PRINCETON, N.J. - In cool weather and perfect conditions, the finals for the men's and women's single sculls and men's pair with coxswain events were set this morning at the 2010 World Rowing Championship Trials.
In the men's single sculls, Ken Jurkowski ( New Fairfield, Conn.), a 2008 Olympian in the event, clocked the fastest time of the semifinals. Jurkowski crossed the finish line in a 6:58.03. United States Training Center-Oklahoma City's Martin Etem (Long Beach, Calif.) rowed a strong race to also advance.
Jurkowski and Etem will be joined in the final by Craftsbury Sculling Center's Tom Graves (Cincinnati, Ohio) and GMS's Michael Sivigny (Hudson, N.H.).
In the women's single sculls semifinals, Seattle Rowing Center's Lindsay Meyer (Seattle, Wash.) won her race in 7:40.054 followed in second by University of Michigan Women's Crew entry Brett Sickler (Los Gatos, Calif.).
They will face Cambridge Boat Clubs' Genevra Stone (Newton, Mass.) and USTC's Jessica Reel (Atlanta, Ga.) in the four boat final. Stone and Reel finished in 7:43.787 and 7:43.819 respectively.
Advancing to finals in the lightweight men's singles from the first semifinal was Undine Barge Club/Vesper Boat Club entry, Dan Urevick-Ackelsberg, (Philadelphia, Pa.), who won in 7:10.587 and USTC/Malta Boat Club's Shane Madden.
Winning the second semifinal and advancing to the finals were Colorado Rowing Camp's Greg Ruckman (Cincinnati, Ohio), who finished with a 7:09.723, and Riverside Boat Club's David Smith (Seattle, Wash.).
The final two events of the morning were the repechages, or second chance races, for the men's pair with coxswain and the lightweight women's single.
In the men's pair with coxswain, USTC boats finished first and second with the team of Nareg Guregian (North Hill, Calif.), Justin Stangel (Madison, Wis.) and coxswain Steve Young (Tampa, Fla.) winning in 7:09.988 followed by Alex Osborne (Sherman Oaks, Calif.), Matthew Wheeler (Eugene, Ore.) and coxswain Rob O'Leary (Fayetteville, N.Y.).
In the lightweight women's single, Vesper Boat Club's Julia Nichols (Livermore, Calif.) advanced to the finals with a winning time of 7:52.720 followed by Potomac Boat Club's Lissa Krawczyk (Washington, D.C.).
Finals for all 12 events being contested are a best two of three format with the first finals set to begin tomorrow morning. Racing continues through Saturday morning, if necessary. The winning crews will represent the United States in 12 events at the 2010 World Rowing Championships, October 31-November 7, in Lake Karapiro, New Zealand.
Bids are being contested for the men's single sculls, women's single sculls, lightweight men's single sculls, lightweight women's single sculls, men's pair, women's pair, lightweight men's pair, men's pair with coxswain, lightweight men's quadruple sculls, lightweight women's quadruple sculls, women's four and lightweight men's eight.