Mueller, Tomek to Rep U.S. Rowing at World Championships
8/30/2017 12:14:00 PM | Rowing
PRINCETON, N.J. -- Two former University of Michigan rowing standouts were named to the 2017 U.S. Rowing National Team for the World Championships last month, and the duo has now made their way south to Sarasota-Bradenton, Florida, to compete in the global competition. Current volunteer assistant coach Felice Mueller (2012; single sculls) and fellow Olympian Ellen Tomek (2006; double sculls) will row for the Red, White and Blue on the international stage from Sunday, September 24 to Sunday, October 1.
The U.S. will be hosting its first international competition in more than 20 years with the World Championships. Nathan Benderson Park will play host for the event, which will feature 25 American crews, including five returning athletes from the state of Michigan, the most of any state. The park is built FISA racing standards and boasts 9 x 13.5 metre lanes with 50 metres of clear water between the west shore and the course and 27 metres between the wave attenuator and the course. The course specifications include 2,180 metres in length, 630 metres wide and on average 6 metres deep. In addition, the course has separate warm-up and cool down lanes.
The Championships will be an important building block for international competitors preparing for the 2020 Olympic Games.
Mueller has a wealth of international experience and earned a fourth-place finish earlier this summer at the World Rowing Cup, where she has won the 8+ and 2- in the past. Her career with Team USA also includes a gold medal in the 4- at the 2013 World Championships in Chungju, Korea, as well as a fourth-place finish in the women's 2- at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
She was a first team Pocock All-American and Big Ten Rowing Athlete of the Year in 2012. Mueller was also a three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection and was voted MGoBlue.com Female Athlete of the Year following her senior season. The two-time All-Big Ten first teamer led the Michigan varsity eight to a Big Ten championship and second-place NCAA finish as a senior. She was also a two-time CRCA first team All-Region selection.
Tomek is rich with international experience as well, with last summer's World Rowing Cup marking her ninth opportunity in that competition. She also rowed for Team USA in the Beijing Olympics in 2008 and in the Rio Olympics in 2016. While in Ann Arbor, she was the Michigan Rowing Athlete of the Year in 2006, and also earned All-Big Ten second team and CRCA second team All-American honors that spring.
Race schedules for both competing athletes can be found below:
Felice Mueller, Single Sculls (1x)
Heats -- Monday, Sept. 25 (12:04-12:25 p.m.)
Repechage -- Wednesday, Sept. 27 (12:26-12:41 p.m.)
Semifinals -- Friday, Sept. 29 (12:05-12:10 p.m.)
C/D Finals -- Saturday, Sept. 30 (D at 1 p.m., C at 1:45 p.m.)
A/B Finals -- Sunday, Oct. 1 (B at 9:20 a.m., A at 10:57 a.m.)
Ellen Tomek, Double Sculls (2x)
Heats -- Monday, Sept. 25 (11:39-11:53 a.m.)
Repechage -- Wednesday, Sept. 27 (12:15 p.m.)
Semifinals -- Friday, Sept. 29 (11:25-11:35 a.m.)
CÂ Final -- Saturday, Sept. 30 (1:30 p.m.)
A/B Finals -- Sunday, Oct. 1 (B at 9:05 a.m., A at 10:27 a.m.)
