Time Trials Breeze by at National Selection Regatta

Glenn Ochal

Time trials are complete following this morning's racing at the first National Selection Regatta of 2013. OKC High Performance athletes were faced with some familiar windy conditions when they arrived to complete the 1,900-meter course on Lake Mercer. The top 18 crews in each boat class advanced to the evening heats.

In the men’s single, John Graves posted the fastest time of the 28 entries with a 6:46.565. Rowing under Craftsbury Sculling Center, Graves competed in the lightweight men’s single at the 2009 and 2010 World Rowing Under 23 Championships. USRowing Training Center- OKC's Glenn Ochal finished second in 6:47.024. Teammates Jameson Harper and Greg Ansolabehere finished in 12th and 16th place respectively, both advancing to this evening's heats. Blaise Didier failed to advance by placing 20th and will race in the D Final tomorrow morning.

Competing in a field of 19 entries, USRowing Training Center – Princeton’s Eleanor Logan (Boothbay Harbor, Maine) won the time trial of the women’s single with a time of 7:23.393. The two-time Olympic women’s eight gold medalist won bronze in the women’s single last month at the 2013 Samsung World Cup I in Australia.

The winners of the two selection events will earn the right to compete at one or both of the scheduled World Rowing Cup events and, if he or she finishes in the top four or top half of the field, earn a berth on the team that will compete at the World Rowing Championships August 25-September 1 in Chungju, South Korea.

In the first speed order event of the morning, the USRowing Training Center men’s pair entry of Seth Weil and London bronze medalist Henrik Rummel posted the fastest time of 6:14.336. They were followed by USRowing Training Center - OKC's entry of Mike Gennaro and Grant James in 6:16.113. OKC's Nareg Guregian and Ross James finished in 6th place while London Olympians Tom Peszek and David Banks finished in 7th place.

USRowing Training Center – Oklahoma City’s Kate Bertko won the time trial of the lightweight women’s single sculls. Bertko, won represented the U.S. in the women’s double at the 2011 World Rowing Championships, finished with a time of 7:30.362. Nicole Dinion finished 4th in 7:51.379, Kat Schiro finished in 8th place in 8:01.306 followed closely by Chelsea Smith in 9th position in 8:01.811. All four women will race in this evening's heats for a spot in the semi finals.

On the men’s side, Craftsbury Sculling Center’s Hugh McAdam (Philadelphia, Pa.) won the lightweight men’s single with a 6:56.913.

Racing continues tonight at 5:30 p.m. with heats. Semifinals will take place Friday morning beginning at 7:30 a.m., with A and B finals scheduled for Saturday morning. For more information including race schedule and results visit www.usrowing.org.