The first 2008 National Selection Regatta (NSR #1) will be held April 4-6 at the Finn M.W. Caspersen Rowing Center on Mercer Lake in West Windsor, N.J. The event will feature racing in the women's single sculls, men's single sculls, lightweight women's single sculls, lightweight men's single sculls and men's pair.
For the women's single sculls, the regatta serves as the first step towards making the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team. The winner of the event will earn the right to race at either the first or second world cup regatta in May. If the NSR #1 winner finishes in the top six at her chosen world cup race, then she will be nominated to the U.S. Olympic Team. If not, the event will be opened up for trials in June. NSR #1 also plays an important role for the men's single sculls. The top 12 finishers earn the right to compete at the first set of U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Rowing scheduled for May 12-17. For the remaining three boat categories, NSR #1 serves as an opportunity for athletes to test their speed early in the season in preparation for future selection regattas and trials.
In the women's single sculls event, 16 athletes have entered including 2007 World Championships bronze medalist Michelle Guerette. The Bristol, Conn., native has reached the single sculls final at the world championships for the past three years, winning two bronze medals. The field also includes Lisa Schlenker (Lake Oswego, Ore.), a 2004 Olympian in the lightweight women's double sculls; two lightweight members of the 2007 World Championships squad in Carey Brezler (Waynesboro, Pa.) and Wendy Tripician (Needham, Mass.); and five-time national team member Julie Nichols (Livermore, Calif.), who won a silver medal in the lightweight double sculls at the 2005 World Championships.
The largest number of entries comes in the men's single sculls where 34 athletes are scheduled to compete. The lone rower from last year's national team squad entered is Andrew Liverman (Oakton, Va.), who raced in the lightweight double sculls at the world championships. Other past senior and under-23 national team members scheduled to race include Ken Jurkowski (New Fairfield, Conn.), Patrick Sullivan (St. Paul, Minn.), Chris DeFelice (Centereach, N.Y.), Patrick O'Hea (Culver City, Calif.) and Jim Dietz II (Amherst, Mass.).
Eighteen rowers are scheduled to race in the lightweight men's single sculls including Ivan Baldychev (Newark, Del.), who finished sixth in the event at last year's world championships. Other 2007 National Team members competing include Tim Larson (North Augusta, S.C.), Jeff Forrester (Mathews, Va.), Cody Lowry (Bristow, Okla.) and Dan Urevick-Ackelsberg (Philadelphia, Pa.).
In the lightweight women's double sculls, 12 athletes are scheduled to race. The field includes two members of last year's national team in Hannah Moore (Niskayuna, N.Y.) and Margaret Duggan (Bronxville, N.Y.). The two were teammates in the lightweight quadruple sculls at the 2007 World Championships.
Eleven duos have entered the men's pair. The field contains 15 past national team members including 2004 Olympic men's eight gold medalist Dan Beery (Oaktown, Ind.) and 2000 Olympic men's pair silver medalist Sebastian Bea (San Francisco, Calif.). Beery will be rowing with 2005 National Team member Micah Boyd (St. Paul, Minn.), while Bea will row with Donny Simkin (Valley Village, Calif.). Other 2007 World Championships Team members racing in the pair include Alex Hearne (Princeton, N.J.), Pat O'Dunne (Nazareth, Pa.), Chris Liwski (Sarasota, Fla.), Brodie Buckland (Olympia, Wash.), Sam Burns (Seattle, Wash.), Kyle Larson (Seattle, Wash.), Pat Godfrey (Gorham, Maine), Cameron Winklevoss (Greenwich, Conn.) and Tyler Winklevoss (Greenwich, Conn.).
NSR #1 racing begins on Friday, April 4, with morning time trials and afternoon heats. Semifinals and placement finals will be held on Saturday, with the top-level finals being held on Sunday morning.
For a complete explanation of USRowing's selection procedures, please visit the following link on USRowing's Web site.
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