Concept2 Announces U.S. Indoor Rowing Team

Mike Teti: U.S. National Rowing Team head coach
© Backbone Media LLC

Concept2 announced today the 12 members of the Concept2 U.S. Indoor Rowing Team slated to compete in the European Indoor Rowing Championships in Paris, France on December 14, 2003.

“We set a very high standard with who we were looking at for the team,” said U.S. National Rowing Team head coach Mike Teti. “We used last year’s world record 2000 meter times as a starting point, and then looked at which athletes gave U.S. the best shot to win in their category. Everyone who made the team tested really well on the erg and has a good shot at winning in Paris.”

Named to the U.S. Team were: Dwayne Adams (Phoenix, AZ); Joan Van Blom (Long Beach, CA); Michael Caviston (Ann Arbor, MI); Michael Connors (Ringgold, GA); Alison Cox  (Turlock, CA); Kelly Foster (Lake Stevens, WA); Michelle Guerette (Bristol, CT); Paul Hendershott (Elkhart, IN); Luane Mills (Seattle, WA); Barbara Pike (Concord, MA); Lisa Schlenker (Lake Oswego, OR); and Jamie Schroeder (Wilmette, IL).

Featuring an Olympic medallist, an 18 year-old world record holder and three rowers over the age of 60, the U.S. contingent will be competing in an event that will feature approximately 1700 athletes representing 20 countries from around the world. Athletes will race on Concept2 Indoor Rowers (or ergs) in an individual 2000-meter sprint format broken out by age, gender and weight.

If the host French squad is any indication, the competition at the Indoor Rowing Championships will be fierce. The French Olympic Rowing Team will be using the event as part of its selection process for the national team and the 2004 Athens Olympics. “After going with the U.S. team to Birmingham, England last year, I anticipate the competition will be really strong,” commented Teti. “Indoor rowing is huge in Europe, so for our athletes to be competing at this level is a pretty big deal.”

This isn’t the U.S.’s first foray into overseas indoor rowing competition. At last year’s British Indoor Rowing Championships, a competition similar to this year’s event in Paris, a 20 member U.S. team took home 10 gold, five silver and two bronze medals. In addition to the sponsored U.S. team, several other Americans traveled and competed including former Olympian and Concept2 co-founder and owner, Peter Dreissigacker.

For more information on the U.S. Indoor Rowing Team contact Ben Fibbe at Backbone Media (+1-970-963-4873, ben@backbonemedia.net). For more information on the benefits of rowing, indoor workouts, upcoming events, or Concept2 Indoor Rowing Machines visit www.Concept2.com.