July 27, 2008

LINZ, Austria - Former Yale rower Alex Rothmeier '08 placed fifth in the lightweight men's pair B final -- 11th overall -- at the 2008 FISA World Rowing Senior and Junior Championships Sunday in Linz, Austria.

Rothmeier was paired with fellow Ivy Leaguer John Nichols, a 2001 Dartmouth graduate. The pair opened competition on Tuesday with a second-place showing in their heat, .1 seconds behind Great Britain. The U.S. team then finished sixth in its semifinal Friday, 12.23 seconds off the lead, to be placed in the B final.

Switzerland's duo of Simon Niepmann and Mario Gyr won the B final with a time of 6:46.00, with Rothmeier and Nichols. 5.70 seconds behind. The pair bested sixth-place Great Britain by 4.03 seconds.

In total, more than 900 competitors from 55 nations competed in the combined championships. Germany led the medal standings with a total of fourteen senior and junior medals. The U.S. performance was highlighted by a gold medal in the lightweight men's eight.

Rothmeier, who helped Yale's varsity eight to a third-place finish at IRAs this spring, has considerable USRowing experience. He won a silver medal in the lightweight men's four at the 2005 National Championships and also won a silver in the men's junior eight at the 2003 National Championships.

report by Sam Rubin '95 (sam.rubin@yale.edu), Yale Sports Publicity