Lofgren, Rummel Advance to World Finals

They're going to the 'ship.

Classmates Esther Lofgren '07-'09 and Henrik Rummel '09 are bound for the Grand Finals for a chance to win the World Championships. The road to the finals was relatively painless for Lofgren, whose 8+ won its heat convincingly. Rummel, on the other hand, had to take a slightly longer route: after taking second in its heat, his four had to brave repechage to make it to the finals.

WOMEN'S 8+

Calendar Girls have the best times. Or so it seems after the heats in the women's 8+ at the Rowing World Championships in Lake Karapiro, New Zealand.

On Tuesday, the eight lived up to its calendar slogan "Power and Grace" in its first race at Worlds. The US led its heat at every 500-meter mark and finished the race with open water on second-place Great Britain.

The US women had the fastest time of the day in the event. The Canadian 8+, the winner of heat two, was over a second behind.

Five-seat Lofgren was a two time All-American at Radcliffe. She has been writing a blog on her national team experience.

For full results, check out the official results here. Lofgren, Laura Nicholson '09 and Laura Larsen-Strecker '08 are all featured in the "Power and Grace" catalog, the cover of which was row2k's Photo of the Day today.

MEN'S 4-

After failing to win heats in its opening race, the United States four without coxswain was faced with a do-or-die scenario: the squad needed to finish in the top two in order to make it to the A Finals. And Henrik Rummel '09 and co. passed with flying colors. The US 4- edged Italy by less than a second to win the repechage and earn a chance to compete for world championship gold. Its time, 6:15.59, stands as the fastest posted during reps.

Rummel's four was relegated to the Repechage after finishing second to New Zealand it its heat. The boat posted the fourth fastest time in the event. Rummel and the US will face New Zealand and Italy again in the Finals as well as crews from Great Britain, Greece, and France.