Zach Vlahos has been rowing since he was a kid, but this summer he is going to be headed to London to hopfeully capture a gold medal. Zach is a local guy, hailing from Piedmont, and was a huge part of the Cal men's crew success from 2007-10.
Zach is currently the coxswain for the Men's Eight for USA Crew as they had to London. They qualified in an intense race on the last day, completing a long journey that they hope will culminate in the top spot on the medal podium. Read more about Zach after the jump!
Cal Men's Crew: Zach Vlahos preps for the 2012 Olympic Trials (via calathletics)
Some of Zach's Cal accomplishments include having coxed Cal's national-champion varsity 8+ at the IRA Regatta in 2010 and he also coxed the Bears to second place at the Pac-10 Championships in the varsity 8+ the same year.
In 2009 he coxed the varsity 8+ that won the Pac-10 title and placed second in the IRA Regatta. His 2008 season included coxing the second varsity 8+ that took placed second in the IRA Regatta and in 2007 he coxed the freshman 8+ that won titles at the IRA Regatta and Pac-10 Championships.
International Results: Won the eight at the 2012 Final Olympic Qualification Regatta...Finished second in the eight at the 2010 World Rowing Under 23 Championships...Won the Temple Challenge Cup at the 2009 Henley Royal Regatta…Finished fifth in the eight at the 2006 World Rowing Junior Championships...Finished fourth in the four with coxswain at the 2005 World Rowing Junior Championships.
National Results: Won the varsity eight at the 2010 IRA Championships…Won the freshman eight at the 2009 IRA Championships…Won gold in the four with coxswain at the 2005 USRowing Youth National Championships.
Personal: Zach enjoys apiculture and watching SportsCenter…He lists winning the varsity eight at the 2010 IRA Championships as his most memorable sporting achievement.
Here is some video of Zach and his boat training for the Olympic trials:
2012 USA M8+ (via dressere)
Zach has been extremely successful in each stop of his career so far and there is no reason to think that he and his boat will not do very well in London this July. GO BEARS and GO USA!