Aug. 17, 2008

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BEIJING -- Sunday was a stellar day for Husky rowers in Beijing at the Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park. Former UW athletes registered three medals, including golds by Team USA's Anna Cummins (Mickelson) and Mary Whipple in the Women's 8+.

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Cummins and Whipple, 2002 graduates from the UW, improved on their 2004 Olympic showing in Greece, where the duo won silver medals. The U.S. boat led the race from start to finish and turned in a time of 6:05.34 to beat the silver medalist boat from the Nethlands by just under two seconds.

"I just heard Mary saying 'Let the Hunter (the name of their boat) go', just let it run," said Cummins to Row2k.com. "We knew Romania would be good; they've just won gold in the pair. We worked together as one. I feel similar to how I did after Athens, after we won silver. I had no regrets, but I wondered what would happen if I work every day for four years, and this is it. This time I feel complete."

On the men's side, former Husky David Calder paired with Scott Frandsen to capture silver in the men's pairs. Calder and Frandsen finished second in a time of 6:39.55 seconds, for Canada's first official trip to the podium at the Games. They were edged by Australia, while New Zealand took the bronze.

Calder lettered at the UW from 1998-2002. The Games in Beijing marked his third appearance in the Olympics.

In other results, Megan Kalmoe finished fifth in the Women's 2x, while Scott Gault was fifth in the Men's 4x. Former UW assistant coach Bryan Volpenheim won bronze in the Men's 8+.