CIUDAD GUZMAN, Mexico
Competition is scheduled to begin Saturday for the rowing portion of the XVI Pan American Games 2011 on Lake Zapotlan in Guzman City, Mexico. Racing kicks off at 9 a.m. local time.
More than 6,000 athletes from 42 countries will compete in this year's Games, held every four years, a year out from the Summer Olympic Games.
The local organizing committee has been working around the clock to clean up after Hurricane Jova. The tropical storm slammed into Mexico's Pacific coast early Wednesday morning, carrying winds of up to 160 kilometers an hour along the coast and dumping rain overnight on host-city Guadalajara.
"The morale is still positive among the athletes on our team, even with the current weather," said Beijing Olympian Tom Paradiso, who said the U.S. team got workouts in at a local gym while waiting out the storm. "Everyone is excited and focused on the upcoming races we have."
Fourteen crews will represent the U.S. in the men's and women's single sculls, lightweight women's single sculls, men's and women's double sculls, men's and women's lightweight double sculls, men's and women's pair, men's and women's quadruple sculls, men's four, lightweight men's four and men's eight.
The roster features 12 senior national team members, six of which competed at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing including Ken Jurkowski (New Fairfield, Conn.), Margot Shumway (Westlake, Ohio), Jen Goldsack (Banstead, U.K.), Paradiso (Blue Bell, Pa.), Jason Read (Ringoes, N.J.) and Marcus McElhenney (Lansdowne, Pa.).
Rowing has been a part of the Pan American Games since 1951 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. At the last Pan American Games, held in 2007 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the United States brought home seven medals on the men's side and three medals on the women's side, for a total of ten.
The 2011 Pan American Games are the third Pan American Games hosted by Mexico and the first held in the state of Jalisco. Previously, Mexico hosted the 1955 Pan American Games and the 1975 Pan American Games, both in Mexico City.
Rowing Competition Program
October 15, 2011 9-11:20 a.m., Heats (W2x, M2x, W2-, M4-, LM2x, LW2x, M1x) 4-5:40 p.m., Repechages (W2x, M2x, W2-, M4-, LM2x, LW2x, M1x)
October 16, 2011 9-11:10 a.m., Heats (LM4-, W1x, M2-, M4x, LW1x, W4x, M8+) 4-5:30 p.m., Repechages (LM4-, W1x, M2-, M4x, LW1x, W4x)
October 17, 2011 9-10:40 a.m., A Finals, B Finals, Medal Ceremonies (W2-, W2x, M2x, M4-)
October 18, 2011 9:00-11:05 a.m., A Finals, B Finals, Medal Ceremonies (LM2x, W1x, LW2x, M2-. M4x)
October 19, 2011 9:30-11:25 a.m., A Finals, B Finals, Medal Ceremonies (LM4-, LW1x, W4x, M1x, M8+)