Chris Ahrens was an American rower who stroked the USA eight to gold at the 2004 Athina Olympics. He also competed at the 2000 Sydney Olympics in the eights, finishing fifth. Ahrens added four gold medals at the World Championships, in the eights in 1997-99 and in the 1995 coxed four. He also stroked the USA eight to victory at the 1999 Blue Ribbon Challenge.
Ahrens rowed for Princeton, graduating from there in 1998 magna cum laude with a history degree. He led Princeton’s varsity eight to victory at the IRA Regatta, narrowly beating the University of Washington. He went into finance, initially as chief financial officer for Senesco Technologies.