U.S. Women’s Single Sculler Gevvie Stone Qualifies for London

May 23, 2012

LUZERN, Switzerland – Women’s single sculler Genevra “Gevvie” Stone earned Olympic qualification Wednesday, capping off the United States’ performance in Lucerne, Switzerland at the 2012 Final Olympic Qualification Regatta.

With four qualifying spots up for grabs in the event, Stone finished third to punch her ticket to London and the 2012 Olympic Games, pending final approval by the United States Olympic Committee. The U.S. men’s eight, lightweight four and women’s double sculls earned Olympic qualification on Tuesday.

“It feels awesome,” said Stone, a Newton, Mass. native and Princeton University alum. “I’ve dreamt about this for so long. I had a good race out there today. (There were) some really tough competitors, and I’m psyched.”

With calm winds and flat water for the final, it was Denmark’s Fie Udby Erichsen that crossed the 500-meter mark first, followed closely by Australia’s Kim Crow. Stone was fifth off the line and pushed her way through Estonia and Ireland in the second 500 meters for the third-place position, keeping her rate at a solid 33 strokes per minute.

Crow won in a 7:38.79 for Australia, followed by Erichsen with a time of 7:41.45 and Stone in 7:44.91. Ireland’s Sanita Puspure grabbed the fourth and final qualifying spot in 7:48.07, beating out former University of California rower Iva Obradovic of Serbia.

“It’s been a long two years in the single, after not making the team in New Zealand (in 2010),” said Stone, who finished 11th at the 2011 World Rowing Championships on Lake Bled last summer.

“Every day has been, how do I get faster, and how do I make that boat move. Right now, I’m going to put in some more 2ks, racing in the world cup this weekend. I have to get faster every day, and prove to the USA what I can do in London.” Click here for full interview.

LIGHTWEIGHT MEN’S DOUBLE SCULLS

In the lightweight men’s double sculls, Will Daly (Vail, Colo.) and Andrew Campbell (New Canaan, Conn.) fell just short of qualifying for the 2012 Olympic Games. The U.S. was in the second-place position through the body of the race, but could not hold off the charge of Australia’s Roderick Chisholm and Thomas Gibson, both returning Beijing Olympians.

Hungary’s 2005 world champions Zsolt Hirling and Tamas Varga won the race in 6:26.75, with Australia second in 6:28.21. The United States posted a time of 6:29.70 in third.

Campbell, who was awarded the 2011 USRowing Man of the Year Award, finished fourth in the lightweight single at the 2011 World Rowing Championships and took bronze in the event in the 2011 World Rowing Under 23 Championships. Daly, a seven-time national team member and Beijing Olympian, was in the lightweight four that finished 13th on Lake Bled last summer.

MEN’S DOUBLE SCULLS

Warren Anderson (Paso Robles, Calif.) and Sam Stitt (McLean Va.) also missed out on Olympic qualification, finishing fourth in the final of the men’s double sculls. The U.S. needed a second place finish or better in order to qualify for London.

Just 0.86 seconds separated the top three crews, with Italy and Ukraine holding off Azerbaijan’s strong sprint for the first and second-place slots. Italy won the race in 6:27.13, followed by Ukraine’s 6:27.46. Azerbaijan crossed with a 6:27.99.

Anderson and Stitt were in sixth place over the first 1,000 meters, but pushed through to fifth, and then fourth in the final stretch, posting a time of 6:33.54. Stitt finished fifth at the 2008 Olympic Games in the men’s quadruple sculls. Anderson, a Beijing alternate, finished second in the single at NSR I and won the double with Stitt at NSR II.

U.S. Results for Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Men’s Double Sculls Final
1. Italy, 6:27.13; 2. Ukraine, 6:27.46; 3. Azerbaijan, 6:27.99; 4. United States, 6:33.54; 5. China, 6:36.04; 6. Latvia, 6:40.69.

Women’s Single Sculls Final
1. Australia, 7:38.79; 2. Denmark, 7:41.45; 3. United States, 7:44.91; 4. Ireland, 7:48.07; 5. Serbia, 7:52.68; 6. Estonia, 7:57.33.

Lightweight Men’s Double Sculls Final
1. Hungary, 6:26.75; 2. Australia, 6:28.21; 3. United States, 6:29.70; 4. Bulgaria, 6:36.23; 5. Austria, 6:36.64; 6. Switzerland, 6:37.74.

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Allison Frederick

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