Finals Set at USRowing’s 2023 National Selection Regatta

Finals are now set at the 2023 National Selection Regatta in Chula Vista, Calif., after Thursday’s semifinal racing in the men’s and women’s single sculls.

After posting the fastest time in Tuesday’s time trial of the men’s single, New York Athletic Club’s Eliot Putnam (Littleton, Mass./Cornell University) came back to record the top time in Thursday’s semifinals. Racing in the first of two semis, Putnam crossed the finish line more than four seconds ahead of Craftsbury Green Racing Project’s Jacob Plihal (Vashon Island, Wash./Northeastern University), finishing with a time of 7:07.29. Plihal crossed the line in a 7:13.75, with San Diego Rowing Club’s Tom Peszek (Farmington Hills, Mich./University of Michigan) finishing third in a 7:15.69 to also advance to the final. In the second semifinal, California Rowing Club’s Andrew LeRoux (Venice, Fla./Princeton University) earned the victory in a 7:07.76, finishing just over two seconds ahead of Texas Rowing Center’s Jonathan Kirkegaard (Philadelphia, Pa./Purdue University). Kirkegaard clocked a 7:09.81. Isaiah Harrison (Coeur d’Alene, Idaho/Coeur d’Alene Rowing Association) finished third in a 7:18.94 to earn the last spot in the final. Putnam last raced for the U.S. in the men’s quadruple sculls at the 2021 World Rowing Final Olympic Qualification Regatta, while LeRoux was an alternate on the 2022 World Championships’ squad. Plihal, who won the single at the Pan American Games Qualification Regatta last week, and Kirkegaard were members of the quad at last year’s world championships. Peszek is a 10-time national team member and 2012 Olympian, while Harrison won a silver medal in the single at the 2022 World Rowing Under 23 Championships.

In the women’s single sculls, TRC’s Kara Kohler (Clayton, Calif./University of California, Berkeley), a nine-time national team member and two-time Olympian who won the bronze medal in the event at the 2019 World Rowing Championships, put down the fastest time of the semifinals, winning the second semi in a 7:48.78. Kohler finished 2.30 seconds ahead of ARION’s Savannah Brija (Lemont, Ill./Ithaca College). Long Beach Rowing Association’s Madeleine Focht (Long Beach, Calif./California State University, Long Beach) finished third in a 7:58.44. In the first semifinal, USRowing Training Center – Princeton’s Michelle Sechser (Folsom, Calif./University of Tulsa), a Tokyo 2020 Olympian who won a silver medal in the lightweight women’s double sculls at last year’s world championships, won the race in a 7:52.97. Craftsbury Green Racing Project’s Emily Delleman (Davenport, Iowa/Stanford University) finished second in a 7:55.19, while Whitemarsh Boat Club’s Audrey Boersen (West Olive, Mich./Grand Valley State University) took third in a 7:56.76. Sechser posted the fastest time in Tuesday’s time trial, just ahead of Kohler. Brija and Delleman were part of the women’s quadruple sculls at last year’s world championships, while Boersen made the lightweight women’s quad but was unable to compete due to injury. Focht recently won two medals at the Pan American Games Qualification Regatta in the women’s double and quad.

Click here for complete results from today’s racing.

In addition to the men’s and women’s single sculls, tomorrow’s finals will feature racing in the men’s and women’s double sculls and pairs, as well as the PR2 mixed double sculls and the PR1 men’s single sculls. Racing is scheduled to start at 8 a.m. 

In total, 55 rowers in 38 boats are competing this week on the Lower Otay Reservoir. Winners in the singles, doubles, and pairs will earn the right to race at World Rowing Cup 2 in Varese, Italy. A top-six finish in Varese (if six of the top eight nations from the 2022 World Championships are in attendance) will earn the athletes the opportunity to represent the U.S. in the event at the 2023 World Championships in Belgrade, Serbia. If six of the top eight nations are not in attendance, the placement criteria will be adapted. Click here to see the complete 2023 Senior National Team Selection Procedures. 

In the PR1 men’s single sculls and PR2 mixed double sculls, the winning boat will earn the right to race at the Gavirate International Para Regatta. A top-six finish in Gavirate (if six of the top eight nations from the 2022 World Championships are in attendance) will earn the athletes the opportunity to represent the U.S. in the event at the 2023 World Championships. If six of the top eight nations are not in attendance, the placement criteria will be adapted. Click here to see the complete 2023 Para National Team Selection Procedures. 

The 2023 World Rowing Championships will take place September 3-10 in Belgrade, Serbia.

USRowing would like to thank Filippi Lido, the Official Boat Supplier for the U.S. Senior, Under 23, and Para Rowing National Teams. Under the agreement, Filippi is providing USRowing a fleet of boats for international competitions including the World Rowing Cup regattas, World Rowing Under 23 Championships, World Rowing Championships, Olympic Games, and Paralympic Games, as well as a domestic training fleet for the USRowing Training Center.