Coach’s Update: 2024 Winter Speed Order & Olympic Selection Camp

Four Penn AC athletes earned invitations to Olympic Selection Camp following US Rowing’s Winter Speed Order in Sarasota, FL.

Evan Olson (Washington/Oxford Brookes) placed fifth in the M2- with his partner Billy Bender. Evan also placed fifth with Billy at the FISA World Rowing Championships last summer and qualified the boat for the Olympics.

In the M1x, Dom Williams (Penn) placed third in the B final. Dom stroked the M4x at the world championships last summer. Mike Clougher (Connecticut College) finished sixth in the B final and Cedar Cunningham (Washington State) won the C final. Mike raced in the M8+ at 2022 world championships. Cedar only began sculling in July, 2022 when he joined Penn AC. Cedar is the only rower/sculler invited to Olympic Selection Camp who has not raced for the USA at a previous world championships (U19, U23, or Senior). We are extremely proud that we continue helping recent college graduates make their first Senior/Olympic Team.

We had a couple of promising results but near misses, too. Breck Duncan (Wisconsin) missed the B final by .17. This is still an incredible result as Breck only began sculling seven months ago when he joined Penn AC. Isa Darvin (Wisconsin) raced in the W2- B Final finishing .2" out of Olympic consideration.

Four of these six athletes walked-on to their college teams with no previous rowing experience.

Overall, eight of the twenty-four athletes in the M1x Quarterfinals were Penn AC athletes, a full one third of the field.

With our top athletes and Coach Manning at Olympic Selection Camp we are now focused on Olympic Trials in April and the Final Olympic Qualification Regatta in May.