Racing Concludes for U19, U23, and Senior Trials

12 Finals took place today at the 2024 USRowing Under 19, Under 23, and Senior National Team Trials on Mercer Lake in West Windsor, N.J. Athletes raced for spots on the team that will represent the U.S. at the combined 2024 U19, U23, and Senior World Rowing Championships scheduled for August 18-25 in St. Catherines, Canada.

Athletes were required to win their time trial and be within 94% of the qualifying time (CST) to gain a spot at the 2024 U19, U23, and Senior World Championships in August. 

This morning’s racing saw seven crews hitting the required time standard. In the U19 men’s single sculls, Brophy College Preparatory School’s Ian O’Riley finished the course in 7:18.20, over 9 seconds ahead of second place finisher CRI’s Simeon John. O’Riley’s win and time secured his spot on his first national team. 

V-Sculls’ men’s U19 double dominated their race winning in a time of 6:39.67 over 11 seconds ahead of second place RowAmerica Rye. Donovan Moses placed 10th in the men’s single sculls, and George Kapp won the U17 men’s single sculls at the 2024 Youth National Championships. Both athletes will be first time national team members.

In the tightest race of the day, Conshohocken’s Robert Sherman beat California’s James Fetter in the U23 men’s single by just over 1 second to win his first trip to the world championships. The Naval Academy rower was able to push his bow ahead after trading the lead with Fetter, a Stanford rower, at the 1500 meter mark.

Audrianna Boersen earned her spot on the senior national team in a time of 7:41.26, racing unopposed in the lightweight women’s single. This will be Boersen’s third national team, but first she will race in. In 2022, she made the team but was in a car crash that took her out of the competition, and in 2023, she was the spare for the lightweight double. 

“It’s really hard to race by yourself so last night and this morning when I was thinking about the race, I know this is where I will build the toughness I will need for the world’s race,” said Boersen. “The time standard is something I knew I could hit, I hit it in the past but it is a whole different beast going out there alone. I was really happy with how I executed that. I’m really excited to be able to represent the U.S.”

The men’s and women’s U23 fours raced unopposed and were able to hit the required qualifying time. The crew from Mendota of William Klipstine, Andrew Soman, John O'Brien, and Lucas Farmer set a time of 6:10.18. All four rowers from the University of Wisconsin will be rowing in their first world championships this summer. 

Hot off winning the NCAA Championships, the crew from Texas University composed of Nadja Yaroschuk, Anna Jensen, Sue Holderness, and Paula Becher crossed the line in a time of 6:48.43. They will represent the U.S. in the U23 women’s four.

NYAC’s Sam Melvin won the lightweight men’s single by over 15 seconds and secured his fourth national team appearance. Melvin represented the U.S. last year, finishing seventh in the lightweight single sculls at the 2023 World Rowing Championships. 

Yesterday, RowAmerica Rye took the win and secured a spot on the U19 national team in the U19 men’s pair in a photo finish against Row New Jersey. Lucas Liow and George Dolce finished the men’s U19 pair event with a time of 6:48.60, just 0.3 seconds over Christian Mirzaian and Maxton Kilroy. 

Craftsbury Green Racing Project's Cillian Mullen won the U23 women's single sculls and a place on the U23 team in a dominant fashion. Mullen won the race by nearly 15 seconds over second place finisher Catherine Barry. 

Mullen, who previously raced for the U.S in the U19 women’s quad, remarked on his race. “I had an awesome time out there. I was pulling for my teammates at the University of Washington and my teammates back in Vermont. I was coming into that last 600 meters and I just pictured that I was in the cut and sent it all the way home. It was a really good race and I am really happy to be here.”

King's Crown Rowing Association’s Colton Millar and Adam Pushner won the U23 men’s pair in a time of 6:39.93. Both athletes from Columbia University were 18 seconds ahead of Long Beach Junior's, Nicholas Ryan and Maximillian Ryan. Colton Millar was previously on the U19 national team, while this win will mark Adam Pushner’s first national team. 

Click here for complete results.

Official team roster to be announced on Monday. 

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. 

USRowing also would like to thank HUDSON, the Official Boat Supplier for the U.S. Under 19 National Team. Through the partnership, HUDSON supplies racing shells for selection and training domestically, with matched shells provided internationally for racing.