ROWING/World Cup regatta: A stirring performance from the men's lightweight four was the highlight of the final day for the Ireland team at the World Cup regatta at Eton on Saturday.

Our sole A finalists, the men's four, were never contenders in their race. In very windy conditions, they struggled with the pace in their first major final, and finished last in a race dominated by winners Britain.

"I don't think it was our best performance," said head coach Harald Jahrling. "They started nervously and didn't handle the crosswind well."

The lightweight four had suffered a bad blow in their semi-final when stroke Diarmaid MacColgain suffered a back spasm. But they won their B final with an admirable push in the second half which saw them come from fourth to first, touching off Greece by 0.17 seconds.

"Our physio, Ruth Magee, did miracles on me," MacColgain said.

Sinead Jennings, struggling with a respiratory problem, was unsure whether she would compete in her lightweight single sculls B final, but took the chance of giving a new boat a proper test. She finished fourth and quipped: "The boat's going back!"

On a more serious note, she said she was not sorry she had opted to compete at Eton and was looking forward to the season ahead, confident that there are no unbeatable rivals on show so far.

The women's lightweight double scull of Niamh Ní Cheilleachair and Heather Boyle were a disappointing last in their B final. Given that this boat is a priority crew, significant work will have to be done if it is to be competitive as the World Championships in the autumn loom.

Jahrling said the lightweight women had been "pretty disappointing". He stressed the need for patience. "We don't have anybody else in the country. We have a pool of athletes we live with or we don't."

Siobhan Jacob, who finished last in the C final on Friday evening, will not be going to the next World Cup in Munich.