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The USRowing Small Boat National Championships Presented by the McNabb Family on November 14 & 15 has attracted 535 rowers to Mercer County Park Lake in West Windsor, NJ. Participation in what used to be the least important speed order for national teamers is now essentially required racing for those hoping to be invited to a January selection camp, a first step for Olympic aspirants hoping to represent the USA in rowing at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
The men’s single event has 89 entries while the women’s has drawn 72. The women’s pair field will be 72 boats, the men’s 66. Youth singles and pair events were added and Para rowers will race PR1, PR2, and youth PR3 catagories.
California Rowing Club, where much of the national team trains when not in camps or overseas, has entered the most boats, 22. Dartmouth College has the second most with 17. Most of the top colleges—16 NCAA women’s programs and 15 IRA schools—have entered boats.
“I’m impressed by the number of entries,” said Josy Verdonkschot, The McLane Family Chief High Performance Officer at USRowing. “I really hope we can push this in the future to be a significant event including youth, collegiate, and Para rowers every year.”
As part of the event’s development, USRowing consulted with the NCAA and confirmed that participation is permissible under NCAA rules and does not conflict with NCAA championship eligibility, according to the national governing body.
Racing starts with time trials on Saturday with the top 42 advancing to six semifinals and the remainder racing in lower finals. Finals A through D are scheduled for Sunday morning with E through M finals in the afternoon. Current weather forecasts call for freezing temps overnight, but highs the upper 40s to low 50s during the day Saturday and Sunday.
