The Fall Head Racing Season finished for the Mercer Juniors and Mercer Masters at the Head of the Schuykill Regatta in Philadelphia, October 28, 2018. The weather was beautiful for the first race of the Head season on October 6th in Shelton, Connecticut for the Head of The Housatonic. Mercer followed that two weeks later at the cold and blustery Head of The Charles. The last Head races took place the weekend of October 28-29 for the Head of The Schuykill in Philadelphia. There was heavy rain on Saturday for the Masters races, but for Sunday’s Junior races the weather improved substantially. Congratulations to all who represented Mercer Junior and Masters Rowing at these regattas!
Results from the HEAD OF THE SCHUYKILL for Mercer Rowing were:
Boys’ Varsity 4 – 6th
Boys’ V8—12th
Boys’ JV8—12th
Boys’ High School JV 4- 36th
Novice Boys 8- 4th + 13th
Boys’ Novice 4—2nd
Girls’ V8 –5th
Girls’ V4 –4th
Girls JV8—1st, 4th and 13th
**Girls’ Novice 4—1st and 17th
Novice Girls 8—9th & 16th and 21
Results from the HEAD OF THE CHARLES, October 20-21st, 2018,
Boys’ (Junior Men)—28th out of 85
Girls’ 8 (Junior Women)—5th out of 85
Girls’ JV 8–15th out of 85
Masters Women—27th out of 44
Coach Hilary Gehman—6th place in Masters 2X, Women 40+
Coach Anna Kalfaian—Princeton alumni 8—22nd
Coach Jamie Hamp—Princeton alumni 8—3rd
HEAD OF THE HOUSATONIC, October 6, 2018
**Junior Boys 1X—1st place-Jack Gallagher
Girls’ Varsity 8—7th
Girls’ Varsity 4—8th and 10th
Girls’ JV 8—2nd and 6th
Girls’ Novice 8—4th
Boys’ Varsity 8—8th
Boys’ Varsity 4– 2nd
Boys’ JV 4—4th
Boys’ Novice 8—3rd
Boys’ 2V 8—10th and 16th
Masters Women’s 8—3rd
Masters Men’s 4—10th
Masters Women’s 4—5th and 7
Coach Anna Kalfaian’s pair—3rd
For Immediate Release West Windsor, NJ July 9, 2018
The Princeton National Rowing Association (PNRA) is pleased to announce that Anna Kalfaian will take on a full-time position with the Mercer Rowing Program coaching staff as the Novice Rowing Coordinator and Novice Girls Coach.
Anna Kalfaian graduated from Princeton University in 2017, where she rowed as a member of the Varsity Openweight Women’s team for four years and earned a degree in Art and Archaeology: Visual Arts. While at Princeton, Ms. Kalfaian competed in the NCAA National Rowing Championships, the Henley Women’s Regatta and won multiple IVY League medals. Ms. Kalfaian began her rowing career at Blair Academy in 2009 and attended Junior National Team Selection Camp in 2012. Ms. Kalfaian previously worked in art/nonprofit education and coached the Belvidere Barracudas Swim Team for three years, and most recently served as the Mercer Varsity Women’s Assistant Coach.
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 has received generous support from USRowing, University Orthopaedic Associates, bai, JL Racing, Resolute Racing Shells, Wells Fargo Advisors-Gould Group, Holiday Inn, and Residence Inn by Marriott.
For more information, contact Kristopher Grudt,
tel: 609-977-1094, krisgrudt@rowpnra.org or visit www.rowpnra.org
For immediate release May 18, 2018 West Windsor, NJ
Princeton National Rowing Association/Mercer Juniors excelled at USRowing Mid-Atlantic Youth Regional Championships walking away with the Overall Team Points Trophy, the Women’s Team Points Trophy and qualifying nine boats for the Youth National Championship. The Regional Championships were held on Mercer Lake May 12 and 13, 2018 and drew 41 teams from seven states competing in 357 boats. The event is a qualifying regatta for the USRowing Youth National Championship which will take place June 7-10, 2018 in Sacramento, California.
Mercer Rowing Program Director and Varsity Boys Head Coach Justin Ochal will take three of his men’s boats to nationals this year. The Men’s Youth 4+ took first place overall in their event, finishing more than ten seconds ahead of second place South Jersey. Rowers Jack Gallagher, Eli Kalfaian, Evan Kinter and Herbert De Cokere were coxed by Annie Huber, and finished with an official time of 6:58.97. In addition, Ochal qualified two Men’s Youth 2- boats. Mercer rowers Dana Gajewski and Andrew Moss won that event with a time of 7:45.39, followed by teammates Brady Stergion and Pavel Zhelnin in third with their time of 8:05.481.
Coach Ochal had nothing but good things to say about his rowers. “This year at Mid-Atlantics there was a lot of competition. I’m proud of the guys for stepping up and competing in difficult events. This year the boys worked hard to put themselves in the best possible position. We had some good results, and we learned where we stack up against the competition. The boys should be proud of how they rowed.”
The Mercer Junior Women will be sending its largest contingent ever to the Youth National Championship. Proving their depth as a team, the women qualified six boats: the Varsity Women’s 8+; Varsity Women’s Lightweight 8+; 2nd Varsity Women’s 8+; Women’s Varsity 4+; Women’s Varsity Lightweight 4+; and Women’s 2-.
“This entire year, I wanted to instill the ‘Team First’ attitude,” Varsity Girls Head Coach Matt Carlsen said. “It doesn’t matter what boat you are in, as long as you make it as fast as you possibly can. It really showed this past weekend. Every single girl walked away with a medal, and we won the Girl’s Team Points Trophy. I am very proud of all the hard work the girls put in over the course of the year, and for some, there are still four more weeks of even harder work to go.”
Mercer’s first and second varsity boats finished first and second in the Women’s Youth 8+ event, both qualifying for the Youth National Championship. Coxswain Lauren Preston steered rowers Bridget Parker, Katryna Niva, Elyssa Aronson, Kieran Wild, Emmanuelle Adamson, Sarah Closser, Mia Barkenbush, and Sara Hansen to victory with a time of 7:15.58. Not far behind were teammates Peri Mishkin, Sylvie Tuder, Kristen Harkins, Morgan Linsley, Catherine Dyevich, Erin Heyeck, Jacqueline Armetta, and Olivia Andersen. Coxed by Helena Wolk, their boat finished in second place with a time 7:25.53.
The Mercer Girls Team will also be sending rowers to compete in the Women’s Youth Lightweight 8+, the Women’s Youth 4+, the Women’s Youth Lightweight 4+, and the Women’s Youth 2-.
The Mercer Junior Rowing Program provides opportunities to participate in rowing to182 athletes from 46 area schools. The 48 athletes who have qualified for the USRowing Youth National Championships represent 15 area schools:
Women’s Varsity 8+
C: Lauren Preston – Notre Dame HS
8: Bridget Parker – Princeton HS
7: Katryna Niva – Hunterdon Central HS
6: Elyssa Aronson – Cherry Hill HS East
5: Kieran Wild – Council Rock HS North
4: Emmanuelle Adamson – Princeton HS
3: Sarah Closser – Princeton HS
2: Mia Barkenbush – West Windsor HS South
1: Sara Hansen – West Windsor HS South
Women’s 2nd Varsity 8+
C: Helena Wolk – Princeton HS
8: Peri Mishkin – Allentown HS
7: Sylvie Tuder – Princeton HS
6: Kristen Harkins – Notre Dame HS
5: Morgan Linsley – Princeton HS
4: Catherine Dyevich – Princeton HS
3: Erin Heyeck – Pennington School
2: Jacqueline Armetta – Villa Joseph Marie HS
1: Olivia Andersen – Princeton HS
Women’s Lightweight 4+
C: Anna Hu – West Windsor HS South
4: Ava Wisnoski – Northern Burlington HS
3: Olivia Estes-Downs – Princeton HS
2: Caroline Adams – Council Rock HS North
1: Abigail McAleer – Council Rock HS North
Men’s 2-
2: Dana Gajewski – Princeton HS
1: Andrew Moss – Princeton HS
Men’s 4+
C: Annie Huber – Stuart Country Day School
4: Jack Gallagher – Council Rock HS North
3: Eli Kalfaian – Delaware Valley Regional HS
2: Evan Kinter – Steinert HS
1: Herbert De Cokere – Montgomery HS
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.
For more information, contact Kristopher Grudt, tel: 609-799-7100 x100, krisgrudt@rowpnra.org or visit www.rowpnra.org.
Mercer Junior practices scheduled for Friday March 2 are cancelled due to the weather. The mix of falling temperatures, snow, rain and wind are creating slippery roads near the Caspersen Rowing Center.
Varsity athletes are asked to check with their captains for alternate workouts.
Mercer Youth Men’s 8+ at the 2017 Head of the Charles Regatta Photo courtesy of Helene Gallagher
October 27, 2017, West Windsor, NJ – For immediate release
Thousands of rowers from around the globe descended upon Boston last weekend to compete at the elite Head of the Charles Regatta. The weather was picture perfect on the Charles River, and the Mercer rowers used that to their advantage as they took to the water in the hopes of improving their times from last year and securing automatic invitations to return next year. They did not disappoint.
Mercer’s first varsity women’s boat competed in the Women’s Youth Eights. Rowers Katryna Niva, Sarah Closser, Elyssa Aronson, Bridget Parker, Emmanuelle Adamson, Kieran Wild, Mia Barkenbush, Sara Hansen and coxswain Lauren Preston finished the course in 16:40.878, earning them a 5th place medal in the field of 85 boats. While their finish was certainly impressive, co-captain Adamson was quick to note that there is still work to be done.
“Head of the Charles is an amazing experience and so much fun,” she said. “It’s pretty great to have the entire team do so well. Our 2V has been doing insanely well and proving the depth we have. It’s great to have success early in the season, but we have a long time to continue to improve before nationals.”
The 2V Adamson speaks so highly of is Mercer’s second varsity women’s boat, coxed by Madeleine Peel and rowed by Sophie Craver, Julia Berdzik, Peri Mishkin, Morgan Linsley, Jacqueline Armetta, Erin Dobbs, Chloe Couillens, and Eveline Enthoven. They finished closely behind the women’s 1V with a time of 17:04.439, earning them a 13th place finish and highest positon by a 2V boat in the event.
“I am very pleased with the results from the weekend,” varsity women’s coach Matt Carlsen said. “Going into the head of the Charles, my goal for the varsity 8 and second varsity 8 was to get into the top 5 and top 15 respectively. They both accomplished those goals, but if we want to reach the end goal of medaling at the national championships in June we have to find even more speed on and off the water. I am hoping by the successes of this past weekend, it will light a fire under the girls that did not get a chance to compete and keep the fire lit for those that did!”
Mercer had one varsity men’s team competing in the Men’s Youth Eights at HOCR this year. Annie Huber coxed rowers Dana Gajewski, Andrew Moss, Evan Kinter, Jack Gallagher, Eli Kalfaian, Herbert De Cokere, Brady Stergion, and Leon Deng to a 19th place finish with a time of 15:09.921. Their placement guarantees that Mercer will send at least one varsity men’s boat back to the Charles River next year, in addition to the top two women’s varsity boats.
The Mercer Masters were also in attendance in Boston this year, sending one boat each to compete in the Men’s and Women’s Senior Master Fours. Rowers Miles Truesdell, Charles Gilbert, Michael Vaccaro, David Potts and coxswain Helena Wolk finished in 29th place with a time of 19:44.742, while the women’s boat, coxed by Madeline Alden and rowed by Kristin Appelget, Sharon Waters, Meredith Lavery, and Terri Gruber McDonough finished in 25th place with time of 20:48.833.
“It has been a great start to the 2017-18 season with the whole team, women, men and masters, having strong performances at our races so far this fall,” stated Justin Ochal, Mercer Rowing Program Director. “Our athletes have shown that we can race aggressively against some of the best teams in the country. We are looking forward to continuing to build on this for the rest of the fall and throughout the spring season.”
Congratulations to all the Mercer rowers who competed in the Head of the Charles Regatta this year.
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.
For more information, contact Kristopher Grudt, tel: 609-977-1094, krisgrudt@rowpnra.org or visit www.rowpnra.org.
Mercer Juniors Varsity Women’s 8+ at the 2017 Youth National Championship in Sarasota, FL.
June 12, 2017
West Windsor, NJ – The Princeton National Rowing Association’s Mercer Rowing Club had six boats turn in impressive performances at the 2017 USRowing Youth National Championships at Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota, Florida on June 9-11, 2017. PNRA/Mercer’s women’s youth eight with coxswain (8+) finished seventh in the nation by edging out Nashville at the finish line in the Petite Final. PNRA/Mercer had trailed Nashville most of the race but started walking through their competitor in the final 200 meters of the race. The PNRA/Mercer 8+ crew finished about four seats up and a time of 6:34.78 minutes.
“We started our sprint with 400 meters left in the race, which is earlier than we usually start it, but we had to do that to catch Nashville,” said senior coxswain Caroline Galati (West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South). “I kept saying ‘Beat the A Final times’ to motivate them, and we got our split down to 1:30 for the last one hundred meters,” Galati added. A split represents the time required to travel 500 meters or one quarter of the race. Other members of the PNRA/Mercer women’s 8+ included co-captains senior Celia Varga (Princeton Day School) and Laila Shehab (Hunterdon Valley Central High School), junior Katryna Niva (Hunterdon Valley Central High School), junior Emmanuelle Adamson (Princeton High School), senior Katie Lustig and junior Kieran Wild (both from Council Rock North High School), as well as juniors Mia Barkenbush and Sara Hansen (both from West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South).
First-year coach girls’ coach Matt Carlsen also saw his women’s youth 4 with coxswain (4+) and women’s youth lightweight 8 with coxswain (lightweight 8+) finish 12th and 15th in the nation. The women’s youth 4+ was a Cinderella story for PNRA/Mercer, as the boat did not qualify for the national regatta during the rainy and stormy Mid-Atlantic Regional Championships in May but received their bid through the petition process. By winning a spot in the Petite Final, the crew showed they deserved their spot. The women’s youth 4+ included junior Peri Mishkin (Allentown High School), senior Grace Wonnell (West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South), sophomore Sarah Closser and junior Bridget Parker (both from Princeton High School) and coxswain junior Lauren Preston (Notre Dame High School).
The PNRA/Mercer lightweight 8+ featured senior Sheila Kennedy-Moore (Princeton High School), junior Maheera Bawa (Montgomery High School), sophomore Jacqueline Armetta (Villa Joseph Marie High School), junior Taylor Vierling (Northern Burlington High School), freshman Eveline Enthoven (Princeton High School), sophomore Chloe Couillens (Hopewell Valley Central High School), juniors Julia Berdzik and Erin Dobbs (both from Notre Dame High School) and coxswain junior Maddy Peel (Princeton High School).
Justin Ochal in his second year as Mercer Program Director and third year as Boys’ Varsity Coach boys was pleased with the performance of his two pairs (2-). The boys rowed in borrowed boats because their own boats were damaged during a Sarasota thunderstorm when another club’s boats that were not tied down properly were blown onto the PNRA/Mercer boats. Despite this setback, one pair consisting of junior Evan Kinter (Steinhert High School) and senior Lachlan Mersky (Haddonfield High School) finished eighth in the nation and the other pair consisting of junior Andrew Moss and junior Dana Gajewski (both from Princeton High School) finished 13th in the nation.
PNRA/Mercer’s men’s youth lightweight 4 with coxswain (lightweight 4+) qualified for the Petite Final as senior coxswain Sarah Brune (Lanoka Harbor, NJ) pushed her crew hard during the qualifying time trial on Friday. For the 2017 Youth National Championships, USRowing altered the regatta format by replacing 2000-meter heats with 1900-meter time trials in the initial round. Some crews found the new format difficult because their spring seasons featured 2000-meter races side-by-side with the competition. Some regatta spectators missed the competitive drama of side-by-side heats and the opportunity to see crews from different regions race each other.
Along with Brune, PNRA/Mercer’s lightweight 4+ crew, which finished 12th in the nation, included sophomore Alex Brodowski (Pennsbury High School), senior Enzo Couillens (Hopewell Valley Central High School), sophomore Brady Stergion (Notre Dame High School), and senior Tyler Harris (West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North).
The PNRA/Mercer men’s youth 8+ crew finished 17th in the nation. The crew included sophomore Jack Gallagher (Council Rock North High School), co-captain senior Daniel Stoddard (West Windsor Plainsboro High School South), senior Chris Silva (Hopewell Valley Central High School), junior Eli Kalfaian (Delaware Valley Regional High School), co-captain senior Andrew Hickey (Notre Dame High School), co-captain senior Carter Levine and freshman Leon Deng (both from Princeton High School), senior Rex Berger (The Hun School), and coxswain senior Kate Takacs (Princeton Day School).
PNRA/Mercer will begin its summer season soon. In addition, many of the PNRA/Mercer rowers and coxswains will assist with instructing new rowers at the club’s renowned summer camps for middle-school and early high-school-aged athletes who wish to get involved with rowing. For more information on PNRA/Mercer summer camps, visit www.rowpnra.org.
About the Princeton National Rowing Association
The Princeton National Rowing Association, a 501c3 organization, operates the Finn M.W. Caspersen Rowing Center located on the shores of Mercer Lake in West Windsor, New Jersey. The Princeton National Rowing Association is dedicated 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 greater Mercer County area through community based programs. The Mercer Junior Rowing Program which provides rowing opportunities for the youth from over 25 Mercer County area high schools. The center is a home to the USRowing National and Olympic Teams, as well as rowing clubs and schools, including the Hun School, Lawrenceville School and Peddie School. PNRA received generous support from JLRacing, Holiday Inn and Residence Inn by Marriott.
For more information, contact Kristopher Grudt, tel: 609-977-1094, krisgrudt@rowpnra.org or visit www.rowpnra.org.
Mercer Rowing Program Men’s Varsity 8+ racing at the Mid-Atlantic Junior Regional Championship on Mercer Lake.
May 15, 2017
West Windsor, NJ – In spite of torrential rain on Saturday and associated changes to the racing schedule mandated by USRowing officials, the Princeton National Rowing Association’s Mercer Rowing Club earned six bids to the 2017 USRowing Youth National Championships by winning medals at the Mid-Atlantic Youth Championships. PNRA/Mercer boats have been invited to compete in the women’s youth eight with coxswain (8+), the men’s youth 8+, the women’s youth lightweight 8+, the men’s youth lightweight four with coxswain (4+), and two crews in the men’s pair without coxswain (2-) events at the National Championships taking place at Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota, Florida, on June 9-11, 2017. Sending six boats to compete in the USRowing Youth National Championships would be a high-water mark for the club, which is led by Justin Ochal in his second year as Mercer Program Director and third year as Boys’ Varsity Coach.
Hosted by PNRA, the Mid-Atlantic Youth Regional Championships took place on Mercer Lake in Mercer County, NJ this past weekend and featured crews from 42 clubs and schools based in five states and the District of Columbia. It is one of twelve USRowing regional qualifying regattas held this month leading up to the national championship regatta for high school aged crews.
Weather conditions on Saturday resulted in a decision by race officials to utilize a single time trial in qualifying events to determine invitations to the Youth National Championships, rather than the usual two-day progression of heats, semi-finals, and finals. In a time trial, each boat is sent out at a regular interval and races against the clock to secure the fastest time. The crews with the three fastest times in each event with more than three entries were awarded medals.
PNRA/Mercer placed first in the women’s youth eight plus coxswain event by a wide margin, despite the challenging circumstances. “Time trials can be difficult because no crews are around you to help you measure how you are doing,” said co-captain senior Celia Varga (Princeton Day School).
“The weather conditions were not optimal,” said co-captain senior Laila Shehab (Hunterdon Valley Central High School). “But experiences like that are going to make you a better rower, technically and mentally.”
“We couldn’t worry about things beyond our control. We had to lay it all on the line, listen to our coxswain, and row our own race,” added Varga. The boat was coxed by senior Caroline Galati (West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South) and in addition to Varga and Shehab, included junior Katryna Niva (Hunterdon Valley Central High School), junior Emmanuelle Adamson (Princeton High School), senior Katie Lustig and junior Kieran Wild (both from Council Rock North High School), as well as juniors Mia Barkenbush and Sara Hansen (both from West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South).
PNRA/Mercer’s men’s youth 8+ crew experienced an odd turn of events related to its time trial. When results were posted initially, PNRA/Mercer was announced as the first-place boat. Later, after individual judges’ stop watches were re-evaluated, Gonzaga High School was listed with a time of 6:30.08, just ahead of PNRA/Mercer’s 6:30.29. Both crews received bids to the Youth National Championships where they are likely to compete against each other once again. The PNRA/Mercer men’s youth 8+ crew includes sophomore Jack Gallagher (Council Rock North High School), co-captain senior Daniel Stoddard (West Windsor Plainsboro High School South), senior Chris Silva (Hopewell Valley Central High School), junior Eli Kalfaian (Delaware Valley Regional High School), co-captain senior Andrew Hickey (Notre Dame High School), co-captain senior Carter Levine and freshman Leon Deng (both from Princeton High School), senior Rex Berger (The Hun School), and coxswain senior Kate Takacs (Princeton Day School).
The other medal-winning boys’ crews were the lightweight 4+ which included sophomore Alex Brodowski (Pennsbury High School), senior Enzo Couillens (Hopewell Valley Central High School), sophomore Brady Stergion (Notre Dame High School), senior Tyler Harris (West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North) and coxswain Sarah Brune (Lanoka Harbor, NJ), one pair consisting of junior Andrew Moss and junior Dana Gajewski (both from Princeton High School) and one pair consisting of junior Evan Kinter (Steinhert High School) and senior Lachlan Mersky (Haddonfield High School).
“We’re taking twice as many guys to Nationals this year, in three different boat classes. It shows how everyone—from the veteran seniors to the underclassmen—is stepping up to make this a big year for Mercer,” commented co-captain Andrew Hickey.
The other nationals-qualifying boat is PNRA/Mercer’s lightweight 8+ with the crew of senior SheilaKennedy-Moore (Princeton High School), junior Maheera Bawa (Montgomery High School), sophomore Jacqueline Armetta (Villa Joseph Marie High School), junior Taylor Vierling (Northern Burlington High School), sophomore Caitie Vinch-Buck (The Pennington School), freshman Eveline Enthoven (Princeton High School), sophomore Chloe Couillens (Hopewell Valley Central High School), junior Julia Berdzik and coxswain junior Lauren Preston (both from Notre Dame High School).
Co-captain Laila Shehab commented on the culture that first-year coach girls’ coach Matt Carlsen has fostered on the team. “A lot of the girls have learned to push themselves farther than they thought they could. Coach Matt always says, ‘It’s never enough’. He can joke and have fun, but he’s no nonsense when it comes to racing. We’re always racing each other at practice. We push each other. The lightweight 8+ pushes the varsity 8+. They are little beasts. I’m so excited for them to compete at Youth Nationals and have their first experience competing at that level. It’s such good racing and then they will bring that knowledge back to the club.”
About the Princeton National Rowing Association
The Princeton National Rowing Association, a 501c3 organization, operates the Finn M.W. Caspersen Rowing Center located on the shores of Mercer Lake in West Windsor, New Jersey. The Princeton National Rowing Association is dedicated 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 greater Mercer County area through community based programs. The Mercer Junior Rowing Program which provides rowing opportunities for the youth from over 25 Mercer County area high schools. The center is a home to the USRowing National and Olympic Teams, as well as rowing clubs and schools, including the Hun School, Lawrenceville School and Peddie School. PNRA received generous support from JLRacing, Holiday Inn and Residence Inn by Marriott.
For more information, contact Kristopher Grudt, tel: 609-977-1094, krisgrudt@rowpnra.org or visit www.rowpnra.org.
Thanks to the many of you who participated in the Mercer Rowing survey this fall. Linked here you will find our report on the results. About half of the Mercer junior families and a majority of current masters participants responded.
In a spirit of transparency, this is the full report, with actual results and anonymous quotes. We have only omitted the appendix that included all the quotes, which we have read in detail and incorporated in the themes you see here. Our goal is to present the results to you in a fair and balanced way, describing both positives and negatives plainly-glossing over nothing.
We are currently at work developing a multi-year strategic plan for Mercer, based on these results and the strong foundation we have to build on.
Should you have any comments or questions about the survey, please contact any member of the Mercer Rowing Advisory Committee. Our email addresses are included below.
West Windsor, NJ – Three Mercer Junior Rowers finished in the top ten of their divisions of the C.R.A.S.H.-B. World Indoor Rowing Championship on February 13, 2017. Andrew Hickey led the Mercer Rowers by finishing 3rd with Jack Gallagher finishing 7th in the Lightweight Men’s Division. Sara Hansen finished 5th in the Lightweight Women’s division to lead the Mercer women competing in the event. The C.R.A.S.H.-B. Championships bring athletes from around the world to Boston, MA, to compete by rowing 2,000 meters on indoor rowing machines. 2017 marked the 38th year of the C.R.A.S.H.-B. event.
Mercer Junior Andrew Hickey at 2017 C.R.A.S.H.-B.
Andrew Hickey finished the 2000 meter race in 6:23.9, just under three seconds behind the winner in a Lightweight Junior Men’s field that featured 190 rowers. Mr. Hickey who is a senior at Notre Dame High School has committed to row for Cornell University next fall. Jack Gallagher (Council Rock North) finished in 6:32.2 to finish in 7th place. Also representing Mercer in the Lightweight Junior Men’s division was Pavel Zhelnin (Princeton HS) and Evan Kinter (Steinert). Representing Mercer in the open Junior Men’s Division was Brian Radvany (Princeton Academy) who finished in 41st and Andrew Moss (Princeton HS) 44th.
Sara Hansen finished the race in 7:28.6 to earn a third place finish in Lightweight Junior Women’s field of 107 athletes. Ms. Hansen is a junior at West Windsor Plainsboro South. Emmanuelle Adamson (Princeton HS) and Mia Barkenbush (West Windsor Plainsboro South) led the Mercer Juniors in the open Junior Women’s division contingent finishing 23rd and 36th out of almost 200 rowers. Sarah Closser (Princeton HS), Taylor Vierling (Northern Burlington), Kieran Wild (Council Rock North) and Morgan Linsley (Princeton HS) also competed in the open Junior Women’s division.
“We are very proud of the strong performance by our rowers,” stated Director of Mercer Rowing Justin Ochal. “Most of them set personal records at the event. It is a good sign as we prepare for our spring racing season.” The Mercer Juniors open their spring season at the San Diego Crew Classic on April 1-2 in San Diego, CA. They return home the following weekend to take on Boston’s Community Rowing and Gonzaga High School.
The Mercer Rowing Program is operated by the Princeton National Rowing Association (PNRA) located Caspersen Rowing Center in West Windsor, NJ. The Mercer program is open to all student-athletes from 8th-12 grades. PNRA also conducts the Mercer Masters Rowing Program and holds summer learn to row camps for 7th-12th grades. For more information on PNRA’s programs go to www.rowpnra.org.
The Princeton National Rowing Association will host its own indoor rowing event, the Mercer Indoor Row for the Cure, on February 26, 2017 at the Peddie School. All proceeds for this event will go to support breast cancer research through the Susan G. Komen Foundation of Central and South Jersey.
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 Killarney’s Publick House, JLRacing, Bai, Holiday 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, NJ – The Princeton National Rowing Association (PNRA) is teaming up with the Row for the Cure and the Peddie School to host the nation’s only indoor Row for the Cure. Athletes race each other on Concept 2 indoor rowing machines with all of the proceeds from the event benefiting breast cancer research through the Susan G. Komen Foundation of Central and South New Jersey. Racing begins at 9:00am on Sunday, February 26, at Peddie’s Ian H. Graham ’50 Fieldhouse.
The Row for the Cure was created by Kathy Frederick in 1993 in Portland, Oregon, after she unexpectedly lost a close friend to cancer. “I saw the Race for the Cure on TV, and I wanted to contribute, but I’m not a runner,” said Frederick. “Since my sisters and I have put on events since we were children, fighting breast cancer by founding Row for the Cure® seemed natural.”
The Mercer Row for the Cure takes the event off of the water and into the gym on indoor rowing machines. PNRA Events Manager Hilary Gehman describes how the event got up and running. “I ran into Kathy at the USRowing Convention and we started talking about opportunities for a Row for the Cure event at Mercer. The regatta schedule on the lake is pretty packed so I asked about having an indoor event. She was very encouraging and has given me tremendous support to get this off the ground. I’m excited to make the Mercer Indoor Row for the Cure an annual event!”
The Mercer Indoor Row for the Cure will include categories for Junior, Collegiate, Open, Masters, Novice and coxswains as well as a team relay. All races will be 2,000 meters except the Coxswains and Junior Novices who will race 1,000 meters.
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 Killarney’s Publick House, JLRacing, Bai, Holiday Inn and Residence Inn by Marriott.
For more information, contact Kristopher Grudt, tel: 609-977-1094, krisgrudt@rowpnra.org or visit www.rowpnra.org.
The Fall Head Racing Season finished for the Mercer Juniors and Mercer Masters at the Head of the Schuykill Regatta in Philadelphia, October 28, 2018. The weather was beautiful for the first race of the Head season on October 6th in Shelton, Connecticut for the Head of The Housatonic. Mercer followed that two weeks later at the cold and blustery Head of The Charles. The last Head races took place the weekend of October 28-29 for the Head of The Schuykill in Philadelphia. There was heavy rain on Saturday for the Masters races, but for Sunday’s Junior races the weather improved substantially. Congratulations to all who represented Mercer Junior and Masters Rowing at these regattas!
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