CAMDEN, NJ - – Crews from Orlando Rowing Club, Inc. (ORC) brought home silver and bronze medals in three events at the 2009 USRowing Masters National Championships. The regatta was held at the Cooper River in Camden, N.J. The four-day regatta concluded Sunday.
In the finals of the Mixed A 8+ event, ORC’s crew posted a time of 3:14.2 in the 1000 meter race. The crew of Mary Walter, Lesley Silva, Brad Ingram, Patrick Fore, Robert Hoppenfeld, David Dojcsak, Tara Schweitzer, Laura Riekki, Lynn Sproul, and Lindsey Fore crossed the finish line less than a half boat length (2 seconds) behind University Barge Club to earn their silver medals.
In the Womens Club A 8+ final, ORC’s crew of Mary Walter, Becky Watt, Lindsey Fore, Lesley Silvia, Tara Schweizer, Laura Reikki, Megan Mims, Lynn Sproul, and Melissa Minkler rowed to a second place finish posting a time of 3:30.36, a half boat length behind Three Rivers Rowing Association.
In the Womens Open D 4x final, ORC's Jamie Thomas, rowing in a composite boat with rowers from other clubs, earned a bronze medal with a time of 3:54.8.
Having advanced to the finals of the Mens Club 4+ event with a time of 3:39.32, ORC’s boat unfortunately snagged a branch or line in the water at the start of the final, causing it to veer into the next lane and striking another boat. Because the incident occurred just outside the 100 meter starting zone, the race was not stopped and recalled by the referee. As a result, without steering, ORC’s disappointed crew of Michelle Sims, Patrick Fore, Robert Hoppenfeld, Brad Ingram, and David Dojcsak was left to limp to the finish line out of contention for a medal.
Co-hosted by USRowing, Rutgers Alumni Crew at Camden, Cooper River Rowing Association and the Camden County Parks, the regatta featured more than 1,800 entries from 147 clubs competing for national titles in more than 200 events. The regatta was the largest masters national championships in history.
