28th MidAtlantic Erg Sprints

OLYMPIANS & PARALYMPIAN TO BE AMONG THE OVER 1,600 ATHLETES

AT THE 28th MIDATLANTIC ERG SPRINTS THIS COMING WEEKEND

World's 2nd largest indoor rowing competition scheduled for

T.C. Williams High School this Saturday, February 2nd

ALEXANDRIA, VA - Over 1,600 adult and student athletes will descend on T.C .
Williams High School in Alexandria this Saturday, February 2nd, for the 28th
MidAtlantic Erg Sprints, an annual event that has grown to become not only
the second largest indoor rowing competition in the world, but one that will
this year feature Olympic and Paralympic rowers, as well.

The rowers are: Esther Lofgren
http://www.usrowing.org/Pressbox/AthleteBios/EstherLofgren.aspx> , who won
a Gold Medal as a member of the 2012 U.S. Olympic women's rowing team in
London this past summer; Sam Stitt
http://www.guhoyas.com/sports/m-crew/mtt/stitt_sam00.html> , who rowed in
the 2008 Beijing Olympics and is now the Varsity Lightweight Rowing Coach at
Georgetown; Emma Preuschl
http://ww.usrowing.org/Pressbox/AthleteBios/EmmaPreuschl.aspx> , who won a
Silver Medal as a member of the 2008 U.S. Paralympic women's rowing team in
Beijing and competed in 2012 London games as well; Linda Miller
http://www.gwsports.com/genrel/miller_linda00.html> , who rowed for T.C.
Williams and George Washington University and went on to become a member of
the 2000 U.S. Women's Olympic rowing team in Sydney; and, Lisa Schlenker
http://www.uwbadgers.com/sports/w-rowinglt/mtt/schlenker_lisa00.html> , a
member of the 2000 and 2004 Olympic rowing teams who is now the Head Coach
of the University of Wisconsin's Women's Varsity lightweight rowing team.

The Olympians and Paralympian will be helping to lead two informational
seminars entitled, "Going for the Gold: Rowing in College and Beyond." The
hour-long seminars will be held at 11:00 am and 3:00 pm and are open to all
students who are competing at the MidAtlantic Erg Sprints. According to Erg
Sprints Director Jeff Byron, the seminars are intended to provide young
rowers with practical advice on their futures in the sport, from what
colleges are looking for to what it takes to become an elite rower and
compete in the Olympics and Paralympics. 

"In addition to being the world's second largest indoor rowing competition,"
Byron stated, "the MidAtantic Erg Sprints is also the biggest event of its
kind for juniors. With all these young rowers under one roof, we thought it
was a good time to bring in some elite rowers who could provide some words
of wisdom about what it takes to compete in the sport and be the best. To
that end, we are fortunate to have with us some of the best of the best --
rowers who not only competed in college, but represented their country in
the Olympic and Paralympic Games."

Byron noted that in addition to leading the seminars, Lofgren and Stitt will
also be competing in the Erg Sprints - Lofgren rowing in the Open Women's
500 meter sprint and 2000 meter race, and Stitt competing in the Master's
Men (age 30-39) 2000 meters and Open Men 30 minute row. 

Byron added that this year's competition will feature more than 100 events
for junior, college, and masters rowers, as well as events designed for
lightweight rowers, coxswains, parent/child teams and kids. The Erg Sprints
will also feature events designed for adaptive rowers -- a category of event
specifically designed for individuals with disabilities and one, Byron
noted, that has featured Wounded Warriors in the past and will once again
feature rowers from Athletes Without Limits and the Capital Adaptive Rowing
Program in Washington, DC.

Races on February 2th will begin at 8:00 am and conclude at approximately
3:00 pm. The top finishers in the MidAtlantic Erg Sprints will qualify to
compete in the World Indoor Rowing Championship - also known as the Crash-B
Sprints - which will be held in Boston on February 17th. 

The MidAtlantic Erg Sprints were first held in Alexandria in January 1986.
The event is sponsored by the Alexandria Crew Boosters. For the schedule of
events and more information, please visit www.ergsprints.com.