Fairfield County Rowers Competing in National Race

FAIRFIELD COUNTY, Conn. – Rowers from Fairfield County got off to a good start Thursday in their bid to make the U.S. Olympic team during the first day of the National Selection Regatta 1 and Speed Order in Chula Vista, Calif.

New Canaan’s Charlie Cole, Rowayton’s Brian de Regt and Weston’s Nick LaCava all competed Thursday. The meet continues through Saturday.

Cole won the first race in the men’s pair with teammate Glenn Ochal of Philadelphia. LaCava and teammate Will Newell of Weston, Mass., won the first race in the lightweight men’s pair. The finals in both events will be Friday.

De Regt competed in two heats of the men’s singles. He finished fifth in the first race and second in his second race. He will row again Friday in the second heat of the men’s 1x.

The regatta is the first step in a lengthy process toward selecting the various members for each boat on the U.S. team. It will continue through June 22, when the lineups for all of the boats will be completed. Norwalk’s Dan Walsh and New Canaan’s Andrew Campbell also are in contention for a berth on the U.S. team. They are not competing in the event in California.

A detailed look at the Olympic selection process is available at usrowing.org.

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