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Date: August 3, 2006
Contact: Bill Sodoma

 

Colby graduates earn spots on U.S. National Rowing Team

WEST WINDSOR, N.J. --- Pete Morelli '02 and Ted Farwell '05 are the first Colby College men's rowers to earn a place on the U.S. National Rowing Team.

The pair earned the honor at the U.S. Rowing Senior National Team Trials on Mercer Lake in New Jersey on Thursday. Morelli and Farwell will both compete at the 2006 FISA World Rowing Championships in Eton, England from August 20-27.

Former women's crew member Hilary Gehman '93, a two-time Olympian, was the first Colby rower to make the U.S. National Team.

"To have national team experience two years before the (Summer) Olympics is really good," Colby crew coach Stew Stokes said. "Pete came so close to making the national team last year and to have Ted make it a year after leaving Colby is pretty amazing. I'm just really happy for both guys."

To make the national team, the boats had to win a best two-of-three series over three days with one other boat and beat a time standard.

Morelli was competing for the Riverside Boat Club lightweight 8 boat. His crew won both Wednesday and Thursday to sweep the series and broke the qualifying standard Thursday. Morelli's boat clocked in at 5 minutes, 41.169 seconds to beat the 5:42.00 standard.

Farwell rowed with former Holy Cross rower Pat Godfrey and coxswain Vince Puma for the Pennsylvania Athletic Club Rowing Association to earn a place on the national team in the men's pair with coxswain. The three also swept their competition in two straight races to win the series and barely set the qualifying standard time in Wednesday's win. Farwell and Godfrey rowed in at 7:04.992 to just get under the standard of 7:05.00.

Farwell and Morelli were both captains during their time at Colby. The pair also both rowed for the Mules at the Henley Royal Regatta in England. Farwell went with Colby to Henley in 2005 and Morelli rowed in 2002.