ROWING World Cup Regatta: The normally placid waters of the Rotsee ("the lake of the gods") at Lucerne will be the scene of hectic activity this weekend as the cream of the world's rowers face each other for the last time before the Olympic Games.
Ireland's Sam Lynch and Gearóid Towey, who did well competing as heavyweights in the last World Cup event in Munich, get to test themselves in their Olympic discipline of lightweight double scull against their main rivals, Italy and Poland.
Munich provided Lynch and Towey with the boost of a win over reigning Olympic champions Poland, who also competed as heavyweights.
However, world champions Elia Luini and Leonardo Pettnari of Italy won at lightweight level in Munich and are, as ever, the crew to watch - despite an untypical defeat in their heat at the German venue.
It may not be a three-horse race: in a big entry of 18 crews, Germany, France and Denmark will also be out to prove points. The Irish have been in Lucerne for a week and are "raring to go" according to team manager Richard Parr.
Ireland's other Olympic contenders, the lightweight four, will have no need to ask for attention in Lucerne. Their outstanding silver-medal performance at Munich made them a hot prospect for Athens.
The crew, with Niall O'Toole holding his place after performing so well in Munich, have no fears of finishing first and letting others worry about them.
Denmark, so long the kingpins at this discipline, have reportedly brought back Stephan Moelvig as they seek to reassert their dominance, and other big guns are Italy, who won in Munich, the Netherlands and Chile.
Outside the Olympic boats, Ireland have four other entries in Lucerne. Tim Harnedy, competing as a lightweight single sculler, is still in the mix for the lightweight four, and will want to make his mark.
The new lightweight quadruple scull and the lightweight pair will both hope to impress in the run-up to next month's World Championships for non-Olympic events, as will lightweight single sculler Niamh Ní Cheallachair.
These four boats face heats this morning, while the lightweight four and double are set to compete for the first time this afternoon.
Meanwhile, the Irish entry for Henley Royal Regatta is one of the biggest ever, and a number of crews have real hopes of success.
Commercial won the Quadruple Scull last year and have entered three of the same crew this year. Con Collis comes in for James Mangan, joining Albert Maher, Seán Jacob and Ciarán Lewis.
Trinity have high hopes for their coxed four in the new student division of the Britannia. Kevin Devlin, Richard Moore, Paul Laird, Richard Northridge and cox Sophie Gold have been impressive in Irish regattas this year.
The Temple Cup for college eights features five Irish crews: Trinity and Queen's both have two entries and NUIG, who should be real contenders, have one.
A composite crew from Ireland won the Visitors for coxless fours last year, and another composite - of Skibbereen, Bantry and Galway Rowing Club - is entered this time out. Skibbereen's Kenny McCarthy remains from last year's crew.
Two welcome developments are the entry of a strong-looking Commercial quadruple in the Fawley schoolboys' event and the UCD women's eight in the Remenham Cup.
WORLD CUP REGATTA
(Friday to Sunday)
Irish entry
MEN
Lightweight four: Richard Archibald, Niall O'Toole, Eugene Coakley, Paul Griffin. Lightweight pair: Neil Casey, Derek Holland. Lightweight quadruple scull: Kenny McDonald, Diarmaid Mac Colgain, Herbert Griffin, Brian Young. Lightweight double scull: Sam Lynch, Gearoid Towey. Lightweight single scull: Tim Harnedy.
WOMEN
Lightweight single scull: Niamh Ní Cheallachair.
IRISH ENTRY HENLEY ROYAL REGATTA
Provisional
Diamond sculls: Skibbereen (P O'Sullivan). Men's quadruple sculls: Commercial. Visitors : Galway/Skibbereen/Bantry. Thames Cup: Lady Elizabeth. Temple: Queen's University A, Queen's University B, NUIG, Trinity A, Trinity B. Britannia: Garda Siochana. Britannia Student: Trinity. Wyfolds: St Michael's. Fawley: Commercial. Remenham (Women's Eight): University College, Dublin.
