AMBITIOUS CLUB athletes are reaching the high point of their season, with the next few weeks charting success or failure. Women’s Henley begins today and runs through the weekend, while the entry for Henley Royal Regatta, which begins in 12 days, suggests a very strong Irish challenge this year.
Two adaptive crews represent Ireland at the World Cup in Munich this weekend, a first for this country. The presence of experienced internationals in Kevin du Toit and Karen Cromie, who represented South Africa and Britain respectively at the Paralympics, strengthens the Ireland team.
Irish senior eights go into action today at Women’s Henley, with NUIG, Galway and Trinity all set to compete this afternoon. UCD come into the draw tomorrow.
Crews from Neptune, Belfast and Portora are also entered across the classes. Old Collegians have entered an elite quadruple and two elite doubles calling on the services of Sanita Puspure, Becky Quinn, Sarah Cuddy and Giolla Carroll.
The same venue hosts the creme de la creme of club events in less than two weeks, and Irish prospects of success at Henley Royal look very good, with real chances of wins in a number of events.
In the Visitors’ for intermediate fours, the NUIG crew of Cormac Folan, James Wall, Paul Giblin and Alan Martin is top class. The Galway/Skibbereen entry of John Wholley, Danny O’Dowd, Marc Stephens and John Forde also carries a wealth of experience at this level.
Giblin and Stephens have both won this event twice before (2003, 2005), while Forde (2005) and Martin (2003) also have wins under their belts.
O’Dowd may be a doubt for this event because of injury, and Stephens and Forde are also entered in the Silver Goblets for pairs, although they will likely not row in both events.
Irish hopes in the Prince of Wales Cup for intermediate quadruple sculls rest on the Old Collegians/London Rowing Club crew. Sean Jacob and Con Collis have both won here before (2003 and 2005 respectively), while Danny Harte and James Lindsay-Fynn of London RC have rowed at international level.
The three crews in the Visitors’ and the Prince of Wales are real contenders, but are open to the criticism that they are going back to the well rather than moving up a class.
The Fermoy entry in the Britannia Cup for coxed club fours is another crew with good prospects.It is a very strong year for the regatta’s top events: the Diamond Sculls has four Olympic finalists, and Coleraine man Alan Campbell would dearly love to head Olympic champion Olaf Tufte this time around.
Of more immediate interest to those who follow Irish rowing is the achievement of one of the very best, Sinead Jennings. The former world rowing champion, a qualified chemist, adds another string to her bow this morning as she graduates from Trinity College, Dublin as a medical doctor.
HENLEY ROYAL REGATTA ENTRIES(Irish entries): Thames Cup(Club Eights): Commercial; Galway. Temple Cup(Student Eights): Queen's; Trinity; UCD A; UCD B Visitors' Cup(Intermediate Fours): Galway/Skibereen; NUIG. Wyfold Cup(Club Fours): Commercial. Prince of Wales Cup(Intermediate Quadruple Sculls): London and Old Collegians. Fawley Cup(Junior Boys' Quadruple Scull): Methodist, Belfast. Britannia Cup(Club Fours, coxed): Fermoy. Silver Goblets(Open Pair): M Stephens, J Forde (Galway Rowing Club). Diamond Sculls(Open Single Sculls): A Campbell; D Mannion (NUIG).
