http://www.tulsahurricane.com/sports/w-rowing/spec-rel/081811aaa.html
August 20, 2011
Golden Hurricane Alum Michelle Sechser Earns Spot on Pan American Games Team
http://www.tulsahurricane.com/sports/w-rowing/spec-rel/081811aaa.html
Former Rowing walk-on Meg George will compete in Guadalajara, Mexico, Oct. 15-19
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| Meg George |
Check out the link for below for the Texas Sports write-up on OKC's Meg George:
Former Rowing walk-on Meg George will compete in Guadalajara, Mexico, Oct. 15-19
Eight Oklahoma City High Performance Athletes Named to the 2011 Pan American Games Team
The 2011 Pan American Games will feature a lot of familiar faces, including five Olympians that earned berths on Thursday at the conclusion of trials.
Finals got underway Thursday morning on Mercer Lake with volatile weather that delayed racing for more than an hour mid-way through the morning program. The trials determined 11 of the 14 crews that will represent the United States at the Pan American Games October 15-19 in Guzman City, Mexico.
In the final of the men’s four, the Penn A.C. crew of Matt Wheeler, Joe Spencer, Steve Kasprzyk and Jason Read posted a winning time of 6:05.43 over USRowing Training Center – Oklahoma City’s 6:08.24 with the crew of Ryan Monaghan, Andrew Melander, Hans Struzyna and Brad Bertoldo.
USRowing Training Center – Oklahoma City’s Tom Paradiso and Bob Duff won the lightweight men’s double sculls with a time of 6:35.61. Paradiso is 2008 Olympian in the lightweight four, while Duff is two-time national team member. Riverside Boat Club crossed second in a 6:47.44, followed by Undine Barge Club’s 6:49.63.
USRowing Training Center – Oklahoma City’s Mike Gennaro and Ty Otto, two members of the winning men’s eight at the 2011 World Rowing Under 23 Championships, crossed the line in 6:37.49 to win the final of the men’s pair. Gennaro and Otto crossed 5.26 seconds ahead of USTC – OKC’s Blaise Didier and Derek Johnson’s 6:42.75. The 2nd place finish in the men's pair event qualifies Didier and Johnson for the men's eight which will compete at the Pan American Games, comprised of the men's four and top two pairs.
Finals got underway Thursday morning on Mercer Lake with volatile weather that delayed racing for more than an hour mid-way through the morning program. The trials determined 11 of the 14 crews that will represent the United States at the Pan American Games October 15-19 in Guzman City, Mexico.
In the final of the men’s four, the Penn A.C. crew of Matt Wheeler, Joe Spencer, Steve Kasprzyk and Jason Read posted a winning time of 6:05.43 over USRowing Training Center – Oklahoma City’s 6:08.24 with the crew of Ryan Monaghan, Andrew Melander, Hans Struzyna and Brad Bertoldo.
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| Michelle Sechser |
USRowing Training Center – Oklahoma City’s Mike Gennaro and Ty Otto, two members of the winning men’s eight at the 2011 World Rowing Under 23 Championships, crossed the line in 6:37.49 to win the final of the men’s pair. Gennaro and Otto crossed 5.26 seconds ahead of USTC – OKC’s Blaise Didier and Derek Johnson’s 6:42.75. The 2nd place finish in the men's pair event qualifies Didier and Johnson for the men's eight which will compete at the Pan American Games, comprised of the men's four and top two pairs.
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| Megan Smith |
In the men’s double sculls, Undine’s Andy Quinn and Dan Urevick-Ackelsberg took first with a time of 6:21.94. USRowing Training Center – Oklahoma City with Ryan Shelton and Martin Etem crossed second in a 6:24.04, followed by Durham Boat Club’s 6:25.91.
In the lightweight women’s double sculls, the USRowing Training Center – Oklahoma City crew of Chelsea Smith and Michelle Sechser crossed the line first with a time of 7:14.11. Smith and Sechser were more than seven seconds ahead of Undine/Penn A.C.’s 7:21.85.
Megan Smith and Monica George, also racing for USRowing Training Center – Oklahoma City, won the women’s pair with a time of 7:31.38 over Potomac Boat Club/Seattle Rowing Center’s 7:39.48. Vesper Boat Club finished third with a time of 7:42.84.
August 08, 2011
Guest Blogger: Nicole Dinion Recaps Her World Championship Trials Experience
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| Nicole Dinion |
Below Nicole reflects on her preparation and perfromance at the 2011 World Championship Trials in West Windsor, NJ:
"It was desolate. After training in the bustle of Washington D.C. for 3 weeks, where the 7:00am jets, 7:15 news helicopters, and 7:30 EVAC practice team render hearing your coach near impossible, we were pretty excited to transition our training up to Mercer Lake in NJ. The hustle and bustle of the city was energizing; but, after a series of mornings where our boat was double booked and I tried to take out a few innocent kayakers from bow seat, we thought pieces on the empty course at Mercer County, in our own boat, would offering a refreshing change.
The change was drastic. We went from no parking and tripping over Crocs on the dock to a completely empty boat house. There was no one. We couldn’t even get into the facility because all the administrators were out of town. Thankfully we got an addition to our team - head coach of Pocock, Steve Dani, arrived from Seattle. Having a coach “watch your every stroke” can add, well, some integrity to your practice.
It was a catch 22. The flat water, buoyed race course, and lack of obstructions made training a lot easier and we made technical improvements. But without anyone around, and with no other women’s lightweight quads registered for trials, it was hard to keep that “kick” in our stroke. Finally, though, my fellow OKCers arrived. Having my team around after being apart for almost two months put the vigor back into my training. The energy, charisma, and work ethic of the athletes in Oklahoma never ceases to inspire me. It probably also helped that another quad registered.
We were geared up. I liken it to a race horse that’s all warmed up to a lather and can hear the crowd cheering. We were chomping at our bits. On finals Thursday morning we finally got to do our first, all-out, throw in the kitchen sink, 2K. I swear to you, that headwind picked up every stroke as we went down that course. I didn’t know a 2K could take a quad so long to finish. But finish, we did: securing 1st place and our spot to the 2011 World Championship. One of the most exciting parts was realizing that we had posted up a competitive time with the Women’s Open Four, who is also training in Princeton between now and the World Championship. Hopefully, they won’t be too intimidated to do pieces with us ;) "
To contribute the fundraising efforts of Nicole and the USA Lightweight Women's Quad, please visit the following link:
SUPPORT THE USA LW4X
August 07, 2011
Help Send OKC Athlete's to the World Championships
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| Blaise Didier, Derek Johnson, Anthony Altimari |
Use the following link:
SUPPORT THE USA MEN'S PAIR WITH COXSWAIN
August 04, 2011
12 More of OKC's Own Named to 2011 US National Rowing Team
Thirteen crews earned nominations to the national team after winning their respective events today at Mercer Lake in West Windsor, New Jersey. Racing was decided in five Olympic events, including the women’s single sculls, men’s double sculls, men’s pair, women’s pair and lightweight men’s double sculls and seven non-Olympic events including the lightweight men’s single sculls, lightweight women’s single sculls, lightweight men’s pair, men’s pair with coxswain, lightweight men’s quadruple sculls, lightweight women’s quadruple sculls and the women’s four, and the lightweight men’s eight.
Some had an easier time than others, but most of the racing was tight.
In the men’s pair, USRowing Training Center-Oklahoma City’s Silas Stafford and Ryan Monaghan took an early lead and held that position going into the last 750 meters. In the sprint, USTC-Oklahoma City’s Tom Peszek and Justin Stangel made a huge push and took the race for their own.
Peszek and Stangel won with a time of 6:39.16 over Stafford and Monaghan’s 6:46.29.
“We had a pretty good start, but Silas and Monaghan came out faster,” said Peszek. “We stayed calm and collected as we rowed. But when push comes to shove, only one boat wins.”
Next up in the lightweight men’s double sculls, the three-boat final featured GMS Rowing Center’s NSR #2 winners Brian de Regt and Jon Winter. de Regt and Winter raced in Europe over the summer but did not qualify for a nomination to the team.
This time, they did not let the chance slip.
The GMS crew won with a time of 6:34.04 over the composite entry from USTC-Oklahoma City/New York Athletic Club’s Robert Duff and Tom Paradiso that finished in 6:37.01.
“That was probably the toughest field we have ever faced in the U.S.,” said de Regt. “It was really tight through 750 meters to go, and then we were able to open up just a little bit and get more comfortable in the last 250 meters.”
In the men’s pair with coxswain the USTC-Oklahoma City entry of coxswain Anthony Altimari, Blaise Didier and Derek Johnson registered a first-place finish in 7:14.15 over three other crews from USTC-Oklahoma City, Penn AC and a composite crew from Vesper/Penn AC/USTC-Oklahoma City.
The lightweight eight USTC-Oklahoma City/Hanover Training Camp composite crew of coxswain John Carlson, Jimmy Sopko, Kenny McMahon, Christian Klein, Will Newell, Edward King, Matt Kochem Hills, and Austin Meyer rowed uncontested to earn a spot on the team, posting a time of 5:57.57.
In the next race, the lightweight women’s quadruple sculls of Nicole Dinion, Hillary Saeger, Lindsey Hochman and Katherine Robinson, the composite entry from USTC-Oklahoma City/Pocock Rowing Center/Riverside Boat Club, finished in 7:10.92, defeating the Vesper entry.
Wrapping up the racing was the women’s four, a two-boat race won by USTC-Princeton’s Sarah Hendershot, Emily Regan, Kara Kohler and Sara Zelenka in 7:14.06 over the entry from USTC-Oklahoma City of Mary Jeghers, Meg George, Megan Smith and Hilary Cumbest.
For complete results of the 2011 Senior World Championships Trials, visit http://www.usrowing.org/.
Some had an easier time than others, but most of the racing was tight.
In the men’s pair, USRowing Training Center-Oklahoma City’s Silas Stafford and Ryan Monaghan took an early lead and held that position going into the last 750 meters. In the sprint, USTC-Oklahoma City’s Tom Peszek and Justin Stangel made a huge push and took the race for their own.
Peszek and Stangel won with a time of 6:39.16 over Stafford and Monaghan’s 6:46.29.
“We had a pretty good start, but Silas and Monaghan came out faster,” said Peszek. “We stayed calm and collected as we rowed. But when push comes to shove, only one boat wins.”
Next up in the lightweight men’s double sculls, the three-boat final featured GMS Rowing Center’s NSR #2 winners Brian de Regt and Jon Winter. de Regt and Winter raced in Europe over the summer but did not qualify for a nomination to the team.
This time, they did not let the chance slip.
The GMS crew won with a time of 6:34.04 over the composite entry from USTC-Oklahoma City/New York Athletic Club’s Robert Duff and Tom Paradiso that finished in 6:37.01.
“That was probably the toughest field we have ever faced in the U.S.,” said de Regt. “It was really tight through 750 meters to go, and then we were able to open up just a little bit and get more comfortable in the last 250 meters.”
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| Blaise Didier |
The lightweight eight USTC-Oklahoma City/Hanover Training Camp composite crew of coxswain John Carlson, Jimmy Sopko, Kenny McMahon, Christian Klein, Will Newell, Edward King, Matt Kochem Hills, and Austin Meyer rowed uncontested to earn a spot on the team, posting a time of 5:57.57.
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| Nicole Dinion |
Wrapping up the racing was the women’s four, a two-boat race won by USTC-Princeton’s Sarah Hendershot, Emily Regan, Kara Kohler and Sara Zelenka in 7:14.06 over the entry from USTC-Oklahoma City of Mary Jeghers, Meg George, Megan Smith and Hilary Cumbest.
For complete results of the 2011 Senior World Championships Trials, visit http://www.usrowing.org/.
August 03, 2011
OKC Athletes Set for Mercer Lake Showdown
It’s anyone’s game now.
Following two days of heats and repechages on Mercer Lake in West Windsor, N.J. this week, the final four boats in 12 of 13 events at the 2011 Senior World Championship Trials in West Windsor, N.J., have been sorted out.
In contention to represent the United States at the 2011 World Rowing Championships in Bled, Slovenia are five Olympic events including the women’s single sculls, men’s double sculls, men’s pair, women’s pair and lightweight men’s double sculls and seven non-Olympic events including the lightweight men’s single sculls, lightweight women’s single sculls, lightweight men’s pair, men’s pair with coxswain, lightweight men’s quadruple sculls, lightweight women’s quadruple sculls and the women’s four. The lightweight men’s eight is rowing uncontested.
Today’s racing featured repechages in the men’s pair and the men’s double sculls, and semifinals in the women single sculls and the lightweight men’s single sculls.
Advancing to the final in the first repechage of the of the men’s pair was USRowing Training Center-Chula Vista’s Matthew Wheeler and David Banks with a time of 6:59.12 ahead of Oklahoma City athletes Andrew Melander and Henry Cole. Advancing from the second race in a time of 7:00.48 was Penn A.C. Rowing Association’s Stephen Kasprzyk and Joseph Spencer.
They will be joined in the final by USTC-Oklahoma City’s entries of Tom Peszek and Justin Stangel and Silas Stafford and Ryan Monaghan.
In the men’s double sculls repechage, the composite crew of Stephen Whelpley and William Cowles and Durham Boat Club’s Michael Sivigny and Deaglan McEachern advanced to the final. Oklahoma City's Martin Etem and Ryan Shelton finished in third place.
Whelpley and Cowles, and Sivigny and McEachern, held the top two positions for what appeared to be most of the race. They were pushed hard by the USTC-Oklahoma City entry until the Durham crew dug in, ensuring them a spot in the final.
They will face Craftsbury Sculling Center brothers Tom and Peter Graves and USTC-Chula Vista’s Wes Piermarini and Jamie Koven tomorrow morning.
“We stayed long; we probably could have shortened up the stroke a little bit in the sprint,” said Sivigny. “But we just held our ground and stayed ahead of the OKC boat. They moved into us a little bit but we stayed in front, if I remember right,”
“It looks pretty good,” he said of the upcoming final. “Now there are four of us. We’re just focused on more rhythm and more run. We’ll work on our finish tonight and hopefully we’re coming out on top. That’s the goal.”
Racing resumes tomorrow with finals in all events beginning at 7:30 a.m. Heat sheets and results are available at www.usrowing.org. Finals will be streamed live on http://rowing.teamusa.org/live.
Following two days of heats and repechages on Mercer Lake in West Windsor, N.J. this week, the final four boats in 12 of 13 events at the 2011 Senior World Championship Trials in West Windsor, N.J., have been sorted out.
In contention to represent the United States at the 2011 World Rowing Championships in Bled, Slovenia are five Olympic events including the women’s single sculls, men’s double sculls, men’s pair, women’s pair and lightweight men’s double sculls and seven non-Olympic events including the lightweight men’s single sculls, lightweight women’s single sculls, lightweight men’s pair, men’s pair with coxswain, lightweight men’s quadruple sculls, lightweight women’s quadruple sculls and the women’s four. The lightweight men’s eight is rowing uncontested.
Today’s racing featured repechages in the men’s pair and the men’s double sculls, and semifinals in the women single sculls and the lightweight men’s single sculls.
Advancing to the final in the first repechage of the of the men’s pair was USRowing Training Center-Chula Vista’s Matthew Wheeler and David Banks with a time of 6:59.12 ahead of Oklahoma City athletes Andrew Melander and Henry Cole. Advancing from the second race in a time of 7:00.48 was Penn A.C. Rowing Association’s Stephen Kasprzyk and Joseph Spencer.
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| Justin Stangel |
In the men’s double sculls repechage, the composite crew of Stephen Whelpley and William Cowles and Durham Boat Club’s Michael Sivigny and Deaglan McEachern advanced to the final. Oklahoma City's Martin Etem and Ryan Shelton finished in third place.
Whelpley and Cowles, and Sivigny and McEachern, held the top two positions for what appeared to be most of the race. They were pushed hard by the USTC-Oklahoma City entry until the Durham crew dug in, ensuring them a spot in the final.
They will face Craftsbury Sculling Center brothers Tom and Peter Graves and USTC-Chula Vista’s Wes Piermarini and Jamie Koven tomorrow morning.
“We stayed long; we probably could have shortened up the stroke a little bit in the sprint,” said Sivigny. “But we just held our ground and stayed ahead of the OKC boat. They moved into us a little bit but we stayed in front, if I remember right,”
“It looks pretty good,” he said of the upcoming final. “Now there are four of us. We’re just focused on more rhythm and more run. We’ll work on our finish tonight and hopefully we’re coming out on top. That’s the goal.”
Racing resumes tomorrow with finals in all events beginning at 7:30 a.m. Heat sheets and results are available at www.usrowing.org. Finals will be streamed live on http://rowing.teamusa.org/live.
World Championship Trials - OKC Pairs Charge into Final
The quest for a trip to the 2011 World Rowing Championships in Bled, Slovenia for 13 crews began this morning on Mercer Lake in West Windsor, N.J.
In contention at the 2011 Senior World Championship Trials are five Olympic events, including the women's single sculls, men's double sculls, men's pair, women's pair and lightweight men's double sculls and seven non-Olympic events including the lightweight men's single sculls, lightweight women's single sculls, lightweight men's pair, men's pair with coxswain, lightweight men's quadruple sculls, lightweight women's quadruple sculls and the women's four. The lightweight men's eight is rowing uncontested.
The men's pair has seven entries. Advancing out of the heats to the final were the USRowing Training Center-Oklahoma City's entries of Tom Peszek and Justin Stangel, and Silas Stafford and Ryan Monaghan. Peszek and Stangel had the best time of the morning, finishing in 6:33.01.
With only four entries, the men's pair with coxswain event was also a race for lanes. Rowing the best time of the morning with a 7:17.96 was the USRTC-Oklahoma City's crew of Marcus McElhenney, Brandon Shald and Brad Bertoldo.
With only one entry, the lightweight men's eight USTC-Oklahoma City/Hanover Training Camp composite crew of coxswain John Carlson, Jimmy Sopko, Kenny McMahon, Christian Klein, Will Newell, Edward King, Matt Kochem and Austin Meyer rowed the course and clocked in with a time of 5:55.86.
The lightweight women's quadruple sculls had two entries with the USTC-Oklahoma City/Pocock Rowing Center/Riverside composite crew of Nicole Dinion, Hillary Saeger, Lindsey Hochman and Katherine Robinson had the best time with a 6:39.43.
Finals in all events are scheduled for Thursday morning. Heat sheets and results are available at www.usrowing.org. Finals will be streamed live on http://rowing.teamusa.org/live.
In contention at the 2011 Senior World Championship Trials are five Olympic events, including the women's single sculls, men's double sculls, men's pair, women's pair and lightweight men's double sculls and seven non-Olympic events including the lightweight men's single sculls, lightweight women's single sculls, lightweight men's pair, men's pair with coxswain, lightweight men's quadruple sculls, lightweight women's quadruple sculls and the women's four. The lightweight men's eight is rowing uncontested.
The men's pair has seven entries. Advancing out of the heats to the final were the USRowing Training Center-Oklahoma City's entries of Tom Peszek and Justin Stangel, and Silas Stafford and Ryan Monaghan. Peszek and Stangel had the best time of the morning, finishing in 6:33.01.
With only four entries, the men's pair with coxswain event was also a race for lanes. Rowing the best time of the morning with a 7:17.96 was the USRTC-Oklahoma City's crew of Marcus McElhenney, Brandon Shald and Brad Bertoldo.
With only one entry, the lightweight men's eight USTC-Oklahoma City/Hanover Training Camp composite crew of coxswain John Carlson, Jimmy Sopko, Kenny McMahon, Christian Klein, Will Newell, Edward King, Matt Kochem and Austin Meyer rowed the course and clocked in with a time of 5:55.86.
The lightweight women's quadruple sculls had two entries with the USTC-Oklahoma City/Pocock Rowing Center/Riverside composite crew of Nicole Dinion, Hillary Saeger, Lindsey Hochman and Katherine Robinson had the best time with a 6:39.43.
Finals in all events are scheduled for Thursday morning. Heat sheets and results are available at www.usrowing.org. Finals will be streamed live on http://rowing.teamusa.org/live.
August 01, 2011
Five OKC Athletes Named to 2011 US Adaptive World Championship Team
Four adaptive crews have been named to the U.S. National Team that will compete at the 2011 World Rowing Championships to be held August 28-September 4 in Bled, Slovenia.
Three crews – the men’s and women’s single sculls and mixed trunk and arms double sculls – earned berths by winning their respective finals at the 2011 Adaptive World Championships Trials, held in conjunction with the Junior and Under 23 World Championships Trials on Mercer Lake in West Windsor, N.J in June.
Final-only racing was contested over 1,000-meters. In the double, USRowing Training Center – Oklahoma City’s Anthony Davis and Jacqui Kapinowski crossed the finish line 15.1 seconds ahead of Louisville Rowing Club/Greater Louisville Rowing Foundation’s Oksana Masters and Augusto Perez for the win.
“It seemed like we were just flying. The 250-meter mark came, then the 500, and then the 750. With 250 left, I remember looking at (Masters and Perez) and thinking, there’s no way that they can beat us; this is our race. We just kept going and it felt good.”
“It hasn’t really sunk in yet,” said Kapinowski, a 2010 Paralympic curler. “I’m very excited. It’s a phenomenal feeling. Tony and I have worked our butts off since April on the water and it paid off today. We believed in each other. The water was quite rough, but we’re very used to rowing every day in strong winds in Oklahoma.”
In the women’s single, USRowing Training Center – Oklahoma City’s Tricia Downing also raced unopposed to earn a spot on the U.S. National Team. Downing, a Denver-native and first-time national team member in rowing, clocked a 7:04.40 at the line. “It was a really good experience for my first time racing,” said Downing. “I think I got exactly the time I was hoping for. I think I gave it a good effort and was pretty psyched with my finish. It was a little bit nerve-wracking, not because there were all these people competing around me, but because I wanted to make sure I did the proper procedures and knew what was going on. It was nice to have Ron sitting next to me as a good role model.”
Downing is a multi-sport athlete, having competed for the U.S. National Triathlon Team prior to taking up rowing just a few short months ago.
“I was a little burnt out on triathlon and wanted to try something new,” said Downing. “I had some shoulder issues and over-use issues with being in a hand cycle and pushing the racing chair. I was looking for the ways to strengthen my shoulder muscles. I came to rowing to kind of balance out my body, but I’m always a competitor and I’m always looking for competition.”
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| Preuschl |
In addition to the trials crews, the camp-selected adaptive mixed four with coxswain crew has been named. The lineup of Alex Stein, Eric McDaniel, Eleni Englert and Oklahoma City's Emma Preuschl and Andrew Johnson will represent the U.S. at the 2011 World Rowing Championships.
Four of the athletes – McDaniel, Paralympic silver-medalist Preuschl, Englert and Johnson – finished sixth in the event at the 2010 World Rowing Championships in New Zealand.
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