April 27, 2008
STANFORD, Calif. - Stanford's Elle Logan is closer to earning a spot on the 2008 U.S. Olympic Rowing Team after winning the women's pair Sunday morning at the 2008 National Selection Regatta (NSR #2) at the Finn M.W. Caspersen Rowing Center on Mercer Lake in West Windsor, N.J. She and her pair partner Caroline Lind will attempt to qualify at the world cup race scheduled for May 30-June 1 in Lucerne, Switzerland. The crew will need to finish in the top four, or top 50 percent if there are fewer than eight entries, to qualify.
"Caroline and I had a very solid time trial on Friday and going into the final on Sunday morning we were feeling confident with our race plan which we executed very well together," said Logan. "We look forward to making some changes in the following weeks and getting some more speed."
If the boat does not qualify at its chosen world cup race or decides not to accept its nomination, the event will be opened up to the second set of U.S. Olympic Team Trials, scheduled for June 9-13.
Logan and Lind took the lead in the final 500 meters to win the women's pair final in a 7:22.59. Logan, who is redshirting this season, stroked Stanford's Varsity eight last year to a silver medal finish at the Pac-10 Championships and a 10th place finish at the NCAA's. Also, Stanford freshman Lindsay Meyer finished fourth in the women's double and Stanford men's crew and Olympic alum Jamie Schroeder finished third in the men's double.
The winners of the women's double sculls, men's double sculls, women's pair and men's pair earned the right to race at either the first or second world cup regatta in May. If the crew finishes in the top four at its chosen world cup race, then it has the option of being nominated to the U.S. Olympic Team. If the crew does not finish in the top four, chooses not to race at the world cup or chooses not to accept its nomination after finishing in the top four, the event will be opened up to the second set of U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Rowing scheduled for June 9-13.
"Elle Logan is an inspiration to the Stanford team. She's an incredible fighter with a cool head on her shoulders, and she is making the most of this opportunity to compete for a spot on Team USA. I know she is learning so much from this experience. All of us at Stanford are pulling for her and Lindsay, as well as our Olympic alums Jamie Schroeder and Sam Magee, and Adam Kreek and Sabrina Kolker in Canada."
Complete results can be viewed here.