Rowing Updates and N2E Race Preview
Long Beach native Sam Melvin and his teammate Cooper Tuckerman emerged victorious at the men’s lightweight double rowing US Olympic trials in Sarasota, Florida. The duo showcased their resilience and determination to clinch the top spot, much to the delight of Melvin’s father, Pete Melvin, who expressed his pride on social media.
Melvin, who often trains at Marine Stadium during his winter breaks from Columbia University, credits his father, a former Olympic sailor, as his personal hero. The young rower and Tuckerman now have their sights set on qualifying for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, with the qualification event scheduled to take place in Switzerland next month.
In other rowing news, the California Dreamin Series concluded with a thrilling tie-breaker, ultimately won by the team from Detroit’s Bayview Yacht Club. Skippered by Ryan Seago, the team secured victory in the series and earned an invitation to the prestigious 2025 Ficker Cup in Long Beach. The Ficker Cup, set to take place from April 19-21, serves as the qualifier for the Congressional Cup the following weekend.
Following their triumph, the team hastily made their way to Los Angeles International Airport to catch a flight home, with Seago expressing his excitement for the upcoming Ficker Cup. The perpetual trophy for the Long Beach stop was generously donated by the Flam Family and presented to the Michigan team by Steve Flam.
As the rowing community gears up for the Ficker and Congressional cups, skippers David Hood, Chris Poole, and Gavin Brady, along with their teams, are intensifying their preparations. Notably, this year’s Ficker Cup will feature a record three women skippers, including the United States’ Nicole Breault and New Zealand’s Megan Thomson and Celia Willison.
Looking ahead, the highly anticipated Newport to Ensenada (N2E) race is set to kick off on April 26, starting from Balboa Pier. The event will be preceded by a Racer VIP Mexican buffet and a send-off breakfast at Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club, offering spectators the chance to witness the race’s start at the Balboa Pier Ruby’s Diner. With a rich history and a lineup of esteemed participants, the N2E race promises excitement and fierce competition for all involved.