Rowing: Volpenhein among Olympians chosen for U.S. team
By DAN GELSTON
AP Sports Writer
Bryan Volpenhein is pointed toward the Olympics for the third time. So is Paul Teti. And Anna Cummins should be busy in Beijing — she's the only rower competing in two events.
The trio are part of the 45-person roster selected to the U.S. Olympic rowing team on Friday. The roster includes 10 former Olympians who have combined for six medals, and 13 crews will represent the U.S in Beijing.
Volpenhein raced in the men's eight in 2000 and 2004. He stroked the men's eight to its first Olympic gold medal in 40 years at the Athens Games, then took a break from the sport to attend culinary arts school.
He'll be back in the eight at the Beijing Games with Marcus McElhenney, Josh Inman, Dan Walsh, Steven Coppola, Micah Boyd, Wyatt Allen, Beau Hoopman and Matt Schnobrich.
Teti also will be competing at his third Olympic Games, competing previously in the lightweight men's four at the 2000 and 2004 Games. He'll compete in the men's four this year.
Other returning Olympians include Allen, Cummins, Hoopman, Caryn Davies, Michelle Guerette, Jamie Schroeder, Patrick Todd and Mary Whipple.
Allen and Hoopman were members of the men's eight that won gold in 2004, while Cummins, Davies and Whipple were members of the women's eight that won silver in Athens.
Cummins will race in both the women's pair and eight.
Inman and Schnobrich won the men's pair at the Olympic Trials in June, but gave up their spot when they were selected to the men's eight. Cameron Winklevoss and Tyler Winklevoss will now row the pair.
The U.S. will have crews competing in the women's single sculls, men's single sculls, women's double sculls, men's double sculls, lightweight women's double sculls, women's quadruple sculls, men's quadruple sculls, women's pair, men's pair, men's four, lightweight men's four, women's eight and men's eight.
Olympic rowing runs from Aug. 9-17 and the finals are set for Aug. 16-17 at the Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park, located in Mapo Town in the Shunyi district of Beijing.