Junior issue back at agm

Rowing Column: What should be one of the most interesting agms in the recent history of the Irish Amateur Rowing Union takes place tomorrow at the union's headquarters in Parkwest in Dublin.

Delegates are guaranteed an election and at least one debate in which opposing camps take each other on - and on a core issue for virtually every club.

Commercial Rowing Club have put forward a motion that the junior championships be moved to September. This is a radical change: at present rowing at a domestic level all but ceases from mid-July, when national championships in all grades are held, until training begins again in September/October.

Those in favour of the change say it will show young entrants to the sport the best of what it has to offer on long summer days.

Those against say it will take out the summer break which coaches and athletes, particularly students, have become used to and value.

There are also arguments that it would be a bad fit for schools in Northern Ireland and for universities. Last year a motion on the issue was lost by a single vote.

The election for honorary secretary pits the incumbent, Corkman Denis O'Regan, against Gordon Reid of Belfast club Lagan Scullers. Reid, an architect, says there is no personal angle to the race. If elected he would hope to improve the accessibility of information to clubs and others with an interest in the sport.

Frank Durkin and John McGeehan are unopposed as president and treasurer, but there will be changes on the board. Gerry Farrell will be nominated as vice-president from Leinster, with Tony Dooley senior as provincial director; Mike McCrohan is the new VP from Connacht, with Michael R Hughes as director. Garth Young and Brenda Ewing fill the roles for Ulster, while Mick O'Callaghan and Lisa O'Callaghan return for Munster.

The performance of the Ireland team is sure to be at least a hot talking point tomorrow. In a year where the aim was to qualify boats for the Olympics, only one, the heavyweight four, achieved their aim, finishing 10th at the World Championships.

Ireland will not be sending crews to the European Championships in Poland next week.

Back in Ireland, rowing could be in for a real boost over the coming years. A plan to build an Olympic-standard 2,000-metre course near Portadown is building momentum. The project would also host other sports, and would be funded from London 2012 money.