Fordham Rowers Compete at World University Championships in China

Bronx, N.Y. - Selected based on their individual performances on the ergometer, rowing skills, racing performances and coach's recommendations, Cynthia Luz (class of 2019) and Danae Ohresser (class of 2020) competed as members of the USA team which traveled to the World University Championships this past summer. These two rowers became the first in Fordham history to be selected for an international competition with a U.S. national team.
 
The pair started the summer by spending two months in Michigan preparing for the competition in Shanghai, China, with their team of 34 rowers. In mid-July, their crew had an opportunity to compete domestically at the US National Championships on the Cooper River in Collingswood, N.J. where they won bronze medals in the straight four event.
 
After their hard summer of two-a-day practices and team building with athletes from other universities around the country, Cynthia and Danae competed in all three days of racing at the World University Championships which took place from August 10-12.
 
In Shanghai, the USA team faced extreme heat and humidity and the stakes were higher than they had ever been for these rowers who were racing internationally for the first time. Their crew finished fifth in the straight four, one of the most competitive events at the Championships.  Although their preparation and confidence grew throughout the summer, they were not able to best the English, Dutch and Italian crews that made the podium. Cynthia's and Danae's fifth place is an incredible achievement for Fordham rowing and they are bringing valuable lessons back to the team as they enter this new season. 

The World University Championships gave them the opportunity to row and practice with some of the top collegiate rowers in the country, including Valen Fey, from George Washington, the only other A10 rower to make the team.
 
As Cynthia and Danae start out the new season at Rose Hill, they look forward to helping lead the team into an even more successful year than the last. Danae looks forward to continuing as stroke of the Fordham varsity, the same seat that she rowed all last season and also at the World University Championships. Cynthia hopes to use her summer of intense training to continue her assault on the Fordham record books by improving her 6,000 meter ergometer, for which she is the Fordham record holder, and catapult herself from second to first place in the record books for the 2,000 meter ergometer as well.