World Championships a big test for Ireland's juniors

RowingThe cream of Ireland's junior rowers see international action over the next nine days. Five crews go in the Coupe de la Jeunesse, a European junior championships, tomorrow and Sunday, while Ireland's top two under-18 crews face stiff competition at the World Junior Championships which begin on Wednesday.

Eton hosts the Coupe, and competitors will be hoping that the winds which marred the World Cup at the venue two months ago do not return this weekend.

There are 11 competing nations, and Ireland's men's and women's quadruples and fours along with single sculler Ger Ward get to compete in a full programme on both days.

The entry in all of the Irish events, except the women's four, is high at nine and 10 crews, but this looks thin compared to what Paul O'Brien and Rory O'Connor will face at the World Championships in Brandenburg, Germany. No less than 30 countries - from India to Paraguay to Serbia and Montenegro - have entered crews in the men's double sculls, making it the biggest event, and surely one of the widest-ranging events ever at this level of rowing. The Ireland men's pair of Matthew Carroll and Vincent Ruane face 17 other crews.

The Ireland juniors fared relatively well at the World Under-23 Championships last weekend. The under-23 open four and lightweight four did not do well, and afterwards Ireland coach Harald Jahrling said he felt athletes at this level needed to make themselves more readily available to train alongside the senior A squad.

One of the anomalies of the Irish domestic season is that it ends half way through the year, in mid July. So what do rowers do then? Carrick-on-Shannon Rowing Club have come up with an answer. They stage their sprint regatta on Sunday - and it has a record entry this year.

Club secretary Mark Kelly does not over-sell the event in terms of competitiveness - "Some people are arriving already, and let's say they'll have a pint or two!" he said yesterday. About 300 rowers will take part, and they have the chance to compete in "mixed" boats, containing women and men.

Garda and Lady Elizabeth entered in the men's senior eight and the new national champions in the women's intermediate eight, NUIG, are set to face Trinity. This year the event is also the last leg of the Waterways Ireland "Row For It" Junior League. Carlow have wrapped up the junior men's under-14 and under-16 titles, but the women's leagues are set to be decided on Sunday.