UW Olympian Erik Miller One of Six Locals to Qualify for World Indoor Rowing Championships
Former University of Washington rower and 2004 Olympian Erik Miller of Renton was one of six rowers to qualify for the World Indoor Rowing Championships Saturday at Ergomania, the Northwest Indoor Rowing Championships.
Seattle, WA (PRWEB) February 2, 2005
Former University of Washington rower and 2004 Olympian Erik Miller of Renton was one of six rowers to qualify for the World Indoor Rowing Championships Saturday at Ergomania, the Northwest Indoor Rowing Championships. Over 300 rowers from colleges, high schools, rowing, health and fitness clubs and the public participated in the annual competition at the Center House on the Seattle Center campus.
Miller, 30, a spare on the 2004 U. S. Olympic Rowing Team and winner of eight world-level rowing medals as a U. S. National Team athlete, met the time standard for the World Indoor Championships Feb. 13 in Boston along with Onna Poeter, 18 of Colorado Springs, Col. who only took up the sport in September and Jennifer Cromwell and Kelly Amsler of RedmondÂ’s Sammamish Rowing Association. Other qualifiers include Luanne Mills, the defending 60-69 age category world indoor champion and Robert Meenk, 43, of Seattle. The indoor rowers will now have the opportunity to accept an invitation to the Feb. 13 event in Boston.
Ergomania is in its 18th year and is sponsored by the Seattle Center, Concept2, The Space Needle, Experience Music Project, Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame, Whirling Girl Water Sports Jewelry and SeattleÂ’s Pocock Rowing Center (www. pocockrowing. org)
Miller clocked a 6:22.7 to defeat Sam Brown by over 25 seconds over 2,000 meters in the masters men’s singles. Chris Hofman, a masters rower from Seattle’s Pocock Rowing Center finished third. “This is the first time I’ve met the qualifying standard for the indoor world championships,” said Miller who is a volunteer coach at the University of Washington. “It’s pretty important to go to Boston to compete against the best in the world. I’m excited.”
The junior womenÂ’s singles was won in 7:15.9 by Poeter who is attending college in Tacoma. She was followed by Sammamish rowers Cromwell and Amsler. All three indoor rowers met the time standard for the Boston regatta. Sammamish rower Kari Stenbakken, a member of the 2004 U. S. Junior National Rowing Team finished fourth. In the womenÂ’s veteran B singles, Mills, 66, of Seattle qualified for her third trip to the World Indoor Championships with a 8:02.1. The Olympic View Elementary School teacher is a three-time member in her age group of the U. S. World Indoor Rowing Team.
In the menÂ’s senior singles, Robert Meenk, 43 of Sound Rowers outlasted David Saxen of the Pocock Rowing Center and Alen Erickson of the Everett Rowing Association to earn an invitation to the Boston regatta. MeenkÂ’s time of 6:31.3 was over five seconds ahead of Saxen.
In the boys junior singles Everett Rowing AssociationÂ’s Dave Goulet and Matthew Wheeler of the Oregon Association of Rowers finished in a dead-heat to share the event title with a time of 6:32.7. Gustaf Gordon finished 7.1 seconds behind followed by Bronson Shafer of Sammamish. The top 16 finishers in the event earned spots at SundayÂ’s identification camp for the 2005 U. S. Junior National Rowing Team - the first stage in the selection of the U. S. junior boys team that will compete this summer at the World Junior Championships in Brandenburg, Germany.
In other indoor rowing action, Lia Pernell, of Pocock and member of the U. S. womenÂ’s four that finished seventh at the 2004 World Rowing Championships, won the womenÂ’s open singles with a time of 6:57.4. She was followed by PocockÂ’s Ruth Stiver who clocked a 7:00.0 over 2,000 meters on the rowing ergometer. PocockÂ’s Samantha Twardowski won the lightweight event in 7:15.1. In the menÂ’s collegiate event, Spokane rowers Patrick Haffey, David Hinshaw, Nathan Wilson and Benjamin Foledy swept the first five positions followed by Dave Worley of Washington State University. Haffey clocked a 6:17.6 for the win.
Since its inception in 1988, the indoor regatta series has evolved from a winter-time competition for collegiate rowers whose rivers had frozen over, to an international competition with popularity among recreational athletes who have never been in a rowing shell, to collegiate level rowers and Olympic champions. In 2004 over 7,500 indoor rowers participated in 50 indoor regattas throughout North America. A rowing ergometer is a stationary indoor rower with sliding seat and an oar handle affixed by a chain to a bicycle-style flywheel. Considered the preferred training and testing apparatus for Olympic caliber rowers, rowing ergometers are simple for non-rowers to master and are found in most leading health and fitness clubs. Anyone with an interest in participating in Ergomania should contact the Pocock Rowing Center at 206.328.0778 or visit www. pocockrowing. org.
About Concept2
Based in Morrisville, Vermont, Concept2 is the world's leading manufacturer of indoor rowers. The unique design of Concept2's new Model D Indoor Rower provides one of the most effective cross-training workouts available. By engaging all muscle groups, rowing challenges the cardiovascular system like no other activity can. To view an animated rowing ergometer and learn more about the benefits of indoor rowing, click on http://www. concept2.com/rowing/gs/gettingstarted. asp (http://www. concept2.com/rowing/gs/gettingstarted. asp) or www. Concept2.com.
About the George Pocock Rowing Foundation
The George Pocock Rowing Foundation serves as a catalyst and a national model for the development and growth of rowing for all ages and abilities. The foundation was founded in 1984 and is named for the late world-renowned shell-builder George Pocock. Its facility, The Pocock Rowing Center on Seattle’s Portage Bay, is home to over 400 Seattle rowers and six rowing clubs. The George Pocock Rowing Foundation provides public learn-to-row classes, rowing opportunities for “at risk” children in the community, meeting space for community events, and sponsors men and women training for the U. S. National Rowing Team. www. pocockrowing. org
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