Summer workouts got underway a few days following the conclusion of IRAs, with most rowers who were invited to camp showing up the following Monday. After a few days of technical rows, the normal workouts started. The first week or so, coaches were trying to evaluate the rowers and attempted to get the rowers to row together. This is an ongoing process, as rowers from different programs have different styles and rhythms.
USRowing National Championships were held at the end of June, so selection for boats started fairly quickly. On the lightweight side, coaches put the fastest eight guys together and won the National Championships easily over the second eight from the training Center, with the Pre-Elite (under-23) camp boat taking third. The gold medal boat consisted of (From Stroke): Sean Kamman, Paul Teti, Eric Den Besten, Kevin Cotter, Chris Kerber, Erik Miller, Bill Carlucci and John Cashman.
The lightweight four was won easily by Teti, Den Besten, Cotter and Kerber. This is likely the boat which will represent the US at the world Championships this summer. The lightweight pair was won by PTC athletes Josh Crosby and Erik Miller. Wes Kerns and Tim Cullen of Malta Boat Club finished second, about 6 seconds behind, and Martin Schwartz and Rob Freidrich of the PTC were third. (Heavyweight and other results, as well as pictures on www.row2k.com )
The week following Nationals, athletes who were invited back to the camp for World Championship and Nation's Cup selection participated in VO2 Max testing. The test is a 2000 meter max test on a rowing ergometer, while breathing, oxygen use, heartrate and speed are monitored (for more info check out the story I did earlier located here. ) Lightweight scores were varied, but mostly were about four seconds slower than the previous 2k, due to the testing equipment, and the fact that athletes were at weight and had just competed in a regatta.
Nation's cup boats were selected in the two or three weeks following Nationals, and now World Championships selection in well underway. Boats are starting to take shape, but there is still much to be determined.
Heavyweight men's pair trials will take place at the PTC on Lake Carnegie starting about August 5th, with most other mens' sweep trials taking place the following week. The World Championships will be held in Cologne, Germany September 6-13.