Lightweight four receive hefty backing

In fifty days time the Olympics begin, with one of the major Irish hopes being the men's lightweight four. That four first came together in April in trials at the remote Farran Wood course in Cork - and were given their first tough race by four young men who represent Ireland this weekend at the world under-23 championships, the Nations Cup in Copenhagen.

Brian Young (Cork BC), Paul Griffin (Muckross), Richard Archibald (Queen's) and Eugene Coakley (UCC) are given the strongest hopes of winning a medal by team coach Sebastiaan Peeters, who is also the crew's coach. "We need a bit of luck, but if any crew deserves a bit of luck it's these guys," says Peeters.

The squad represents some of the cream of young Irish talent, with heavyweight sculler John Wholley of Skibbereen and lightweight women's sculler Fiola Foley (Killorglin) having competed on the American college circuit. The youngest member, Neil Casey (19), of Neptune, won the senior double scull with Brendan Dolan at the recent National Championships.

At Sempach in Switzerland this weekend, the top Irish junior rowers compete in the Coupe de la Jeunesse, a European championship at this level. It is certainly heartening to see an Irish eight men's competing at a high level, and five different clubs are represented in the crew.

Last weekend's trials at Blessington yielded women's and men's lightweight quadruple sculls for next week's World Championships. Poor conditions did not help the process, and only the championships themselves, for non-Olympic events, will test the wisdom of sending these crews. Sam Lynch and Sinead Jennings complete the squad.