Semifinals Set at 2022 USRowing National Selection Regatta 2

Semifinals are now set after racing in the repechages of the women's double sculls concluded Wednesday morning at the 2022 USRowing National Selection Regatta 2 at Lake Mercer in West Windsor, N.J.

In the first repechage, the Vesper/Riverside composite boat of Sera Busse (Oakland, Calif./Tufts University) and Cristina Pretto (Prospect, Conn./Trinity College) easily won the race, crossing the finish line in a 7:28.70 to finish more than five seconds ahead of the Craftsbury Green Racing Project/Riverside composite crew of Samantha Sarafin (Lancaster, Mass./Harvard University) and Hannah Fitts (Pawtucket, R.I./Bates College). Sarafin and Fitts finished with a time of 7:34.23. The Riverside/Whitemarsh composite crew of Elizabeth Martin and Cara Stawicki (Wall, N.J./Lehigh University) finished third.

In the second repechage, ARION's Veronica Nicacio (Battle Ground, Wash./University of Portland) and Megan Goodman (Pleasanton, Calif./ University of San Diego) clocked a 7:15.02 to finish more than 20 seconds ahead of Vesper Boat Club's Julia Lonchar (Columbus, Ohio/Purdue University) and Charlotte Forman (Hampton Bays, N.Y./Temple University). Vesper's Gabriela Thomas (Philadelphia, Pa./Temple University) and Emma Tierney (West Chester, Pa./Temple University) finished third.

The six crews that advanced from the repechages will join the six crews that advanced from yesterday's time trial in tomorrow's semifinals. The crew of Sophia Luwis (The College of William and Mary) and Audrianna Boersen (Grand Valley State University) recorded the fastest time of the time trials, earning the top seed in tomorrow's first semifinal. Texas Rowing Center's Kara Kohler (Clayton, Calif./University of California, Berkeley) and Sophia Vitas (Franklin, Wis./University of Wisconsin) are the top seed in the second semifinal after finishing second in the time trial.

In addition to the semifinals of the women's double sculls, semis will be held in the men's double sculls, women's pair, and men's pair on Thursday.

In the men's double sculls, Texas Rowing Center's Kevin Cardno (Huntsville, Ala./ University of Alabama, Huntsville) and Jonathan Kirkegaard (Philadelphia, Pa./Purdue University) won the time trial to earn the top seed in the semifinals. Cardno and Kirkegaard will take on four other crews in the second of two semifinals, including TRC teammates Zachary Heese (Pelham, N.Y./University of Virginia) and Jasper Liu (Phoenix, Ariz./University of Pennsylvania), who rowed twice on Tuesday. Heese and Liu raced uncontested in the lightweight men's double sculls to win NSR2 in that event and finished fourth in the men's double time trial. California Rowing Club's Chris Carlson (Bedford, N.H./University of Washington) and Ben Davison (Inverness, Fla./University of Washington) clocked the second fastest time in the time trial, earning the top seed in the first semifinal. Carlson and Davison will take on four crews including the Vesper Boat Club/Craftsbury Green Racing Project composite crew of Dominique Williams (Madison, Conn./University of Pennsylvania) and Jacob Plihal (Vashon Island, Wash./Northeastern University), who finished third in Tuesday's time trial.

In the women's pair, USRowing Training Center – Princeton's Claire Collins (McLean, Va./Princeton University) and Madeleine Wanamaker (Neenah, Wis./University of Wisconsin) recorded the fastest time in the time trials and enter the semifinals as the top seed. Collins and Wanamaker will take on USTC-Princeton teammates Alina Hagstrom (Seattle, Wash./Oregon State University) and Regina Salmons (Methuen, Mass./University of Pennsylvania), as well as two other crews, in the first of two semifinals. USTC-Princeton's Kelsey Reelick (Brookfield, Conn./Princeton University) and Allyson Baker (North Royalton, Ohio/The Ohio State University) are the top seed in the second semifinal. They will face USTC-Princeton's Charlotte Buck (Nyack, N.Y./Columbia University) and Jessica Thoennes (Highlands Ranch, Colo./University of Washington), who finished third in the time trial, as well as two other boats in the second semifinal.

In the men's pair, California Rowing Club's Justin Best (Kennett Square, Pa./Drexel University) and Michael Grady (Pittsburgh, Pa./Cornell University) posted the best time of the time trials, earning the top seed in Thursday's semifinals. Best and Grady will race three other crews in the second semifinal including CRC teammates Pieter Quinton (Portland, Ore./Harvard University) and Oliver Bub (Westport, Conn./Dartmouth College), who finished fourth in the time trial. After finishing second in the time trial, Craftsbury Green Racing Project's Alexander Hedge (Morristown, N.J./Columbia University) and Ezra Carlson (Eureka, Calif./University of Washington) are the top seed in the first semifinal. They will take on three other crews on Thursday including CRC's Andrew LeRoux (Venice, Fla./Princeton University) and Michael Knippen (Germantown, Wis./University of Wisconsin), who finished third in the time trial.

World cup berths in six boat classes are on the line this week, with the winners of each event earning the right to race at World Rowing Cup 2 in Poznan, Poland. A top six finish in Poznan, or top 50 percent finish if there are fewer than 12 entries, will earn the athletes the opportunity to represent the U.S. in the event at the 2022 World Rowing Championships in Racice, Czech Republic.

Racing concludes Friday with the finals. Click here for today's results. Click here for tomorrow's heat sheet.

The 2022 World Rowing Championships are scheduled for September 18-25 in Racice, Czech Republic.