Twenty-one crews will represent the United States at the 2009 World Rowing Under 23 Championships starting Thursday in Racice, Czech Republic.
Under 23 world champions will be crowned in 21 events including the men's single sculls, women's single sculls, lightweight men's single sculls, lightweight women's single sculls, men's double sculls, women's double sculls, lightweight men's double sculls, lightweight women's double sculls, men's quadruple sculls, women's quadruple sculls, lightweight men's quadruple sculls, lightweight women's quadruple sculls, men's pair, women's pair, lightweight men's pair, men's four, women's four, lightweight men's four, men's four with coxswain, men's eight and women's eight. The U.S. has entered every event.
The lightweight men's single sculls event leads the way in entries as Mike Orzolek (New Milford, Conn.) will take on 30 other scullers. On the women's side, the lightweight single also leads the way in entries. Dani Dewitt (Parkersburg, W.Va.) will race 16 other scullers in the event.
The U.S. is the defending under 23 world champion in both the men's eight and women's eights. The men's boat of Daniel Connolly (Rockville Centre, N.Y.), Sebastian Peterlin (San Francisco, Calif.), Scott Morgan (Portola Valley, Calif.), Brad Bertoldo (San Jose, Calif.), Max Goff (Sun Prairie, Wis.), Matthew Wheeler (Eugene, Ore.), Blaise Didier (San Francisco, Calif.), Neil McPeak (Linwood, N.J.) and Nick Lucey (San Francisco, Calif.) will defend the title against eight nations. The women's boat of Ariel Frost (Walnut Creek, Calif.), Jessica Leidecker (Westerville, Ohio), Taylor Ritzel (Larkspur, Colo.), Grace Luczak (Ann Arbor, Mich.), Ashley Kroll (Edmonds, Wash.), Olivia Coffey (Watkins Glen, N.Y.), Mary Jeghers (Sacramento, Calif.), Adrienne Martelli (University Place, Wash.) and Erika Roddy (San Francisco, Calif.) will take on six other crews. Connolly and Didier won gold with the men's eight last year.
In total, 834 rowers in 307 boats from 56 nations are scheduled to compete in Racice. Racing begins on Thursday with heats in all 21 events. Repechages and quarterfinals will be held Friday, with semifinals and several placement finals being held on Saturday. The grand finals will be held Sunday. Racing begins each day at 9:30 a.m. local time