Rowing: It's one of the world superpowers and it will host the next Olympic Games - but in rowing terms China has just lost out to little Ireland. Harald Jahrling agreed to come on board as Ireland coach last week having walked away from a deal which the Chinese thought was in the bag.
Thor Nilsen, who coached the Ireland team in recent seasons, is Development Director of the sports governing body, FISA, which was instrumental in matching Jahrling with China. Nilsen said yesterday that the Chinese had landed the German before he had second thoughts.
The president of the Irish Amateur Rowing Union, Frank Durkin, said no special deal had been made with the outgoing coach of the Australian women's team. Nilsen continues to have strong links with some of the top Irish rowers, and is full of praise for single sculler Sean Casey, who recently spent time in camp with him in Seville.
Casey, who is extraordinary in that he continues to behave like a professional despite facing into a year in which he will have no state funding, is the real deal according to Nilsen.
"He is going very well, improving all the time," said the Norwegian. "I believe in him, he can be good."
Nilsen has been a key figure in coaching Irish lightweights - Sam Lynch has just returned from a session in Seville - and is savagely critical of proposed changes in the weight limits.
FISA's medical commission is championing these restricitions to "reduce the number of unhealthy practices seen at regattas for the purpose of weight loss", but Nilsen says the Commission "lives in a world of its own".
At present a multi-person lightweight men's crew must average 70 kilogrammes, but an individual can weigh in up to 72.5 kg, with similar provisions for women (57 and 59 kg). FISA's rule-change congress in February could adopt the 70kg and 57 kg limits as absolutes.
Nilsen says it is "bullshit" to think this would stop athletes tapering for races - they would still do it for the new limits - but if it is passed it would force out 38 per cent of all those competing in this grade. The present rules results in crews losing weight to accommodate a heavier colleague, but Nilsen says this is simply another part of team sport.
If the proposal falls, it may be because anything which cuts numbers competing, especially those in developing countries, might endanger rowing's strength at the Olympics.
A proposal before the Congress to have lightweight singles as Olympic events looks dead in the water, and a return for lightweight eights as a World Championships event may be a long shot. The deletion of the provision which allows appeal to the Court of Arbitration in Sport seems a strange change. "I am as surprised as you by that one," says Nilsen.
