WEST WINDSOR, N.J. - Trials for the chance to represent the United States at this year's world rowing championships got underway at Lake Mercer in West Windsor, N.J. with time trials in the senior lightweight men's and women's single sculls and junior women's single sculls, and heats in the senior men's pair with coxswain and under 23 lightweight men's single sculls.
Trials will be contested in junior, under 23 and senior categories this week. Winners of the senior and junior races will compete at the 2008 FISA World Rowing Senior and Junior Championships July 22-27 in Linz/Ottensheim, Austria, while winners in the under 23 races will attend the 2008 FISA World Rowing Under 23 Championships July 17-20 in Brandenburg, Germany.
In the time trial of the lightweight women's single sculls, Vesper Boat Club's Julie Nichols (Livermore, Calif.) led a competitive field. With eight scullers advancing to the heats, Nichols clocked a 7:45.18, just 0.03 seconds ahead of New York Athletic Club's Lisa Schlenker (Lake Oswego, Ore.), a two-time world championships' medalist in the event and a 2004 Olympian in the lightweight double sculls. Riverside Boat Club's Heather Moon (Windsor, Vt.) finished third in a 7:46.05, followed by Undine Barge Club's Meghan Sarbanis (Hampstead, N.H.).
Penn A.C.'s Ivan Baldychev (Newark, Del.) won the time trial in the lightweight men's single sculls race. Baldychev, who finished sixth in the event at last year's world championships, clocked a 7:07.57. GMS Rowing Center's Matthew Carey (West Simsbury, Conn.) finished second in a 7:14.62, just 0.04 seconds ahead of Riverside Boat Club's Rob Zechmann (Lincoln, Neb.). Carey competed in the men's lightweight quadruple sculls at the 2007 FISA World Rowing Under 23 Championships, while Zechmann placed sixth in the same event at the 2005 FISA World Rowing Senior Championships. Like the lightweight women's single, the top eight finishers advanced to tomorrow's heats.
Heats were contested in the men's pair with coxswain, with the winner advancing directly to the final. The USRowing Training Center crew of coxswain and two-time national team member Vince Puma (Irvington, N.Y.), Ted Farwell (Madison, Wis.) and Ben Harrison (Dedham, Mass.) clocked a 7:06.73 for the fastest time in the first of two heats. Puma and Farwell finished fourth in the event at the 2006 FISA World Championships, while Harrison raced in the eight at the 2006 Under 23 National Championships. Penn A.C. Rowing Association's crew of coxswain Adam McDonald, Stephen Whelpley and 2007 national team member Steve Kasprzyk (Cinnaminson, N.J.) crossed second in a 7:12.39.
The USRowing Training Center crew of coxswain Dan Gilbert (Rochester, N.Y.), 2006 under 23 national team member Jake Cornelius (Brooktondale, N.Y.) and two-time national team member Chris Callaghan (Tualatin, Ore.) won the second heat in a 7:16.96. Vesper Boat Club followed in a 7:25.27.
In the time trial of the junior women's single sculls, Lake Union Crew's Cara Linnenkohl (Redmond, Wash.) dominated the field. The 2007 junior national team member clocked an 8:02.79, more than 24 seconds ahead of GMS Rowing Center's Kim Hopewell. The top four finishers moved on to tomorrow's first final in the best two-out-of-three format.
Less than a second separated the top two finishers in the second heat of the under 23 lightweight men's single sculls. With the winner advancing to the final, Malta Boat Club's Sam Cunningham pulled ahead of GMS Rowing Center's Dave Smith to win in a 7:16.04. Smith clocked a 7:16.69 and will join Wilmington Rowing Center's Andrew Madden and Malvern Preparatory School's Matthew McManus in tomorrow's repechage, or second chance race.
GMS Rowing Center's Michael Orzolek won the first heat to advance to the final. Orzolek gained an eight-second lead over Detroit Boat Club's George Sleator by the 1,000-meter mark to finish in a 7:25.32. Sleator clocked a 7:36.34, followed by Bachelor Barge Club's Christopher Klotzbach (Wayne, Pa.) in a 7:53.45.
Racing continues Wednesday with heat and repechages in three senior-level events, first and second finals in six junior events and repechages in the under 23 lightweight men's single sculls. For complete results and race schedule, visit www.powerhousetiming.com.