Racing at the 2007 World Championships Trials got underway Tuesday on Lake Mercer with heats in the women's single sculls, men's pair, men's single sculls, lightweight men's single sculls and lightweight women's single sculls. The trials, which run through Friday, will select 12 boats that will represent the United States at the 2007 FISA World Rowing Championships August 26-September 2 in Munich, Germany.
In the first heat of the women's single sculls, Michelle Guerette finished with a time of 7:46.57. Guerette, a bronze medalist in the event at the 2007 FISA World Cup stop in Linz, Austria, recorded the fastest time of the heats, easily defeating Catherine Starr and Amanda Kendrick of Saugatuck Rowing Club. Nicole Sylvester of Pocock Rowing Center won the second heat with a time of 7:56.58, edging out Potomac Boat Club's Mae Joyce Gay by 0.47 seconds. Gay held a slight advantage at the midway point of the race before Sylvester came back for the victory. The two heat winners advanced to Thursday's first final, while the remaining scullers will row in a repechage, or second-chance race, on Wednesday morning.
Penn A.C. Rowing Association's Micah Boyd and Ted Farwell won the first heat of the men's pair with a time of 6:50.05. In the second heat, the Caspersen Training Center/New York Athletic Club duo of David Banks and Paul Teti finished with a time of 6:40.53. The two heat winners moved on to Thursday's first final, while the remaining crews will race in the repechages on Wednesday.
Caspersen Training Center's Gabe Winkler captured the first of four heats in the men's single sculls with a time of 7:11.37. Jonathan Burns of Vesper Boat Club won the second heat with a time of 7:07.32, while Princeton Training Center's Warren Anderson took the third heat in a 7:07.69. Ken Jurkowski clocked a 7:12.29 to win the fourth heat. The four heat winners advanced to Wednesday's semifinals, while the remaining scullers raced in a repechage on Tuesday afternoon.
In the lightweight men's single sculls, the first heat was captured by Penn A.C. Rowing Association's Ivan Baldytchev in a 7:21.83, with Potomac Boat Club's Mike Aller finishing 3.77 seconds behind. In the second heat, New Haven Rowing Club's Jonathan Winter clocked a 7:11.80, followed by Caspersen Training Center's Michael Altman in a 7:13.97. Rob Zechmann of Riverside Boat Club took the third heat with a 7:14.90, as Evan Price of Penn A.C. Rowing Association came in second with a 7:20.69. The top two finishers in each heat advanced to tomorrow's semifinals, while the remaining scullers raced in Tuesday afternoon's repechages.
In the first of four heats of the lightweight women's single sculls, Renee Hykel of New York Athletic Club captured first with an 8:05.86. The second heat was won by Undine Barge Club's Meghan Sarbanis in an 8:03.40. Julie Nichols of Caspersen Training Center finished first in the third heat, with a time of 7:56.90. In the last heat, Jen Goldsack took first in a 7:51.60. The winners of each heat moved on to tomorrow's semifinals, while the remaining rowers raced in Tuesday afternoon's repechages.
The remaining repechages, semifinals and the first final in events with four or fewer entries will be held Wednesday morning. The finals, which are held in a best two-out-of-three format, continue on Thursday and Friday. Racing begins each day at 7 a.m. For a complete schedule and race results, please visit www.powerhousetiming.com.