June 14, 2012

U.S. Trials Results

WEST WINDSOR, N.J. - Stanford Men's Rowing alumnus Silas Stafford punched his ticket to the 2012 Olympic Games in London Thursday, teaming with Tom Peszek to win the men's pair (M2-) final at the U.S. Olympic Trials on Mercer Lake.

It will be Stafford's first Olympic Games, and he becomes the third Stanford Men's Rowing alumnus to earn a spot in London. David Banks '05 and Jake Cornelius '05 qualified with the U.S. men's eight (8+) at the Olympic Qualification Regatta on May 22.

"This is a tremendous day for Silas and his family," said Stanford men's rowing head coach Craig Amerkhanian. "Silas worked extremely hard and his faith was revealed through his excellence. Silas joins David Banks and Jake Cornelius as Stanford Men's Rowing alumni heading to London."

At Mercer Lake, Stafford and Peszek earned the U.S. men's pair bid following a four-second victory in Thursday's final. The USRowing Training Center - Oklahoma City boat of Stafford and Peszek crossed the line in a time of 7:14.988, just over four seconds ahead of USRowing Training Center crew Michael Gennaro and Robert Otto, the 2011 Pan-American Games men's pair champions.

Olympic men's pair competition begins July 28, the opening day for rowing competition in London.

In other USRowing news Thursday, Banks and Cornelius, along with the rest of the U.S. Men's Eight crew, were honored as the United States Olympic Committee's Team of the Month for the month of May.