ATTENDANCE, ROWING RECORDS SET AT C.R.A.S.H.-B. SPRINTS WORLD INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS

ATTENDANCE, ROWING RECORDS SET AT WORLD INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS

Three world marks fall before crowd of 6,000 at Agganis Arena during C.R.A.S.H.-B. Sprints

February 18, 2010 (BOSTON, MA)  The 29th annual C.R.A.S.H.-B. Sprints, known as the World Indoor Rowing Championships, took place on Sunday, February 14 at Boston University’s Agganis Arena before a record crowd of 6,000, a figure that topped the previous attendance mark by 1,500 people.  Athletes from a diverse collection of nations including Egypt, Hungary, Peru, and Angola vied for the famed “Hammer” trophy on Concept2 Model D Ergometers (rowing machines).  The consistency and exacting simulation of the rowing stroke on these machines have made them the gold standard for indoor rowing training for all athletes particularly at the Olympic level, in health clubs, and for physical rehabilitation.

Over 2,000 competitors rowed 2,000 meters against the clock in various categories that included Men’s and Women’s Open, Lightweight, Under-23, and Junior (eighteen and under) divisions.  There were also Master and Veteran brackets for older competitors. Competitors ranged in skill/accomplishment levels from Olympic and world-class athletes to first-year rowers at the club and student level.

A special feature of this year’s C.R.A.S.H.-B. program was the inclusion of mentally and physically challenged athletes for the first time.  Thirty-eight people from the adaptive program at Community Rowing, Inc in Brighton (MA), the Paralympic Military Program, and other local and international organizations rowed 1,000 meters on Concept2 Ergometers adapted to meet their individual needs.  “We were delighted to host an Adaptive Championship this year.   Across the Board of Directors, and with strong support from our major sponsor Concept2, we felt it was important to the sport that there be this kind of opportunity for all competitors,” said event director and president of C.R.A.S.H.-B., Linda Muri.

Three world records were set, all in lightweight divisions.  Laurette Rindlaub set the mark in the division for Veteran Lightweight Women aged 75-79 with a time just over nine minutes (9:08.9), while Ingrid Peterson captured the top spot in the 65-69 Veteran Lightweight Women’s group by pulling a 7:56.9.  Robert Spengler rowed a time of 8:13.6 to set the world standard for Veteran Lightweight Men aged 85-89.

In the Open Women’s division, 3-time Olympian Julia Levina (6:43.1) took silver home to Russia going up against new comer to the sport, former Canada Basketball National Teamer, Carolyn Ganes who came first (6:40.4).  4-time Olympian Eskild Ebbesen (Denmark) won the Lightweight Master Men’s event ages 30-39 (6:15.8) besting 2004 Lightweight Single Sculls World Champion Peter Ording by nearly 7 seconds.  World Record holder Ursula Grobler won the Lightweight Women’s event (6:57.5) with 2009 Lightweight Women’s Double World Champions and 2008 Olympic team mates from Greece, Alexandra Tsiavou finished second (7:07.0) and Christina Giazitzidou finished thrid (7:07.5).

4-time multisport Paralympian and Beijing bronze medalist Laura Schwanger won the first Adaptive Championship in the Women’s Arms-Shoulders division (5:09.0).  2008 Paralympian Ron Harvey won the Men’s division (4:11.2).  2008 Paralympian and Beijing silver medalist Emma Preuschl won the Women’s Legs-Trunk-Arms event (3:49.7).  Preuschl is also a Dad Vail bronze medalist from Purdue.

The United Kingdom, with 34 male and female rowers, had the most foreign entrants, while Germany and Denmark were next with 21 and 19 respectively.  The United States had 1,778 rowers entered in the regatta.  German rowers including Junior Single Sculls World Champion Felix Bach took home eleven medals at the competition, the most for any nation. CRI had the most competitors from any one club with 39.

The C.R.A.S.H.-B. Sprints originated in 1982 when a group of Boston rowers, many of whom were members of the United States National and Olympic Rowing teams training out of Harvard University’s Newell Boathouse, named themselves the “Charles River All-Star Has-Beens” and organized the first indoor meet of its kind.  Today, the C.R.A.S.H.-B. Sprints are recognized as the premier indoor rowing regatta in the world.

Please direct future media inquiries to Linda Muri, president of the C.R.A.S.H.-B. Sprints, via email: lindamuri@crash-b.org.

For further information, visit the official web site for the event at http://crash-b.org.