ROWING/Henley Regatta: Garda provided the highlight for the Irish on the first day of Henley Royal Regatta yesterday. In the Britannia Challenge Cup for coxed fours the intermediate crew, with a debutant coach, knocked out one of the selected crews, Potomac Rowing Club, from the US.

"We're delighted with it," said first-time coach John Dillon, who takes charge of the crew along with Tommy Colsh. "Potomac are ex-lightweight scullers from Princeton University. They've been together for five months with Henley in mind, so it was a big scalp for us to take. We went out with the attitude that it was a Henley final today, and it paid off."

The strong headwind gave the heavier Irish crew an advantage, and they took control early, eventually winning by one and a quarter lengths. For Dillon it was nerve-wracking, however: "It was the closest to a heart attack I've ever had," he joked.

Ireland's two other crews in intermediate events also had a good day. St Michael's had a narrow win in the Wyfolds for coxless fours, beating Kingston Rowing club by half a length. The relatively light Limerick crew did well to win off the Buckinghamshire station into a head wind, and they led by a length or so for most of the race before holding off a late push.

Lady Elizabeth, the sister club of Trinity College, beat Lea Rowing Club by one and three quarter lengths in the Thames Cup. Stroked by Micheal O'Connell, Lady Elizabeth face Molesey today, and would fancy their chances of at least making it to Saturday's semi-finals, where they are seeded to meet London Rowing Club.

Lady Elizabeth's comfortable win was one of two highlights for Trinity coach Tim Levy, the other being a competent one-and-a-half-length victory for his student coxed four over Reading University. But the Temple Cup for college eights carried no such good tidings. Like Queen's University, Trinity both lost their A and B crews on the first day.

Trinity's B crew had qualified, so the weight of expectation on them was light, but the loss of the A crew was notable because they were seeded. Oxford Brookes B, who beat them by half a length, are the second crew of the club.

Ireland's one success in the Temple was fashioned by a crew who would have real hopes of winning it, NUIG. The Galway crew beat Southampton University last evening by a length and a quarter.

Today NUIG are set to take on Manchester University, but the big test may come on Saturday, when a Dutch crew, DSR Proteus-Eretes, are the likely opponents.

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