Pocock’s Mickelson rows to gold, helps set world’s best time

ETON, England, Aug. 27, 2006 – Former Washington coxswain Mary Whipple guided the United States women's eight and former UW teammate Anna Mickelson to a world's best time and the gold medal on Sunday at the 2006 FISA World Rowing Championships in Eton, England.

The world title capped a three-medal performance for eight UW rowers past and present at the world regatta that included a silver medal by Huskies Max Lang, Chris Aylard, Robert Gibson and Will Crothers in the Canadian men's four with coxswain and a bronze by former UW rowers Giuseppe Lanzone and Matt Deakin in the U.S. men's eight. On Saturday, Seattle's Portia Johnson won bronze in the women's four.

Led by Whipple, the U.S. women's eight of Caryn Davies (Ithaca, N.Y.), Caroline Lind (Greensboro, N.C.), Susan Francia (Abington, Pa.), Mickelson (Bellevue, Wash.), Lindsay Shoop (Charlottesville, Va.), Anna Goodale (Camden, Maine), Megan Cooke (Los Gatos, Calif.), and Brett Sickler (Los Gatos, Calif.) took advantage of a strong tail-wind to grab a two-seat advantage after the first 250 meters and never look back as they rowed to the fastest 2,000 meter women's eight performance since the U.S. achieved a similar feat in the heats of the 2004 Athens Olympics.

By the midway point, the U.S. eight continued to build on its advantage, taking nearly a length lead over Germany, which was being pestered by Australia in a close third. With choppy conditions, the American women encountered a slight bobble just after the 1,000-meter mark. However, the crew maintained control and was able to keep Germany at bay to win by a half length.

“It was not pretty,” said Whipple, whose six U.S. national team appearances have brought the former Husky a women's eight world title in 2002, Olympic silver in 2004 and four world cup gold medals. “The world’s best time is a surprise because we were hitting waves left and right. The chop was really bad during the last 1,000. I had really good confidence in the first 1,000. I just kept telling them. ‘Not yet, don’t go yet’, " she said. "Across the 1,000 was our really big commitment to not slow down because everyone expected us to slow up. I’m not going to lie. I was a little scared because there were a couple of topsy-turvy strokes. But, we just regrouped and were very determined.”

The U.S. clocked a 5:55.50, which bettered the world’s best time set by the American crew in the heat at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, by 1.05 seconds. Germany finished second in a 5:57.29. Australia held off China for the bronze medal.

“We knew it would be a really fast race, and we knew the conditions would get a lot harder as we went down the course,” said Mickelson, a six-time U.S. national team member and 2004 Olympic silver who trains at Seattle's Pocock Rowing Center. “I am so proud and honored to be part of this crew that set a world’s best time today. There is so much that resembles our Athens eight.” Mickelson and Whipple last won a world title in the women’s eight in 2002.

In the men's eight, Lanzone and Deakin helped the U.S. capture bronze. The crew of coxswain Marcus McElhenney (Lansdowne, Pa.), Beau Hoopman (Plymouth, Wis.), Chris Liwski (Sarasota, Fla.), Dan Walsh (Norwalk, Conn.), Steven Coppola (Buffalo, N.Y.), Lanzone (Annandale, Va.), Ken Jurkowski (New Fairfield, Conn.), Deakin (San Francisco, Calif.), and Paul Daniels (Burlington, Wis.) finished 2.29 seconds behind the winners from Germany. The German crew got off the line quickly, taking a lead during the first quarter of the race. Germany continued to increase its advantage through the 1,500-meter mark. Meanwhile, the U.S. and Italy waged a fierce battle for second position, with the Italians holding a small advantage at each of the 500-meter splits. Germany crossed the finish line with a time of 5:21.85, followed by Italy in a 5:23.29. The U.S. clocked a 5:24.14 to finish more than five seconds ahead of fourth-place Australia.

In the men's four, former Huskies Kyle Larson and Scott Gault and Olympia's Brodie Buckland just missed a medal finishing fourth by 0.23 seconds. In the final where the top five crews were separated by just 2.21 seconds, Germany rowed through New Zealand in the second half to win the gold medal in 6:05.77. Canada made a late push to take second, while New Zealand held off the Americans by about two feet to win the bronze medal. Canada finished with a time of 6:06.47, 0.90 seconds ahead of New Zealand. The U.S. clocked a 6:07.60, followed by Great Britain in a 6:07.98.

Pocock Rowing Center's Michelle Trannel (East Dubuque, Ill.), Katie Sweet (Seattle, Wash.) and Abby Broughton (Tetonia, Idaho) along with Potomac Boat Club's Anne Finke (North Palm Beach, Fla.) finished fifth in the lightweight women's quadruple sculls. China dominated the race to win gold in 6:23.96. Denmark finished second in a 6:28.16, followed by Great Britain in the bronze medal position and Germany in fourth. The U.S. finished with a time of 6:40.86, ahead of Canada.

Lake Steven's rower Bjorn Larsen helped the lightweight men's quadruple sculls to a fight place finish in its final and Pocock's Lia Pernell finished sixth in the final of the women's quadruple sculls.

Other gold-medal winners on Sunday included Germany in the lightweight men’s pair, China in the lightweight women’s double sculls, Denmark in the lightweight men’s double sculls, China in the lightweight men’s four, and Poland in the men’s quadruple sculls.

In other world championships action for local rowers Former Pocock rower Julie Nichols (Livermore, Calif.) and Renee Hykel (Haverford, Pa.) finished third in the B final for a ninth-place overall finish.

About the George Pocock Rowing Foundation
The George Pocock Rowing Foundation is a non-profit organization that serves as a community resource for the support and advancement of the sport of rowing in the Northwest. The Foundation is active in helping develop new rowing programs, providing rowing opportunities for at-risk children and adults, and sponsoring men and women training for the U.S. National Rowing Team.