Ondoli & Iseppi Make Debuts On Day One Of Olympics Regatta

Jul 22, 2021

NOTE: This story was posted before major changes the Olympic rowing schedule. See bottom of release for latest schedules for UW alumni.

The 2020 Olympics rowing regatta got underway Thursday evening (Friday morning in Tokyo), with two former Washington rowers making their debut for the Italian team.

Over the coming two days, 14 more Washington alumni will open their competitions. Huskies will represent seven different nations on the Sea Forest Waterway in Tokyo.

On day one, Italians Chiara Ondoli '18 and Valentina Iseppi '20 made their first Olympic appearances, in the double sculls and quad sculls, respectively. Ondoli moved on to an A/B semifinal while Iseppi's crew will have to race in a repechage to remain in medal contention.

In the second of three women's double sculls heats, the favored Romanians moved to the lead from the start, with Ondoli's shell running second throughout the early going. In the second 500, Romania took a commanding lead, leaving the other three crews to fight for second and third, with the fourth-place double having to row in a repechage.

The Italian double hit the 1,000-meter mark a fraction of a second behind Canada, but still in front of the Russian crew. But shortly thereafter, Ondoli and her partner, Alessandra Patelli, moved back into second position. However, at 1,500, Canada was back in front. Regardless, the Russian crew had by then dropped into a clear fourth position, assuring the three three of direct passage to the A/B semifinal.

In the end, Romania won with a time of 6:49.79, well ahead of second-place Canada (6:57.69) and third-place Italy (6:59.58). Those three will move on to an A/B semifinal on Sunday at 6:20 or 6:30 p.m. Pacific Time.

Less than an hour later, Iseppi made her debut in Italy's quad sculls shell, with the top two of the five entries earning a direct spot in the A final, and the others facing a repechage.

China took the lead out of the starting dock, with Poland racing in second and Italy in third at 500 meters. In the second 500, China increased its lead and seems certain to win the heat, and at 1,000 meters, it was still the same order in the top-three positions.

In the third 500, with the Poles and Italians well ahead of the other two crews, the race was on for the all-important second-place finish. At 1,500 meters, Italy was about half a length back of the Polish crew, but they couldn't cut into the advantage and finished in third place.

China won the heat in 6:14.32, with Poland taking second in 6:18.62. Italy finished four seats back in third place, with a time of 6:20.45.

Iseppi and her teammates will next race in a repechage, Saturday at 6:50 p.m. PT, with the top two finishers in that race moving though the A final.

Tomorrow, on day two of the regatta, three more Huskies will race for the first time. Megan Kalmoe '06 will compete in her fourth Olympics, in the U.S. pair, while Canadian veterans Conlin McCabe' 12 (men's pair) and Will Crothers '09 (men's four) will row in their third Games.

Here is the full list of Washington rowers at the 2020 Olympics, including the day and time of their next race:

Washington Rowing Alumni in the 2020 Olympics & Paralympics
NOTE: Schedule was changed early Fri.; new schedules reflected below

Women's Pair – W2-
Megan Kalmoe '06, USA
First race: heat on Fri., July 23, 5:20 p.m. PT

Men's Pair – M2-
Conlin McCabe '12, Canada
First race: heat on Fri., July 23, 6:10 p.m. PT

Women's Double – W2x
Chiara Ondoli '18, Italy
Next race: A/B semifinal on Sat., July 24, 8:20 or 8:30 p.m. PT

Women's Quad – W4x
Valentina Iseppi '20, Italy
Next race: repechage on Sat., July 25, 6:50 p.m. PT

Men's Four – M4-
Will Crothers '09, Canada
First race: heat on Fri., July 23, 7:50 p.m. PT

Women's Eight – W8+
Fiona Gammond '15, Great Britain
Kirstyn Goodger '14, New Zealand
Phoebe Spoors '17, New Zealand
Katelin Guregian '09, USA
Brooke Mooney '18, USA
Jessica Thoennes '18, USA
First race: heats on Fri., July 23, 8:20 and 8:30 p.m. PT

Men's Eight – M8+
Jacob Dawson '16, Great Britain
Ben Davison '17, USA
Stuart Sim '16, Australia
Bram Schwarz '20, Netherlands
Simon van Dorp '20, Netherlands
First race: heats on Fri., July 23, 8:00 and 8:10 p.m. PT

PR3 Mixed Coxed Four – PR3Mix4+
Danielle Hansen '17, USA
First race: heats on Fri., Aug. 27

Spare
Michiel Mantel '19, Netherlands