July 11, 2012

USRowing release

WEST WINDSOR, N.J. - Stanford oarsman Will Robins '14 earned a spot on the U.S. World Rowing Senior and Junior World Championships Team Wednesday as part of the Lightweight Men's Eight (LM8+) boat.

Robins and the crew will compete at the 2012 World Rowing Senior and Junior Championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria from August 14-19.

The senior and junior world championships events and trials are combined in an Olympic year to accommodate athletes who compete in boat classes not contested at the Olympic Games.

"Will's work ethic has taken him from a novice freshman, taught to row by former Stanford assistant coach Donny Simkin, to the world championships in two years. Amazing," said Stanford men's rowing head coach Craig Amerkhanian.

Robins is part of a combined crew from Community Rowing, Inc. and Riverside Boat Club that captured Wednesday morning's final in a time of 5:57.839, about four-and-a-half seconds ahead of the runner-up boat from Vesper Boat Club.

At Stanford, Robins was a member of the II Eight that qualified for the IRA Grand Final for the first time in program history in 2012. The boat would go on to finish sixth nationally. In 2011, he rowed in the No. 2 seat for the Frosh Eight boat that took ninth at the IRA Championships.