Meet Olympic Gold Medal Champion, Esther Lofgren

As the 2016 One Book One Community initiative prepares to kick off a month full of events in April, the Larchmont Public Library is especially pleased to announce a very special appearance in Larchmont by 2012 Olympic Rowing Gold Medalist, Esther Lofgren.

To further explore some of the ideas raised in THE BOYS IN THE BOAT, the Friends of the Larchmont Public Library will host a presentation by Esther Lofgren, a 10-time U.S. National Rowing Team member and 2012 Olympic Gold Medalist.

Time: Friday, April 8 at 5:30pm reception with cash bar; 6pm presentation

Location: Larchmont Yacht Club (Junior Clubhouse), 1 Woodbine Avenue

Space is limited, reservations required. Make your reservation online at www.larchmontlibrary.org/rowing4816 or by calling the Larchmont Library Reference Desk 834-2281.

As a gangly 13-year-old, Lofgren–nicknamed “Chicken Legs”–was far from the strongest or fastest on the team her first season rowing, but she developed a deep love for the sport. With focus and dedication, Esther progressed by her senior year to become one of the top recruits in the country, and her concurrent academic achievements landed her an acceptance letter to Harvard University. Earlier in the day, Esther Lofgren will be speaking to students at Mamaroneck High School.

Esther Lofgren now serves as the USOC-AAC Representative and Treasurer on the USRowing Board of Directors. She blogs on her personal blog called Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger and was a First-Team New England All-Region and a First-Team DI All-American in 2007 and 2009. She played volleyball at Newport Harbor High School (alma mater of Olympic Gold Medalist Misty May-Treanor) but got hooked on rowing after her best friend suggested she try out. Esther received Radcliffe Crew's Athletic Excellence award in 2009 and was a National Merit Scholarship winner in 2003. Her parents, Karl and Christine Lofgren, were both elite U.S. rowers. Esther lists her most memorable athletic achievement as winning the eight at the 2010 Rowing World Cup in Lucerne. Esther would like to win gold for the U.S. at the World Championships in a sculling event. She would also like to run a sub-three hour marathon and complete an Ironman triathlon. Besides rowing, Esther enjoys running, reading, cycling, blogging, and baking. After rowing, Esther hopes to work internationally in microfinance and economic development.

ABOUT ONE BOOK – ONE COMMUNITY:

ONE BOOK – ONE COMMUNITY is a community-wide initiative that aims to connect people through reading. The 2016 initiative selection for the Larchmont/Mamaroneck/Rye Neck community is THE BOYS IN THE BOAT by Daniel James Brown (Viking, 2013). The book tells the story of Joe Rantz and the University of Washington’s 1936 eight-oar crew. Their epic quest for an Olympic gold medal in Hitler’s Berlin is fundamentally a story about beating the odds and finding hope during the Great Depression.

For more information about the ONE BOOK ONE COMMUNITY initiative, visit the Larchmont Public Library at www.larchmontlibrary.org or the Mamaroneck Public Library at www.mamaronecklibrary.org.