Several Badger Alumni Continue To Represent The U.S. In Prague – University Of Wisconsin Badgers

PRAGUE, Czech Republic – Seven Badger alumni are continuing to compete at the 2022 World Rowing Championships and some are heading to the finals.  

Maddie Wanamaker is paired with Claire Collins and the duo finished second in their semifinal heat. The team earned a chance to row in Saturday’s final against New Zealand’s Olympic champions, as well as Great Britain, Romania, The Netherlands and Croatia.

Vicky Opitz, the two-time Olympic alternate and current Badger lightweight coach, finished sixth in the semifinal of the women’s four. Her crew will race against five other teams in the B final.

Sophia Vitas raced alongside Kristi Wagner in the double sculls and took a late lead over Ukraine to secure a third-place finish by just 0.12 seconds. The pair will prepare to race in the final against The Netherlands, Ireland, Germany, Romania and Austria.

Former UW lightweight assistant coach Todd Vogt finished in fifth place with his partner, Pearl Outlaw, in the PR3 mixed double sculls finals.

The men’s eight finished third in their first heat Tuesday, but the boat that includes two Badger alumni, Michael Knippen and coxswain Jimmy Catalano, returned to the water in the semifinals to claim second in the second repechage. The crew will advance to Sunday’s final and race against Great Britain, Canada, The Netherlands, Australia and Romania.

Grace D’Souza competed in a two-boat final in the women’s quadruple sculls and finished second to Italy.

Grace Joyce, who raced for both the lightweight and openweight teams at Wisconsin, competed in the women’s quadruple sculls crew and finished fourth in her semifinal heat. The team will take on Italy, Germany, Lithuania, Poland and New Zealand in the B finals as they compete for places 7-12.

2022 World Rowing Championships Team Members

Maddie Wanamaker (Neenah, Wis.) – Women’s Pair, Women’s Eight       

Vicky Opitz (Middleton, Wis.) – Women’s Four

Sophia Vitas (Franklin, Wis.) – Women’s Double Sculls

Michael Knippen (Germantown, Wis.) – Men’s Eight

Jimmy Catalano (Greenwich, Conn.) – Men’s Eight

Grace D’Souza (Whitefish Bay, Wis.) – Lightweight Women’s Quadruple Sculls

Grace Joyce (Northfield, Ill.)  – Women’s Quadruple Sculls

Todd Vogt (Rochester, N.Y.) – PR3 Mixed Double Sculls

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