Some of the best rowers from around the world competed Sunday in the World Indoor Rowing Championships at Boston University’s Agganis Arena, also known as the C.R.A.S.H.-B. Sprints, including six Grand Valley State University club rowers who made the trip.

“The chance to go up against people from around the world is pretty awesome,” said GVSU varsity assistant coach Lisa Saladino, who made the trip with the six athletes. “Not only to compete with them, but stack up fairly well with them. There is a great amount of pride for our athletes. I am just very proud of them.”

Each athlete competed on an ergometer, not only testing their endurance, but how far they have come in their training up to this point in the season. It was a 2,000-meter race with both heavyweight and lightweight divisions.

The women’s open heavyweight featured 196 competitors including athletes from the Vesper Boat Club, Monongahela Rowing Association and Temple University women’s crew. Junior Carey Mankins paced the Laker women, finishing 11th with a time of 7 minutes, 1.9 seconds.

“After being picked to represent us, it is exciting and we all really wanted to show our teammates what we could do and show the rest of the competitors what Grand Valley can do,” Mankins said. “I was hoping to get under 7 minutes. I have another year to get there, though. Hopefully, I can come back next year and get that mark.”

Freshman Kaitlyn VanBoven finished 33rd in 7:17.9.

Meanwhile, in the women’s open lightweight race, junior Jessica Vogl, with a time of 7:40.2, finished 24th out of 71 competitors, which included athletes from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and New York University Crew, among others.

“This race gives them something to look forward to in the drudgery of indoor training, just like in any sport,” said GVSU head coach John Bancheri. “They all busted their butts.”

In the men’s open heavyweight race, junior Nate Biolchini led the Lakers with a personal-record time of 6:06.3, good enough for 17th place out of the 251 competitors.

Junior Ryan Kasley finished in 53rd with a time of 6:14.0.

“I surprised myself,” Biolchini said. “My original goal was 6:15 and then yesterday I re-evaluated and wanted to go 6:10. Once I sat down, it just went, and it went quick.”

For Biolchini, it is his first year at Grand Valley since he transferred from Oakland Community College and also his first year rowing.

According to Bancheri, his time of 6:06.3 on Sunday is equivalent to running a mile in under four minutes. And he did it against top-tier competition from Harvard University, the U.S. Naval Academy, Yale University Crew and others.

“It was cool to know that I am part of a club program versus a varsity program where everybody is getting full scholarships,” Biolchini said. “I got a little nervous at the beginning, but then once we started and I jumped out front, it felt pretty good.”

In the men’s open lightweight division, junior Dominic Kootsillas-Conybeare finished 52nd out of 107 athletes, with a time of 6:49.8. The race featured competitors from the Riverside Boat Club, Team RemoMexico, and Westerville Rowing Club.

The GVSU crew team now prepares for their Spring Break trip to Sarasota, Fla., that will include a dual meet against Georgia Tech University’s club team.

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