County Rowers Win Heats in Olympic Trials

Fred Spaulding of Costa Mesa, Rich Long of Laguna Niguel and Cathy Marino of Huntington Beach won heats Friday in Raleigh, N.C., in selection races for the U.S. Olympic canoe and kayak teams.

Spaulding, who won his heat in the 500-meter men’s canoe on Thursday, took first in his 1,000-meter heat on Friday. Long won his heat in the men’s 1,000-meter kayak and Marino won one of the 500-meter heats in women’s kayak.

Semifinals and finals in the 500-meter events will be today; the 1,000-meter events will be completed Sunday.

The trials are being held at Lake Wheeler. Sunday, 21 athletes will be selected for the team: 10 in men’s kayak, five in women’s kayak and six in men’s canoe.

The remainder of the canoe and kayak team--15 additional athletes for a total of 36--will be selected at the white-water slalom Olympic trials May 16-17 on the Savage River in western Maryland.