World Championships:Ireland's lightweight men's four did what was asked and a little bit more at the World Rowing Championships in Munich yesterday. The crew, which has not really convinced since the pre-season withdrawal of Gearóid Towey, needed to finish in the top three of their heat to guarantee a place in tomorrow's quarter-final, but they showed more ambition and finished second, disputing the lead in the final 500 metres with eventual winners Australia.
The result suggests Paul Griffin, Richard Archibald, Eugene Coakley and Cathal Moynihan (in for Towey), may be finding some form at just the right time. The lightweight four were medallists at the last two World Championships, but were uncompetitive in the World Cup series. Their bottom line this season is to finish in the top 11 in this event and qualify the boat for next year's Olympics.
They were impressive after a slow start. A close-up fourth after 500 metres behind Italy, Australia and Spain, the Irish took out Spain quickly, and just after halfway a big push saw them overhaul Italy, who had been replaced in the lead by Australia. Ireland then took on the men in gold and green, finishing just one and a half seconds down. Ireland manager Mick O'Callaghan said: "They didn't get the greatest of starts, but they progressed through Italy and were very comfortable at the end."
In tomorrow's quarter-final (9:42 Irish time) Ireland will face China, the world champions, and France, the top crew of 2005. Ireland can accompany these two through to the semi-finals if they finish ahead of Japan, the Czech Republic and Portugal.
The news from Ireland's other crew in action yesterday was not so good. The lightweight women's double of Niamh Ní Cheilleachair and Sinead Jennings finished well back in fourth in a race where only the top two qualified directly for Friday's semi-finals. While the Irish were out of contention in the final stages and not racing full out, their time was 13th of the 18 starters - a worrying statistic as they must be in the top eight come Sunday's A and B finals if the boat is to be qualified for Beijing.
Greece were surprise winners of a heat in which Denmark and Canada were the two form crews. Canada had to settle for third, while Ireland finished 11.79 seconds further back.
Jennings and Ní Cheilleachair still have a real chance of making the semi-finals - their draw in tomorrow's repechage (8:54) features Britain, Japan and the US, which should not strike fear into them if they scull at their best.
Today is a big day for the Irish. The men's four can move into the semi-finals by finishing in the first two in their quarter-final (11:54 Irish time). Ireland's fine performance in their heat sees them in lane three, and the main threat should come from the US and Croatia either side of them. Alan Martin's men will fancy their chances of moving into the top 12, and within touching distance of the top-11 place which opens up the road to Beijing.
Seán Jacob's quarter-final (10:24) is tough. Former world champion Marcel Hacker is the marquee name, but Argentina's Santiago Fernandez, Sjoerd Hamburger of The Netherlands and France's Pierre-Jean Peltier will also be going hell-for-leather to fill one of the top-three slots.
Lightweight single scullers Orlagh Duddy and Liam Molloy must finish in second or better to make the semi-finals from their repechages (8:48 and 9.30).
Men Lightweight Four - Heat Three (First Three guaranteed places in quarter-finals): 1 Australia (P Chisholm, A Edwards, B Cureton, T Skipworth) 6:10.50, 2 Ireland (C Moynihan, E Coakley, R Archibald, P Griffin) 6:12.00, 3 Italy (J Vlcek, C Amarante, S Amitrano, B Mascarenhas) 6:14.03, 4 Spain 6:19.32, 5 Portugal 6:29.45.
Women Lightweight Double Sculls - Heat Two (First Two directly to A/B semi-finals): 1 Greece (C Biskitzi, A Tsiavou) 7:08.51, 2 Denmark (K Olsen, J Rasmussen) 7:10.02, 3 Canada 7:11.66, 4 Ireland (N Ni Cheilleachair, S Jennings) 7:23.45, 5 Cuba 7:37.41, 6 Uzbekhistan 7:47.03.
Today's Programme
(Irish interest; times Irish)
8:48: Lightweight Women's Single Scull Repechage (Orlagh Duddy)
9:30: Lightweight Men's Single Scull Repechage (Liam Molloy)
10:24: Men's Single Scull quarter-final (Seán Jacob)
11:54: Men's Four quarter-final (Sean O'Neill, Cormac Folan, Seán Casey, Alan Martin).
