USVRK Team Brings Home Medals in Budapest

This May, medals were awarded to the team representing U.S. Veterans’ Rowing & Kayaking (USVRK) Foundation at the 2022 Military World Rowing & Kayaking Federation Championships in Budapest.

Six male athletes and one female athlete competed, including two active duty Air Force athletes named Tyler and Camron - both of whom were awarded three medals each, two silver and one bronze.

The group also included injured/disabled athletes and one former College Veterans’ Rowing alumni A.J. Anderson who took home three gold medals.

Anderson is currently enrolled at Yale University working on his master’s degree in social work and counseling. He originally joined USVRK nearly ten years ago when the organization was created by founder, Paul-Stephen Varszegi.

Originally from Connecticut, Varszegi now splits his time between Sarasota, Florida working with NATO and international military allies around the world.

Both Anderson and Varszegi are U.S. Marine Corp Veterans.

Three gold medals were awarded to longtime USVRK Foundation Board of Director Helen (Holly) Crouch (Air Force Retired) who at age 65 was the most senior member on the team. She served as team captain.

Another three-time gold medalist and first-time attendee at the annual military international rowing and kayaking championship was USVRK Foundation Texas Advisory Board member Rod Reshel, Jr. (US Army Retired).

The event was sponsored by Military World Rowing & Kayaking Federation, a Gibraltar international military organization.

Other countries attending the event with military athletes included; Hungary, Poland, Australia, and United Kingdom.

U.S. Veterans’ Rowing & Kayaking Foundation was formally recognized, along with four other military rowing and kayaking nonprofits countries attending the event, as “governing body for all military rowing and kayaking organizations” for their respective countries.

“USVRK Foundation is now celebrating its ten-year anniversary and its formal recognition as a governing body is an epic achievement” said founder Varszegi.

Varszegi’s plans are to remain at his second home in Europe and work closely with the other international Board of Director’s for the Military World Rowing & Kayaking Federation to carefully select and invite more international military athletes to join.

The 2023 Military World Rowing & Kayaking Federation Championships will be held in London. Interested participants should follow updated information as it becomes available on the official USVRK Foundation website at https://www.veteransrowing.org. Applications may be submitted online.