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. In addition to the women's quad, qualifying crews included the lightweight men's and women's double sculls, men's pair and men's four. The women's pair had already qualified in the Thursday semifinals.
So far this week, seven crews have qualified their boat classes for the Olympics. Three para rowing crews qualified their boat classes for the Paralympics as well including the men's and women's arms and shoulders single sculls and legs, trunk and arms four with coxswain, which won silver on Thursday.
The U.S. was in second in the first quarter of the women's quad race, and Germany was out and moving. Poland was close in third. In the second quarter, however, the U.S. started to move and pushed into first. As they moved through the second half, they increased their lead and finished first in 6:27.07.
Kalmoe, who had won silver in the women's pair at the 2014 World Rowing Championships, returned to the quad this year. She won bronze in the event at the 2012 Olympic Games in London and brought experience and leadership to the otherwise young crew.
"We're really happy," said Kalmoe. "That was what we wanted to do today. I'm really glad that we came out and executed what we talked about over the last couple of days. Liz did a great job laying down the rhythm. These guys backed us up, you can't ask for more than that."
The U.S. finished in 7:00.55. Great Britain won in 6:52.99 and New Zealand was third in 6:56.75.
"There are some fast boats out there," said Logan. "We just tried to row our own race and get a little bit better. Every time I race, we learn about ourselves. We made some really good steps forward, and I'm proud of us for that," Logan said.
"It was a really competitive race," said Mueller. "It was good. It was a good step for us, I think."
The first crew of the day to qualify their boat class for the 2016 Olympic Games from the B finals was the USTC - Princeton men's pair crew of Tim Aghai (Skokie, Ill.) and Michael DiSanto (Boston, Mass.). They finished third in 6:33.11. South Africa won in 6:31.23. France was second in 6:31.57. A top-eleven finish was needed to qualify.
In the next B final, Cambridge Boat Club men's lightweight double sculls crew of Joshua Konieczny (Millbury, Ohio) and Andrew Campbell, Jr. (New Canaan, Conn.) secured their boat class a spot for 2016 when they finished second. The U.S. led for most of the race, but was passed by Poland in the last 500 meters.
"We are overjoyed to have qualified the lightweight men's double for Rio," Campbell said. "Having been through the disappointment of just missing the London Olympics at the last chance regatta, this is all the more gratifying.
"This week has been challenging. Josh was bedridden with a 101-degree fever on Tuesday. I'm incredibly proud of how tough he raced for the rest of the week. With good health and a little more time together, I think we are capable of competing with the top boats in this event," he said.
Poland won in 6:20.25. The U.S. was second in 6:20.55. Austria was third on 6:22.04. A top-eleven finish was required to qualify for the Olympics.
In the lightweight women's double sculls, Vesper Boat Club's Michelle Sechser (Folsom, Calif.) and Devery Karz (Park City, Utah) qualified their boat class, finishing fifth in 7:02.21. China won in 6:59.31. Poland was second in 7:00.37, and Ireland was third in 7:00.67. A top-eleven finish was also required in this boat class.
In the men's four USTC - Princeton men's four of Seth Weil (Menlo Park, Calif.), Henrik Rummel (Pittsford, N.Y.), Charlie Cole (New Canaan, Conn.) and Glenn Ochal (Philadelphia, Pa.) returned from a disappointing semifinal and qualified their boat class with a B final win.
Due to illness, the U.S. was forced to substitute Cole, who was one of the crew that won gold at world cup 2 and won their opening heat here in France. He was back in the boat Saturday. They took the lead from the start and held it, finishing first in 5:53.54. Belarus was second in 5:54.14 and Greece was third in 5:54.72. A top-eleven finish was required.
"I was happy with the result," said coach Bryan Volpenhein. "They were able to come back and win that B final. There is a bit of satisfaction in that, but we still wish we were in the A, rowing for a medal. But, I think it's motivating for next year and I think it will keep us on our toes and keep us improving over the next year. The guys are good. They're happy, but they know they can get better."
The final crew to row for Rio qualification was California Rowing Club men's quadruple sculls crew of Ian Silveira (West Bloomfield, Mich.), Hans Struzyna (Kirkland, Wash.), John Madura (West Milford, N.J.) and Derek Johnson (Hillsborough, Calif.). They finished in sixth in 5:52.84 and did not qualify the boat class. A top-eight finish was required. Poland won in 5:43.75. Ukraine was second in 5:44.28, and New Zealand was third in 5:44.33.
Rowing in the D final his event was Ken Jurkowski (New Fairfield, Conn.). He finished third in the race and 21st overall.
In the men's double sculls, Craftsbury Sculling Center's John Graves (Cincinnati, Ohio) and Benjamin Dann (Pound Ridge, N.Y.) finished fourth in the C final for a 16th-place overall result.