LONDON - And now it's time for the women's double to shine.
With only two races on schedule for the United States Friday and only one medals race, the women's double sculls team of Margot Shumway (Westlake, Ohio) and Sarah Trowbridge (Guilford, Conn.) have the spotlight mostly to themselves.
After qualifying for the final Tuesday, Shumway and Trowbridge will race at 12:10 p.m. against Poland, Australia, Great Britain, New Zealand and China.
The favorite to win the event is the British crew of Katherine Grainger and Anna Watkins. Grainger has three Olympic silvers and they haven't lost a race since they partnered in 2010.
Another strong contender is the Australians. Kim Crow and Brooke Pratley. Crow is rowing in two events and qualified for the singles finals today.
But the U.S. women have been having a solid season since teaming up last fall.
"Since trials, this whole process has been about making the most of what we have and our opportunities," said Shumway.
"I think we have done that every step of the way. Tomorrow is no different. It is an amazing chance to race in this final, with the caliber of athletes competing, and with each other. We are going to make the most of it and put out our best race possible. We are competitors and racers at heart, and we are going out tomorrow to do just that."
Also racing will be the men's pair of Silas Stafford (Santa Rosa, Calif.) and Tom Peszek (Farmington Hills, Mich.) who finished fourth in their semifinal and will now row in the B final for places 7-12.
They will race at 10:20 a.m against Serbia, Greece, Poland, Germany and The Netherlands.
Ken Jurkowski (New Fairfield, Conn.) was scheduled to race in the men's single sculls D final, but withdrew for medical reasons today.
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