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.”



Blaise Didier

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.

Nicole Dinion

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/.