Oak Ridge, TN – Four members of the Lions Rowing Club traveled to Oak Ridge, Tennessee to compete at the 2007 USRowing Masters National Championships. The team braved the 100 degree heat to race over four days, August 9-12.
In the first day of competition, Sara-Mai Conway won her heat in the Women's AA Single to advance to the afternoon final. The top 3 of each heat advanced out of the 10-boat field. The afternoon racing held three finals for the Lions. Patrick Kelly raced to a fourth place finish in the Men's AA Single, battling through tight racing in a seven boat field. Sara-Mai Conway's first final was in the
Women's Lightweight A Single. Conway placed in the silver-medal position less than one second out of first place. The top 3 rowers of the 6 boat field were all within 1.5 seconds of each other in a closely contested race. Conway's second final, the Open AA Single, proved equally arduous. Sara-Mai captured the bronze behind Alexandria Virginia's Joanna Rubini and Katie Spriker of Three
Rivers RA in Pittsburg, PA. Also on Day 1, Patrick Kelly and Jessica Wortman teamed up for the Mixed A Double. The duo raced to a 6th place finish in the final.
Day two was just as hot as day one, and rowers did their best to stay cool, hydrated and out of the sun until launch time. Patrick Kelly advanced to the final of the Men's A Single by placing third in his morning heat out of the 10-boat field. Sara-Mai Conway won her morning heat in the Women's A Single to also advance to the afternoon final. Only two boats advanced out of each of three heats in a 17-boat field. The afternoon finals showcased the weekend's
tough competition. Both Kelly and Conway raced to fifth place finishes in their respective finals.
The LionsRC team boat of Karin Conroy and Jessica Wortman first competed on Day 3. Wortman and Conroy were entered in both the Women's AA and A Double. Competition was fierce and the Lions missed qualifying for both finals, but felt good about their back-to-back morning races and were able to gain valuable experience, as well as improve upon their racing from the first heat to the second. On the last day of competition, Patrick Kelly raced in the heat of the
Men's B Single, also narrowly missing out on the final.
Between races, team members had a chance to visit the University of Tennessee Knoxville and do a quick tour of their three-story boathouse, but the number one priority outside of racing was staying in the Air Conditioning! Everyone in the traveling party loved the picturesque lakes and rivers of the south, but agreed that we have the best weather here in California.
Masters National Championships marks the end of the 2007 Sprint Racing Season for the Lions. The team will return to competition in the fall with long-distance Head Racing.
GO LIONS!!
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