For Immediate Release

West Windsor, NJ – Junior rowers from 12 local high schools will be representing Mercer Rowing as they compete for the title of the top Junior crew in the country at USRowing’s Youth National Rowing Championship this weekend in Sarasota, Florida. The Youth National Championship brings in the top crews from throughout the United States to vie for titles in 18 different events. 163 teams earned the right to enter boats in the National Championship through their performance at regional championships. Racing starts with the first round of competition on Friday, June 12 with the finals concluding on Sunday, June 14.

The Mercer Rowing Program will be competing in the Men’s 8 with coxswain, Men’s Lightweight 4 with coxswain, Women’s 8 with Coxswain, Women’s Lightweight 8 with coxswain and Women’s 4 with coxswain. The Lawrenceville School is sending a Women’s Lightweight 4 with coxswain and Peddie will be competing in the Women’s 4 with coxswain. All of these crews earned the right to complete at the Mid-Atlantic Junior Regional Championships held on Mercer Lake, May 9-10, 2015.

In 2016, Princeton National Rowing Association and its Mercer Rowing Program will host the USRowing Youth National Championships at Mercer Lake in Mercer County Park, West Windsor, NJ.

The line-up for the crews competing in the 2015 USRowing Youth National Championships are:

Mercer Rowing Program

Men’s Youth 8 with Coxswain

Matt Perez, Robbinsville High School

Scott Hanks, Hun School

Aaron Goodman, Princeton High School

Dan Gleim, West Windsor-Plainsboro South

Kevin Borup, South Brunswick High School

Alex Levine, Princeton High School

Carter Levine, Princeton High School

John Tanguay, Hopewell Valley Central High School

Elias Abilheira, Princeton High School

Men’s Lightweight 4 with Coxswain

Nikhil Modi, West Windsor-Plainsboro South

Mark Hayton, Hopewell Valley Central High School

Andrew Hickey, Notre Dame High School

Griffin Petri, West Windsor-Plainsboro South

Ron Haines, Hamilton High School

Women’s 8 with Coxswain

Kate Edmonson, Westfield High School

Bedia Shebab, Hopewell Valley Central High School

Hayley Bork, Robbinsville High School

Kelly Fischer, Hopewell Valley Central High School

Caitlin Cleary, Princeton High School

Katie Lustig, Council Rock High School

Kathleen Hickey, Notre Dame High School

Alex Natale, Hun School

Rena White, Princeton High School

Women’s Light Weight 8 with Coxswain

Katarina Stough, Princeton High School

Elise Gorberg, West Windsor-Plainsboro South

Eileen Hu, West Windsor-Plainsboro South

Lauren Miller, Steinert High School

Jenna Kugel, Montgomery High School

Hannah Ash, Princeton High School

Kathryn Miller, Steinert High School

Celia Varga, Princeton Day School

Sara Hansen, West Windsor-Plainsboro South

Women’s 4 with Coxswain

Sydney Holgado, Robbinsville High School

Megan Botsch, Robbinsville High School

Bridget Parker, Princeton High School

Rachel Mumau, Home School

Lauren Colanduoni, Hopewell Valley Central High School

Lawrenceville School

Women’s Lightweight 4 with Coxswain

D. Massihpour

M. Marcus

C. Dragonetti

H. Kruger

G. de Vinq De Cumtich

Peddie School

Women’s 4 with Coxswain

Alex Baum

Katie Benham

Michaela Nieuwenhuizen

Jordan Kelly

Mia Caglieris

About the Princeton National Rowing Association

The Princeton National Rowing Association, a 501(c)3 organization, operates the Finn M.W. Caspersen Rowing Center located on the shores of Mercer Lake, Mercer County Park in West Windsor, New Jersey. The Princeton National Rowing Association is dedicated to operating a world-class training site for our nation’s elite athletes, providing opportunities for area youth to excel in the sport of rowing and to expand rowing in the area through community-based programs. PNRA runs the Mercer Junior Rowing Program which provides rowing opportunities for youth from over 30 area schools and the Mercer Masters Rowing Program which provides rowing opportunities for adults. The center is a home to the USRowing National and Olympic Teams, as well as rowing clubs and schools. PNRA received generous support from University Orthopaedic Associates, Harry’s Army Navy, JL Racing, Resolute Racing Shells, Wells Fargo Advisors-Gould Group, Red Roof Inn, Hampton Inn and Residence Inn by Marriott.

For more information, contact Kristopher Grudt, tel: 609-977-1094, krisgrudt@rowpnra.org or visit www.rowpnra.org.

WEST WINDSOR – While the summer Olympics are more than a year away, rowers across the nation are already preparing for national selection regattas that could land them a spot on a boat at West Windsor’s Finn M.W. Caspersen Rowing Center, and on the Olympic team. Read more…

WEST WINDSOR — Mercer Lake at Mercer County Park in West Windsor will be the site of the 2016 USRowing Youth National Championships, officials announced Wednesday. Read more…

Click for more information and to buy tickets.

WEST WINDSOR, N.J. – USRowing and the Princeton National Rowing Association today announced that Mercer Lake in West Windsor, N.J., will be the site of the 2016 USRowing Youth National Championships, June 10-12, 2016. The premiere youth rowing event in the United States, USRowing’s annual Youth National Championships sees approximately 1,500 athletes competing in more than 350 crews, representing some 150 teams from across the country – all vying for national titles in 18 boat classes. Read more…

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 11, 2015

West Windsor, NJ – Princeton National Rowing Association’s Mercer Rowing Club (PNRA-Mercer) won 7 bids to the 2015 USRowing Youth National Championships next month by achieving success at the Mid-Atlantic Youth Championships this past weekend, May 9 and 10.  Hosted by PNRA, the Mid-Atlantic Youth Championships featured 281 crews from 34 clubs based in six states and the District of Columbia and is one of six USRowing regional championships this month leading up to the national championship regatta.

Mercer qualified crews to compete for the national championship in the following events:  Women’s Youth Varsity 8 plus coxswain (two crews), Women’s Youth Lightweight Varsity 8 plus coxswain, Women’s Youth Varsity 4 plus coxswain, Men’s Youth Varsity 8 plus coxswain, Men’s Youth Lightweight 4 plus coxswain, and Men’s Youth Varsity Pair.

The depth of the girls’ team was on display this weekend.  Coach Ted Sobolewski’s girls’ first varsity 8+ crew has been turning heads all season and placed first on Sunday with an impressive time of 6 minutes, 40 seconds on the 2K course.  The crew included senior co-captain Rena White (Princeton High School), senior Alex Natale (The Hun School), sophomore Katie Lustig (Council Rock North High School) junior Kate Hickey (Notre Dame High School), senior Kelly Fischer (Hopewell Valley Central High School), junior Caitlin Cleary (Princeton High School), senior Badia Shehab (Hopewell Valley Central High School), senior co-captain senior Hayley Bork (Robbinsville High School), and coxswain Kate Edmondson (Westfield High School).  The second varsity 8+ rowed to third place behind Mt. St. Joseph’s Academy and therefore is eligible to compete at Youth Nationals as well.  Some of the girls in the second varsity 8+, also rowed in the other boats that won bids to compete for the national championship by “hot seating” or competing twice with less than an hour between races.

Junior coxswain Sydney Holgado (Robbinsville High School) was full of praise for the crew she coxed, Mercer’s girls’ varsity 4 consisting of senior Lauren Colanduoni (Hopewell Valley Central High School), freshman Sara Hansen (West Windsor Plainsboro South High School), senior Megan Botsch (Robbinsville High School) and junior Rachel Mumau (home schooled). “Going into it, we knew that the category was very competitive in this region,” said Holgado.  Indeed, four crews seemed to be in a virtual tie with 500 meters to go in the race.  “I called for five strokes to focus on technique at the 500 and then we started our sprint at the 300 meter mark. We increased the pressure and the stroke rate came up with that,” Holgado added.  The Mercer boat finished two seconds ahead of the other three boats.

“We have a lot of work to do in the next 4 weeks, but everyone is excited to keep training,” said Holgado.  Mercer typically qualifies more boats than it ends up entering into the national championship regatta.  In addition, coaches have the discretion to change up to fifty percent of the lineup of a qualifying crew.  The Mercer coaches will have some difficult decisions to make about which crews to take to Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota-Bradenton, Fla., June 12-14 for the Youth National Championships.

In other weekend news, USRowing and PNRA announced that Mercer Lake will be the site of the 2016 Youth National Championships.

About the Princeton National Rowing Association

The Princeton National Rowing Association, a 501(c)3 organization, operates the Finn M.W. Caspersen Rowing Center located on the shores of Mercer Lake, Mercer County Park in West Windsor, New Jersey.  The Princeton National Rowing Association is dedicated to operating a world-class training site for our nation’s elite athletes, providing opportunities for area youth to excel in the sport of rowing and to expand rowing in the area through community-based programs.  PNRA runs the Mercer Junior Rowing Program which provides rowing opportunities for youth from over 30 area schools and the Mercer Masters Rowing Program which provides rowing opportunities for adults.  The center is a home to the USRowing National and Olympic Teams, as well as rowing clubs and schools. PNRA received generous support from University Orthopaedic Associates, Harry’s Army Navy, JL Racing, Resolute Racing Shells, Wells Fargo Advisors-Gould Group, Red Roof Inn, Hampton Inn and Residence Inn by Marriott.

For more information, contact Kristopher Grudt, tel: 609-977-1094,krisgrudt@rowpnra.org or visit www.rowpnra.org.