Six UVA alums to compete at World Rowing Championships

Six UVA alums are set to compete at the 2014 FISA World Rowing Championships, to be held in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Aug. 24-31.

Susanne Grainger (’13) and Christine Roper (’11), who earned bronze in the Canadian women’s eight in 2013, are back representing their country in the same event. The duo were part of Canada’s eight that earned silver at the World Rowing Cup II regatta in June.

Also competing for Canada will be Kerry (Maher) Shaffer (’07) in the women’s four. She will be competing at the World Championships for the first time since 2011.

Katrin Reinert (’11) will compete against Grainger and Roper in the German women’s eight. Reinert is making her third appearance at the World Championships and first since 2011.

Inge Janssen (’10) is set to compete in front of her home fans in the Dutch women’s double. Janssen placed sixth in the women’s single at last year’s World Championships.

Former Virginia volleyball and softball player Meghan O’Leary (’08) makes her second consecutive World Championship appearance in the U.S. women’s double. She placed seventh a year ago.

The group represents the largest-ever contingent from Virginia at a single World Rowing Championship regatta.

Helen Tompkins (’10) was selected to represent the United States in the lightweight women’s quad, but is injured and will not compete.