Race Commentators Announced for Lenny Peters Cup
High Point, North Carolina - Veteran Olympic and World Rowing Commentator Martin Cross will lead race commentary for the Lenny Peters Cup on April 12. Joining him on the live broadcast will be American rowing journalists Emelie Eldracher and Etta Carpender.
The Lenny Peters Cup is a Ryder Cup style rowing event between Team USA's top four male and female scullers and eight Olympic medalists selected from across the globe. The livestream can be watched on the World Rowing Youtube channel as well as the Lenny Peters Cup Youtube and the Fox8 streaming platform.
"I am thrilled to have this amazing team come to High Point to provide race commentary for the Lenny Peters Cup," said race director Gene Kininmonth. "Martin is a veteran of rowing commentary and it will be exciting to see him combine his experience with Etta and Emelie, who are the USA's premier rowing journalists of today. They will no doubt bring our viewers an authentic experience of these boat races."
Martin Cross won the gold medal for Great Britain in the coxed four at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics and a bronze in 1980 in Moscow. He has been commentating at Henley Royal Regatta, the Olympic Games and World Rowing Championships. He published an autobiography, Olympic Obsession in 2001, and works part-time as a history teacher at Hampton School in England.
Emelie Eldracher is an American pararower. She represented the United States at the 2024 Paris Summer Paralympics as the coxswain of the mixed coxed four rowing team as the only non-disabled member of the team. Emelie and her crew won a silver medal with the United States team in Paris.
No stranger to High Point, in 2024 Emelie coxed the Ukraine national women's eight to victory at the High Point Autumn Rowing Festival and says she loves competing on Oak Hollow Lake.
"This is THE international sculling event of early spring in Amerca," says Emelie. "From gladiatorial head-to-head competition in round one to the mixed quads in round three, we’re in for some spectacular moments. Just watching the racing will be thrilling—but getting to join this fantastic commentary team of Martin Cross and Etta Carpenter has me completely psyched."
Etta Carpender is a familiar face to the American rowing audience as a proponent of elevating the sport. A content manager and freelance writer with Rowing News magazine, Etta was a 2022 and 2024 National Champion in the Varsity Women’s 8+ at the NCAA Championships with the University of Texas.
"I’m excited to be part of such a cool event that puts a spotlight on elite rowing. I’m also very honored to be working with Martin Cross and Emelie Eldracher- two absolute legends of the sport," says Etta. "It’s going to be a fun weekend!"