ROWING: This will be a hot summer for the sports spectator: Cardiff next weekend for rugby; Germany for World Cup soccer in a few weeks; the Ryder Cup at home in September. For followers of rowing, one of our strongest international sports, today is 100 days to the most accessible international event of the season, the World Championships at Eton, England, from August 20th to 27th.
The organisers have put some thought into making it a good spectating event: there will be big screens at both sides of the course; a land train to get around (a 2,000 metre course is bigger than most sports venues); family areas with entertainment for children and picnic sites.
Ireland coach Harald Jahrling, who guided his team to exceptional results last season, is a strong believer in the power of the travelling fan to lift the men and women in green.
"It makes a huge difference. I think if you get some people there who wave Irish flags and cheer it's always great.
"I think it would be fantastic to have people from Ireland travelling over to England to watch the rowers compete at the World Championships."
With Heathrow Airport quite close to Eton, the cost of accommodation is probably the one fly in the ointment for the thousands who may travel.
Tickets, at £85 for a grandstand ticket for the week, are not dear compared to many events. Daily tickets range from £5 to £25, but it is not possible to buy daily grandstand tickets for the last two days.
The website with all the information is wrc2006.com
Back in Ireland, the complete lack of any events this weekend while Cork City Regatta clashes with the European Cup next weekend has prompted incredulity in some quarters.
One of the organisers, Denis O'Regan, who is also the secretary of the Irish Amateur Rowing Union, said yesterday the clash with the rugby had not affected the organisation of the regatta in any way.
The entry of 278 crews is one of the biggest in recent years, and there will be 76 races from 8.45am until 6.10pm.
Bringing the regatta forward a week was not considered, as the event had already moved to keep a distance between it and the multi-lane events in Belfast (Queen's Regatta) and Blessington (Metropolitan Regatta).
