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ROWING GALWAY HEAD OF THE RIVER: THESE DARK days provide time to reminisce and to lay plans

Fri Oct 24 2008 - 01:00

ROWING GALWAY HEAD OF THE RIVER:THESE DARK days provide time to reminisce and to lay plans. This weekend will see some of both in Irish rowing - and there may be on-the-water activity in the form of the NUIG Head of the River in Galway, writes Liam Gorman

The head is scheduled for tomorrow, but is dependent on the weather taking a turn for the better. Should it go ahead, there is the prospect of some good match-ups in the single scull. Danny O'Dowd, Liam Molloy, Dave Mannion, Paul O'Brien and Marc Stephens are all part of the draw, while in the women's programme young pretender Siobhán McCrohan can test her speed against in-form Caroline Ryan.

There is only one men's senior eight in the draw, but it is fair to say NUIG are the crew which may generate the most heat in the season ahead. With proven club oarsmen such as Evin Donnelly and Paul Giblin set to be joined by internationals Alan Martin, Cormac Folan and - perhaps - James Wall, it is no surprise the westerners are showing serious ambition for 2009. They may even challenge for the prestigious Ladies Plate at Henley.

Wall, who is a student at UCD, may compete in varsity events for the Dublin college, but he has a strong affinity for NUIG. He joined cox Ruadhan Cooke, Donnelly, Giblin and Seán O'Neill of St Michael's in an NUIG crew at the World Coastal Rowing Championships in Italy at the weekend. Folan is in Australia, but should be available in the New Year.

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By then new management should be in place for the international set-up. The final two candidates for the post of Performance Director will give presentations this evening. It is understood there is a strong emphasis on the ability to build a system which stretches beyond producing short-term gains at international level.

One man who knows about success at the top is James Lindsay-Fynn. His is an extraordinary story: a Meathman who was a student at Eton, he competed for Trinity and Commercial; he took a bronze medal at the World Championships in the green vest of Ireland in 1999; then he revived his career in London, where he works, to such a degree he was part of the Britain lightweight four which won world gold last year.

This last feat will be commemorated, along with Trinity's win in the senior eights at the National Championships, at a dinner tonight in Trinity College.