PRINCETON, N.J. – The selection process has come to an end for the men’s eight and the lightweight men’s four crews that will represent the U.S. at the Final Qualification Regatta May 20-23 in Lucerne, Switzerland.

The men’s eight lineup consists of coxswain Zach Vlahos (Piedmont, Calif.), Grant James (DeKalb, Ill.), David Banks (Potomac, Md.), Steve Kasprzyk (Cinnaminson, N.J.), Jake Cornelius (Brooktondale, N.Y.), Brett Newlin (Riverton, Wyo.), Ross James (DeKalb, Ill.), Will Miller (Duxbury, Mass.) and Giuseppe Lanzone (Annandale, Va.). Banks, Newlin and Lanzone were members of the men’s four that finished ninth at the 2008 Olympic Games. The James brothers return to the boat from last year’s world championship lineup, while Kasprzyk joins the lineup from the men’s eight that won gold at the 2011 Pan American Games.

Selection for the men’s eight was determined based on lineup evaluations and training camp performance in Berkeley, Calif., under U.S. men’s eight coach Mike Teti. The U.S. will need to win the event in order to qualify the boat for the 2012 Olympic Games. Entries for the Lucerne qualifier will be announced after the May 7 deadline.

Representing the U.S. in the lightweight men’s four is Robin Prendes (Miami, Fla.), Nick LaCava (Weston, Conn.), Will Newell (Weston, Mass.) and Anthony Fahden (Lafayette, Calif.). Prendes and Fahden return from the boat that finished 13th at the 2011 World Rowing Championships. LaCava and Newell won the lightweight men’s pair event at the first National Selection Regatta and were members of the lightweight eight that finished fifth in Bled.

Selection for the lightweight four was based on training camp performance and results of the first National Selection Regatta lightweight men’s pair racing. The crew, coached by three-time Olympian Bryan Volpenhein, will need to place in the top two at the Final Olympic Qualification Regatta to qualify for London.

For more information about important USRowing dates, the 2012 Olympic Games selection process and Olympic hopeful athlete bios, visit www.usrowing.org.

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USRowing is a nonprofit organization recognized by the United States Olympic Committee as the governing body for the sport of rowing in the United States. USRowing’s official suppliers include Boathouse Sports, Vespoli, WinTech, Filippi, Croker Oars, Rudy Project, Concept2, Nielsen Kellerman, PowerHTV and Ludus Tours. USRowing also receives generous support from the National Rowing Foundation and its corporate sponsors and partners ANXeBusiness Corp, Voxer, EZ Dock, EMCVenues, The Perfect SNAQUE and INDi. For more information, visit www.usrowing.org. USRowing has created The Row to London to engage sponsors leading up to the 2012 Olympic Games, with proceeds going to help ensure the U.S. team’s success. Opportunities also exist to partner with America Rows – supporting diversity initiatives and adaptive programs. For more information, please contact Beth Kohl at beth@usrowing.org.