ROWING/News Round-up: After over a year of anticipation and discussions with at least two of the top international names, the Irish Amateur Rowing Union (IARU) this week formally advertised the position of chief coach on FISA's world rowing website.

The union had hoped to net Martin McElroy, the former UCD oarsman who coached the British men's eight to gold at Sydney, and also, it is understood, had contact with South African coach Christian Felkel, but neither are now in the picture.

Indeed it is telling that the post now being offered is not that of head coach: whoever takes over will not be the supremo suggested by such a title, and will primarily be tasked with working with lightweight men.

Hamish Burrell will continue to take charge of the push to create a lightweight women's crew for the Athens Olympics and Sebastiaan Peeters will coach the men's under-23 crews.

The long delay in choosing a national coach had been primarily linked to a lack of funding, but the chairman of the international rowing committee of the IARU, Mick O'Callaghan, said yesterday that he "wouldn't expect money would be a hindrance" now.

It is understood the union has submitted a "high performance" plan to the Sports Council and the council would be expected to be a source of funds for the new post.

The national rowing centre at Inniscarra in Cork will also require funding this year: the site has been cleared and one storey of a boathouse could be completed in time for the national championships.

O'Callaghan confirmed the focus this on the water will be firmly on the Olympics.

Only the world champion crews of lightweight single sculler Sam Lynch and the lightweight pair of Gearóid Towey and Tony O'Connor will be exempted - if they prove to be the best in Ireland and appear on course to successfully defend their world titles.

Towey is at present in Australia training, but O'Connor, Lynch - based in Spain in recent weeks - and women's lightweight single sculls champion Sinéad Jennings are expected to attend the union's awards dinner tomorrow night.

The dinner, held in conjunction with a coaching seminar tomorrow and Sunday, might have seemed a good chance for the sport to promote itself in one of its successful times to a wider public. However The Irish Times learnt of it only two days before the event.