STAFF REPORTS | PHOTO COURTESY BENEDICT TUFNELL / ROW360 FOR THE GEMINI BOAT RACE

The Boat Race and its principal partner Gemini have announced the extension of funding awards to five UK rowing organizations that teach young people to row.

The two sponsors have “a shared vision to remove barriers and increase inclusion in the sport,” said a Boat Race statement.

The five youth rowing organizations receiving funding are Brixton Wings, Ely College, The Firhill Youth Project and Community Sports Hub, LYR – Active Row Leeds, and Warrington Youth Rowing.

PHOTO AND STORY COURTESY ROWING CANADA AVIRON

This weekend’s World Cup II in Varese, Italy will bring a new experience for the Women’s Eight crew members as they compete in both the Women’s Eight and Women’s Fours at the same regatta on the international stage.

When World Rowing announced the entries, it became apparent that only three crews would be competing in the Women’s Eights category: Canada, Australia, and Great Britain. In search of more racing opportunities and starts, Carol Love, the Women’s Eights coach, collaborated with the team and World Rowing to add two additional entries in the Fours event.

Jessica Sevick, a Tokyo Olympian in the Women’s Doubles and now in the Eight, believes that more competitive races will benefit the team as they prepare for the upcoming World Championships.

“I think it’d be a great opportunity for us to get some starts and races in, especially because we have an inexperienced crew,” said Sevick. “So I think it’d be really good to gain more experience and improve our skills.”

Sevick’s teammate, Kristina Walker, shares the same sentiment regarding the importance of more racing opportunities for the crew.

“I think with the Eight, it can be challenging when there aren’t as many boats or countries entered into the World Cup,” Walker explained. “So getting the chance to line up a couple more times is super beneficial. It’s a great opportunity to split up the eight into two boats and further develop our technical skills in the smaller boats.”

Canadian rowing fans have fond memories of the Women’s Eight and Women’s Four competing together at an international regatta. At the Barcelona 1992 Summer Olympics, the Canadian women’s crews achieved gold medals in both categories. While reminiscing about the past, the 2023 crew is eagerly looking forward to the new challenge.

“Competing in the Eights and the Fours is a great way to test our fitness and push ourselves to see what we can do under fatigue,” Sevick expressed. “So that’s pretty exciting too.”

The possibility of lining up against their own teammates adds a fun novelty to the event. However, for Walker, Sevick, and the rest of the crew, the focus remains on the larger boat and delivering their best performances.

“We all have immense respect for each other, and ultimately, we all want what’s best for one another. If we can go out there and give our best performances, I believe everybody will be happy,” Walker affirmed.

“We’ve discussed the idea of competing against each other, but our focus is on the Eight. We’re one team utilizing these four races to elevate the Eight. While friendly competition within the team is always good, our primary focus is on performing as a cohesive unit,” Sevick added. “We really want to elevate each other and our performances.”

PHOTO AND STORY COURTESY USROWING

Seventeen boats qualified for their respective world championships Wednesday at USRowing’s 2023 Under 19 and Under 23 National Team Trials at Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota, Fla.

In order to ensure that all selected crews meet the level to be representatives of the U.S., minimum time standards were added to this year’s selection procedures. In addition to winning trials, crews had to record a time of 93 percent or faster of the published Competitive Time Standard in order to qualify for the U19 or U23 world championships, with 17 of the 21 winners reaching that percentage.

In the U19 men’s single sculls, Oak Neck Rowing Academy’s Henry Davison won the race by more than five seconds, crossing the line in a 7:13.56 ahead of Brophy College Preparatory Crew’s Ian O’Riley. O’Riley finished with a time of 7:18.79. Seattle Preparatory School’s Jordan Smith finished third.

In the U19 women’s single sculls, Triangle Rowing Club’s Annelise Hahl defeated Oregon Rowing Unlimited’s Kalista Whildin by more than 10 seconds. Hahl, who won a bronze medal in the junior women’s double sculls at the 2022 World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals, clocked a 7:58.94. Whildin finished in an 8:09.44.

Cambridge Boat Club’s Avery Packard and P.J. Balazy finished more than seven seconds ahead of Redwood Scullers’ Olivia Petri and Lila Henn to earn the victory in the U19 women’s double sculls. The Cambridge boat finished with a time of 7:24.60, with Redwood finishing in a 7:32.27.

Orlando Area Rowing Society’s Tyler Murphy and Ian Ballard won a tight race with Buffalo Scholastic Rowing Association’s Max Burget and James Dodman in the U19 men’s pair. Murphy and Ballard won the race in a 6:50.63, with Burget and Dodman finishing in a 6:52.04. However, the OARS crew declined their spot on the U19 squad and Buffalo accepted the roll-down berth, having also met the required percentage.

In the U19 women’s pair, Connecticut Boat Club’s Caroline Krantz and Annika Nelson finished 3.48 seconds ahead of RowAmerica Rye’s Claire Van Praagh and Eleanor Smith. Krantz and Nelson finished with a time of 7:35.89, with Van Praagh and Smith clocking a 7:39.37.

Oakland Strokes’ McKeane McBrearty, Jack Hume, Mattis Hevin, and Cosmo Hondrogen dominated the U19 men’s four, winning by more than 20 seconds in a 6:13.56. Maritime Rowing Club finished second.

Coeur d’Alene Rowing Association’s Isaiah Harrison, defending under 23 world championships’ silver medalist in the men’s single sculls, will be heading back to U23 worlds after winning the final. Harrison won today’s single sculls’ race in a 7:00.67, finishing more than 21 seconds ahead of Maritime Rowing Club’s Justin Sun.

In the U23 women’s single sculls, Oklahoma High Performance Center’s Katelin Gildersleeve finished nearly eight seconds ahead of Craftsbury Green Racing Project’s Meena Baher. Gildersleeve, who finished sixth in the women’s quadruple sculls at last year’s U23 world championships and won the bronze medal in the single at the 2019 World Rowing Junior Championships, crossed the finish line in a time of 7:47.64. Baher finished in a 7:55.46.

Racing unaffiliated, August Altucher and Caleb Cowles won the U23 men’s pair by less than one second, qualifying to race in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. Altucher and Cowles kept Georgetown University’s Andrew Tokarski and William Stavropoulos at bay, crossing the line in a 6:38.42 with the Georgetown pair finishing in a 6:39.05.

In the U23 lightweight men’s single sculls, Golden State Rowing Club’s Christoph Karleskind finished nearly 12 seconds ahead of Community Rowing’s Amir LaGasse to win the race. Karleskind clocked a 7:02.38 to earn the victory, with LaGasse crossing in a 7:14.09.

Conshohocken Rowing Center’s Emma Mirrer won the U23 lightweight women’s single sculls, defeating Ruthie Lacy by nearly 19 seconds. Mirrer won the race in a 7:58.71.

Racing unaffiliated, Timothy Parsons and Ryan Tripp won the U23 lightweight men’s double sculls by nearly three seconds over Conshohocken’s Justin Schmidt and Sean Rybus. Parsons and Tripp finished with a time of 6:37.59, with Schmidt and Rybus crossing in a 6:40.40.

Conshohocken’s Aislinn O’Brien and Katrina Miehlbradt won the U23 lightweight women’s double sculls by more than 40 seconds. O’Brien and Miehlbradt clocked a time of 7:21.28.

In the U23 lightweight men’s pair, Craftsbury Green Racing Project’s Jackson Fuller and Mason Banks finished more than 15 seconds ahead of GMS Rowing Center’s Sean Christiansen and Luke Desmaison. Fuller and Banks finished with a time of 6:43.56.

In the U23 lightweight men’s quadruple sculls, the Conshohocken crew of Simon Dubiel, Eli Rabinowitz, Ruben Luthra, and Troy Riesenberger won the race in a 6:08.81. Three members of the boat were part of last year’s crew that finished fourth in Varese, Italy.

Racing uncontested in the U23 women’s double sculls, Craftsbury Green Racing Project’s Megan Walsh and Ann Herring finished with a time of 7:18.51, meeting the qualifying standard.

Racing uncontested in the U23 women’s four, the unaffiliated crew of Angela Szabo, Maddie Moore, Elsa Hartman, and Katherine Kelly clocked a 6:53.51 to qualify for Plovdiv.

Four crews failed to meet the time standard.

In the U19 men’s double sculls, Seattle Preparatory School’s Jack Carroll and August Means won the race in a 6:51.01. Seattle Prep finished just over one second ahead of V-Sculls’ Abraham Milgram and Donovan Moses, who clocked a 6:52.39.

Racing uncontested in the U23 men’s double sculls, Craftsbury Green Racing Project’s Braeden Arthur and Caleb Nollenberger finished with a time of 6:41.16.

Craftsbury Green Racing Project’s Natalie Hoefer and Cathleen Castle also raced uncontested in the U23 women’s pair. The duo finished with a time of 7:36.80.

Oregon Rowing Unlimited just missed qualifying for Paris in the U19 women’s four. Racing unaffiliated, the crew of Zola Young, Lauren Garrett, Claire Sopko, and Kalista Whildin crossed the line in a 7:05.87.

Click here for today’s complete results.

The 2023 World Rowing Under 23 Championships will be held July 19-23 in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, while the 2023 World Rowing Under 19 Championships will be held August 2-6 in Paris, France.

USRowing would like to thank Filippi Lido, the Official Boat Supplier for the U.S. Senior, Under 23, and Para-Rowing National Teams. Under the agreement, Filippi is providing USRowing a fleet of boats for international competitions including the World Rowing Cup regattas, World Rowing Under 23 Championships, World Rowing Championships, Olympic Games, and Paralympic Games, as well as a domestic training fleet for the USRowing Training Center.

USRowing also would like to thank HUDSON, the Official Boat Supplier for the U.S. Under 19 National Team. Through the partnership, HUDSON supplies racing shells for selection and training domestically, with matched shells provided internationally for racing.
About USRowing

USRowing is a nonprofit organization recognized by the United States Olympic Committee as the governing body for the sport of rowing in the United States. USRowing has 72,000 individual members and 1,300 member organizations, offering rowing programs for all.

PHOTO AND STORY COURTESY USROWING

Finals are now set at USRowing’s Under 19 and Under 23 National Team Trials at Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota, Fla. Time trials in 13 events were held Tuesday morning, with semifinals in two events taking place Tuesday afternoon.
 
Athletes are competing for the chance to represent the U.S. at the World Rowing Under 23 Championships or World Rowing Under 19 Championships later this summer. 
 
With seven entries, the under 19 men’s pair required semifinals. After winning the morning time trial, California Rowing Club’s Sven Banovic and John Patton came back in the afternoon to win the first of two semifinals in a 7:16.50, defeating Buffalo Scholastic Rowing Association’s Max Burget and James Dodman by more than six seconds. However, Orlando Area Rowing Society’s Tyler Murphy and Ian Ballard, who finished second in the time trial, recorded the fastest time of the afternoon, winning the second semifinal in a 7:05.60. Montclair High School’s Louis Xavier Gagnon and Colin Phariss finished second.
 
In the under 23 lightweight men’s single sculls, Golden State Rowing Club’s Christoph Karleskind posted the fastest time in the time trial and then came back to record the fastest time in the afternoon semifinals. Karleskind clocked a 7:25.03 to win the second semifinal by 1.91 seconds over Community Rowing’s Amir LaGasse. In the first semifinal, Southern California Scullers Club’s Clay Rybus won the race by over five seconds. Rybus crossed the finish line in a 7:28.80, with Artemis Rowing’s Ralph Kasow finishing second in a 7:34.42.
 
In the time trial of the U19 men’s single sculls, Oak Neck Rowing Academy’s Henry Davison posted the top time, crossing the line in a 7:01.40. Williamsburg Boat Club’s William Fuller finished second in a 7:04.08, with Seattle Preparatory School’s Jordan Smith taking third. Davison finished fourth in the men’s youth single this past weekend at the 2023 USRowing Youth National Championships.
 
Triangle Rowing Club’s Annelise Hahl won the time trial in the U19 women’s single sculls. Hahl, who won a bronze medal in the junior women’s double sculls at the 2022 World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals and finished third in the women’s youth single on Sunday at youth nationals, clocked a 7:40.67 to finish more than 12 seconds ahead of Oregon Rowing Unlimited’s Kalista Whildin. Whildin, who was part of ORU’s gold medal quad at youth nationals, finished with a time of 7:52.94. RowAmerica Greenwich’s Clare Junius took third.
 
Seattle Preparatory School’s Jack Carroll and August Means, who were part of Seattle Prep’s men’s quad at youth nationals, posted the fastest time in the U19 men’s double sculls, finishing more than six seconds ahead of South Orlando Rowing Association in a 6:35.05. In the U19 women’s double sculls, New York Athletic Club’s Teagan Farley and Ana Holtey won the time trial in a 7:12.47. Holtey finished second in the women’s youth single sculls at youth nationals, while Farley was part of Deerfield Academy’s women’s youth eight.
 
Palm River Training Center’s Sydney Warmbier and Britt Wotovich won the time trial in the U19 women’s pair. Warmbier and Wotovich, who is a two-time U.S. Beach Sprints National Team member, clocked a 7:35.55 to defeat Chicago Rowing Foundation’s Katelyn Passino and Claire Perkoski by just over two seconds. Warmbier and Wotovich reached the final in the pair at youth nationals, while the Chicago duo was part of CRF’s women’s eight.
 
Oakland Strokes bested Maritime Rowing Club by more than 10 seconds in the U19 men’s four, finishing with a time of 6:17.26. Oakland’s four was part of the silver medal-winning eight at youth nationals.
 
In the U23 events, defending U23 world championships’ men’s single sculls silver medalist Isaiah Harrison of Coeur d’Alene Rowing Association crossed the line in a 6:42.10 to win the time trial by more than 13 seconds. South Orlando’s Cooper Hagan finished second.
 
In the U23 women’s single sculls, Oklahoma High Performance Center’s Katelin Gildersleeve bested Craftsbury Green Racing Project’s Meena Baher by over three seconds to win the time trial. Gildersleeve, who finished sixth in the women’s quadruple sculls at last year’s U23 world championships, is no stranger to the single having won the bronze medal at the 2019 World Rowing Junior Championships. The Stanford rower clocked a 7:25.34, with Baher crossing in a 7:28.63.
 
Newport Aquatic Center’s Kian Aminian and Travis O’Neil, who were members of the men’s eight at last year’s World Rowing Under 19 Championships, won the time trial in the men’s pair by a little less than three seconds. Aminian and O’Neil finished with a time of 6:24.95, with Georgetown University’s Andrew Tokarski and William Stavropoulos finishing second.
 
Conshohocken Rowing Center’s Justin Schmidt and Sean Rybus won the time trial of the lightweight men’s double sculls by two seconds in a 6:19.88, while Craftsbury Green Racing Project’s Jackson Fuller and Mason Banks won the lightweight men’s pair time trial in a 6:23.58, finishing more than 15 seconds ahead of the second-place finishers from 1863 Boat Club.
 
Click here for today’s complete results.
 
More than 125 athletes from 49 different clubs are competing in 21 different boat classes this week. Click here for the complete list of entries. Racing continues Wednesday at 8 a.m. with finals in all boat classes.
 
The 2023 World Rowing Under 23 Championships will be held July 19-23 in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, while the 2023 World Rowing Under 19 Championships will be held August 2-6 in Paris, France.
 
USRowing would like to thank Filippi Lido, the Official Boat Supplier for the U.S. Senior, Under 23, and Para-Rowing National Teams. Under the agreement, Filippi is providing USRowing a fleet of boats for international competitions including the World Rowing Cup regattas, World Rowing Under 23 Championships, World Rowing Championships, Olympic Games, and Paralympic Games, as well as a domestic training fleet for the USRowing Training Center. 
 
USRowing also would like to thank HUDSON, the Official Boat Supplier for the U.S. Under 19 National Team. Through the partnership, HUDSON supplies racing shells for selection and training domestically, with matched shells provided internationally for racing.