Five Wolverines Medal at FISA World Championships
7/28/2008 12:00:00 AM | Rowing
LINZ, Austria C Five representatives of the University of Michigan womens rowing program collected medals at the 2008 FISA World Rowing Senior and Junior Championships on Saturday and Sunday (July 26-27). Incoming freshmen Cristina Felix(San Marino, Calif./San Marino HS) and Melisa Ongun(Chicago, Ill./Lincoln Park HS) won gold medals in the U.S. junior womens eight C a first for the U.S. at the Junior World Championships. Fifth-year senior Karen Colwell(Pawcatuck, Conn./Stonington HS) and U-M alumnae Stesha Carle(Long Beach, Calif.) and Sarah Trowbridge(Guilford, Conn.) received silver medals in the U.S. senior womens four.
The gold medal won by the U.S. junior womens eight was just the second ever first-place finish by a U.S. crew in any event at the Junior World Championships. TheU.S.crew was third out of the blocks, trailing behind Germany and Romania at the 500-meter mark. By the halfway point, Germany fell back, allowing the U.S. and Romanian crews to battle it out for first place. A decisive move by the U.S. at the 1,750-meter mark brought the crew out front, where it continued to take seats through the final stretch and win by two seconds in 6:31.63. Romania clocked a 6:33.68 for the silver medal, while Germany finished third in 6:37.72. Felix and Ongun also competed at the 2007 FISA World Junior Championships. Ongun won bronze in the eight and Felix placed eighth in the four.
Colwell, Carle and Trowbridge made up three-quarters of the U.S. senior four that earned a runner-up finish in its event. The American crew fought back from fourth position at the 500-meter mark to clock a 6:43.56. Belarus led the entire length of the course to finish first in 6:39.89. After a protest in the finish of the race, the Russian crew was excluded and Denmark was awarded the bronze medal, finishing with a time of 6:44.69. Alumna Cristin McCarty(Saskatoon, Sask.) raced in the Canadian senior four that placed fifth in a time of 6:50.99.
The U.S. junior women's pair, which was under the direction of Michigan assistant coach Veronika Platzer, won its 'B' final to earn seventh place overall. The U.S. crew rowed even with Poland across the 1,000-meter mark, and then were able to move ahead to gain the lead over the last quarter of the race course and win in 7:49.26. Poland finished second in a 7:52.82, with Ukraine third in a 7:55.82. Platzer also assisted the U.S. Coast Guard Academy's Steve Hargis with the coaching of the junior women's eight that won the gold medal.
Incoming freshman Emily Eiffert(Honeoye Falls, N.Y./Honeoye Falls-Lima Senior HS) also competed for Team USAs junior squad. She and her partner placed 12th overall in the womens double sculls event.
Four Wolverine alumnae are poised to represent their respective countries at the upcoming 2008 Olympics: Ellen Tomek (USA, double sculls), Brett Sickler (USA, alternate), Heather Mandoli (Canada, eight) and Janine Hanson (Canada, quadruple sculls).
Information from USRowing was used in this story.
USRowing Release C Junior Team(July 26)
USRowing Release C Senior Team(July 27)
Contact: Matt Trevor (734) 763-4423
