U.S. Rower Hopes to Win Two Golds in Yugoslavia

A U.S. woman rower hopes to become the first competitor to win gold medals in two events at a world championship regatta this weekend.

Kris Karlson, 25, a medical student from Weston, Conn., will compete in both the single and double lightweight sculling events at the World Rowing Championships here.

Karlson will defend her world championship singles title--won last year at Milan, Italy--today against strong entries from the Netherlands, Belgium, West Germany, Canada and Italy.

Sunday she and partner Carey Beth Sands, 29, of North Reading, Mass., will compete in doubles.

Rowers rarely compete in two events in the 2,000-meter (1.24 miles) race, but Karlson is confident of her chances.

“I’m a competitive person,” she said. “I want to do well and I don’t let anything get in my way. I don’t like to give up.”

Karlson and Sands are the United States’ bests women doubles rowers in heavyweight and lightweight categories. They won the selection trials in both, but decided to compete in lightweight.

“We are not big,” Sands said. “I don’t think we would medal in heavyweight. Our average weight is 125, against the heavyweight double average of 175. And that’s not 175 pounds of fat.”

Karlson won her heat and semifinal races this week, earning a favored center lane in today’s final. She and Sands will be in the center lane for Sunday’s final.