Chile and USA dominate at Pan American Qualification Regatta

Host nation Chile and the USA were the stand-out nations at the 2023 Pan American Games Qualification Regatta in San Pedro de la Paz, Chile, each picking up four gold medals, and a total of eight medal each overall.

Chile qualified the maximum of 12 crews for the Pan American Games, which are to be held at the end of October and early November this year; the USA has qualified 11 with hopes of the Men’s Quadruple Sculls also receiving a spot.

Cuba won two gold medals, and Canada and Uruguay one each across the five-day regatta.

Chile topped the standings at the last Pan American Games in 2019 and continued to show excellent form. Their victories came in the Women’s Quadruple Sculls, both Men’s and Women’s Lightweight Double Sculls, and the Women’s Four.

The Abraham quadruplets, Melita, Antonia, Ignacio and Alfredo, who all have extensive experience on the world and Pan American stage already, were key to Chile’s success.

Melita and Antonia Abraham were joined by Victoria Hostetter and Magdalena Nanning to win the W4-, and by Hostetter and Antonia Pichot in the W4x. Melita Abraham and Hostetter also took silver in the Women’s Double sculls, while Antonia Abraham won silver in the Women’s Single Sculls.

Ignacio and Afredo Abraham and Oscar Vásquez won bronze in both the Men’s Quadruple Sculls and Men’s Four, joined by Brahim Alvayay in the M4x and Alonso Poo in the M4-.

The USA sent a team including athletes who appeared at last year’s World Rowing Championships as well as several newcomers to international racing. Grace Joyce and Jacob Plihal both stepped out of last year’s quadruple sculls crews into the single sculls to win gold, with the Men’s Pair of Ezra Carlson and Alexander Hedge, and the Women’s Double Sculls crew of Madeleine Focht and Veronica Nicacio also topping the podium in solid performances.

In total, eight nations won medals at the regatta. Mexico failed to win any golds but earned six podium spots with two silvers and four bronzes; Brazil won one silver and two bronze medals; and Argentina took one silver and one bronze.

The full list of qualified boats for the Pan American Games is expected to be confirmed soon. There will be a total of 13 boat classes and 214 athletes at the regatta, with the five boats qualifying in each of the M4x, W4x, M4- and W4- automatically receiving spots for the M2x, W2x, M2- and W2- events and rowers from these crews expected to double up.

The event list also includes a Mixed Eight, with athletes doubling up into the boat from other events.

The first medals ceremonies were preceded by a moment of remembrance for Angel Fournier Rodriguez, the Cuban single sculling legend who passed away in March and who won five Pan American titles across his career, most recently the M1x at the Lima 2019 Pan American Games.

Medal Standings – 2023 XIX Pan American Games Qualification Event