Day 3: Crews Determined for Para, Lightweight, and U23 National Teams as Speed Orders and Trials Conclude

Selection for the U.S. Para, Lightweight, and U23 National Teams concluded today on Mercer Lake in New Jersey as athletes competed for the opportunity to represent the United States at the 2026 World Rowing Championships and World Rowing U23 Championships. Trial crews were required to win their event and meet the competitive standard time to earn selection to the national team. Competitive standard time was adjusted to 93.5% due to conditions. Alongside the trials, the Summer Speed Orders featured returning Olympians in the men’s and women’s single sculls and pairs, as the U.S. builds momentum toward the LA28 Olympic Games.

Summer Speed Orders

Olympian Ben Davison from California Rowing Club continued his success in the men's single sculls, winning the final in a time of 7:03.14. Davison previously finished fourth in the men's double sculls at the 2024 Olympic Games. Second place went to California Rowing Club's James Fetter, who made the jump from the U23 National Team and finished just 1.06 seconds behind Davison. James Wright from California Rowing Club took third in a time of 7:06.47.

Olympians dominated the top three of the women's single sculls as USTC-Boston's Kristi Wagner took the win in a time of 7:39.72. Wagner previously competed in the women’s double sculls at Paris 2024. ARION's Lauren O'Connor edged out California Rowing Club's Grace Joyce to take second in 7:42.65. Fourth place came down to a photo finish between USTC-Princeton's Alina Hagstrom and Cambridge' Boat Club’s Maggie Fellows, with Hagstrom getting her bow across the line by 0.59 seconds.

The men's pair was one of the closest battles of the day as the top spot came down to a photo finish between the top three crews. Blake Vogel and Samuel Halbert took the win in a time of 6:35.48, beating Wilson Morton and Charles Fargo by 0.55 seconds and Olympian Pieter Quinton and Madison Molitor (USTC-Sarasota) by 0.98 seconds.

In the women's pair, crews from USTC-Princeton led the way as Olympian Charlotte Buck and Megan Lee took the win in a time of 7:08.37. Mia Levy and Olympian Regina Salmons finished second in 7:10.25, followed by Olympians Claire Collins and Jess Thoennes in third with a time of 7:12.77.

In the men’s single sculls B Final, the top finisher came down to a photo finish between USTC-Sarasota Evan Falstrup and California’s Dylan Green, only .17 seconds separated the two. ARION’s Hannah Paynter took first in the B Final of the women’s single sculls, finishing in a time of 7:41.05, followed by Sera Busse of Green Racing Project in a time of 7:45.98.

Lightweight Trials

Penn AC's Claire Friedlander won the lightweight women's single sculls trials in a time of 7:51.81, followed by Aislinn O'Brien from Conshohocken in second place. Meeting the time standard, she will compete at the 2026 World Championships in the lightweight women's single sculls. Friedlander previously competed on the 2022 U23 national team. 

Para Trials

In the Para events, both entries raced unopposed but needed to meet the competitive standard time to qualify for the national team. USTC-Boston's Andrew Mangan raced in the PR1 men's single sculls, finishing in 10:17.13, but did not meet the competitive standard time. In the PR2 mixed double sculls, USTC-Boston's Chance Quarry and Nat Vorel finished in 8:30.29, meeting the adjusted competitive standard time to earn selection to the U.S. team.

With the addition of para events to the U23 World Championships, the U.S. had three crews enter to compete for spots in U23 Para events. In the PR3 men’s single sculls, Tobias Pew finished in a time of 8:11.58, but did not meet the competitive standard time. Leila Morris from Rockland raced unopposed in the PR3 women’s single sculls, finishing in a time of 9:32.36, but did not meet the required time. 

U23 Trials

An impressive showing from U23 athletes across events, as seven crews meet the competitive standard time and earn spots on the national team. 

In the men's lightweight single sculls, Union's Simeon John dominated the final, winning by more than eight seconds and meeting the competitive standard time. John has had an impressive summer, winning the single sculls at both the 2026 Youth National Championships and Beach Sprint National Championships. Patrick McKenna finished second, followed by Paul Josenhans in third.

ARION's Ela Ersan won the women's lightweight single sculls in a time of 8:01.04, defeating Shawn O'Brien to secure the title. Ersan also met the competitive standard time, earning a spot on the 2026 U23 National Team.

In the men's lightweight double sculls, Fielding Staelin and Ry Natterson of California Yacht Club won in a time of 6:37.52, defeating Richard Kelley and Jack Lionette, who finished in 6:41.18. Staelin and Natterson also met the competitive standard time to earn selection to the U23 National Team. In the women's lightweight double sculls, Lauren Raines and Ashley Redman raced unopposed but did not meet the competitive standard time.

Levi Munster of Sarasota Scullers won the U23 men's single sculls in a time of 7:09.59, finishing within the competitive standard time to earn a spot on the U23 National Team. Sam van Adrichem Boogaert of Green Racing Project finished second in 7:13.06, while Cornel Ciocoi placed third in 7:14.98.

Cillian Mullen will return to represent the United States after winning the U23 women's single sculls in a time of 7:43.57 and meeting the competitive standard time. Mullen previously competed in the event at the 2024 U23 World Championships, finishing ninth overall. Grace Moore and Mary Holder rounded out the top three.

In the U23 men's pair, Francis McGrath and Jack Kastner of Union won in a time of 6:38.16, meeting the competitive standard time after defeating California's Nathan Fineman and Andrew Nolan. Gracelyn Theobald and Carly Brown won the U23 women's pair in 7:23.89, also meeting the competitive standard time to earn a spot on the team after defeating Sophia Cavalieri and Alexandra Pearson in the final.

The U23 National Team will open international competition at the 2026 U23 World Championships, July 23-26 in Duisburg, Germany. The remainder of the senior national team will be selected later this summer ahead of the 2026 World Rowing Championships, August 24-30 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The U.S. enters the championship season with momentum after a historic World Cup campaign that saw the team capture its first-ever World Cup Overall Points Trophy while earning 23 medals across the World Cup regattas.

Complete results can be found here.