Finals Set at the 2009 USRowing National Championships

WEST WINDSOR, N.J. - Twenty-one national titles are up for grabs going into the final day of the 2009 USRowing National Championships on Mercer Lake in West Windsor, N.J.

The 138th running of the regatta features Olympic medalists, world champions and many of the nation's top athletes who are in training for the 2009 FISA World Rowing Championships. Morning heat winners in the men's eight, men's single sculls, lightweight men's single sculls, women's pair and women's single sculls advanced directly to tomorrow's final.

In the men's eight, USRowing Training Center's crew of coxswain Marcus McElhenney, Ross James, Grant James, Beau Hoopman, Steve Kasprzyk, Giuseppe Lanzone, Henrik Rummel, William Benjamin and Mike Holbrook won the first of two heats to advance to the final. The crew crossed 2.46 seconds ahead of USTC B to win in a 5:35.092. In the second heat, USTC's crew of coxswain Ned DelGuercio, Brett Newlin, Jake Cornelius, Steve Coppola, Cameron Winklevoss, David Banks, Charlie Cole, Tyler Winklevoss and Donny Simkin won by nearly 23 seconds, crossing in a 5:45.711. USTC A, USTC B, Penn A.C. Rowing Association and Leander Club join the final's field from the afternoon repechages, or second-chance races.

Penn A.C.'s Christopher DeFelice posted the fastest time in the first of two heats of the men's single sculls. After winning Thursday's time trial, DeFelice finished 5.3 seconds ahead of Potomac Boat Club's William Greer to clock a 7:06.446. Greer crossed second in a 7:11.183, followed by Vesper Boat Club's Ian Silviera in third with a 7:19.269. In the second heat, Vesper's Brian Albers won in a 7:10.830. GMS Rowing Center's James McGaffigan crossed second in a 7:11.389, with Penn A.C.'s Ross Anderson in a 7:20.416 for third. Greer, Anderson, McGaffigan and Silviera join the final after placing top two in each of the afternoon repechages.

Ottawa Rowing Club's Morgan Jarvis dominated the field in the lightweight men's single sculls. After winning Thursday's time trial, Jarvis clocked a 7:04.906 in the first of two heats to advance to the final. Cody Lowry of Bachelors Barge Club crossed second in a 7:05.331, followed by Michael Orzolek of GMS Rowing Center in a 7:22.902. Steel City Rowing Club's Matthew Maddamma won the second heat in a 7:11.721, with USTC's Andrew Bolton second in a 7:15.975. Lowry, Bolton, Vesper's Matt Bokermann and Ottawa's Paul Amesbury advanced from the afternoon repechages.

London Training Center won both the first and second heats of the women's pair. The LTC duo of Ashley Brozowicz and Emma Darling clocked the fastest time to win the second of two heats in a 7:20.965. USTC's Jamie Redman and Amanda Polk crossed second in a 7:25.886. LTC's Peggy Devos and Courtney Macintosh won the first heat in a 7:36.341. LTC teammates Sandra Kisil and Stephanie Morrison finished second in a 7:41.720, followed by LTC's Norah Griffiths and Elizabeth McCord in a 7:42.959. USTC's Megan Smith and Suzanne Van Fleet, LTC's Cristin McCarty and Sarah Waterfield, USTC's Redman and Polk and LTC's Griffiths and McCord advanced to the final from the repechages.

In the women's double sculls, USTC's Meghan Musnicki and Sarah Trowbridge won the first heat in a 7:10.740. The Vesper Boat Club duo of Bryn Crawford and Shannon Kaplan crossed second in a 7:19.432, with Potomac Boat Club's Katherine Stainken and Morgan Wimberley third in a 7:21.067. LTC's Isolda Penney and Romina Stefancic won the second heat in a 7:16.804, finishing over 12 seconds ahead of Riverside Boat Club's Kelly Steinhaus and Siobhan Steyn. Vesper and Potomac won the first and second repechages, respectively, and advance to the final along with Ottawa's Cristy Nurse and Julie Shearer and Riverside's Natalie Dell and Sarah Schwegman.

In addition, the top two finishers in the repechages of the lightweight women's single sculls, men's pair, men's double sculls, lightweight women's double sculls and women's single sculls advanced to the final. Racing concludes Saturday with finals beginning at 8 a.m. For complete results, visit www.powerhousetiming.com.

Captured Speed, Inc., in conjunction with USRowing and the United States Olympic Committee, will produce an internet highlight show of the regatta. The 45-minute show will be broadcast on the United States Olympic Committee's Web site at http://rowing.teamusa.org/video. The video will be available during the second week of July.

Mercer Lake is no stranger to elite-level events as it has hosted numerous U.S. national selection regattas, world championship trials and Olympic trials, as well as the 2006 NCAA Women's Rowing Championships, 2006 FISA World Masters Regatta and the Princeton stop of the 2001 FISA World Cup circuit.

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's Official Suppliers are Hudson Boat Works and Boathouse Sports; its Official Patron is Concept2; its Official Electronics Outfitter is Nielsen Kellerman; its Official Timer is Powerhouse Timing; and its Preferred Printer is Sport Graphics Printing. USRowing also receives generous support from the National Rowing Foundation.

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