GEAROID TOWEY'S weekend finish in the top four at Munich has come as a much needed boost to the Fermoy sculler's single seat ambitions.
It has also forced selectors at home into hurriedly naming their quad boat for the next World Cup fixture from a field that had just been upstaged at the Metropolitan regatta in Blessington.
With the injured Niall O'Toole favourite to win the single scull vote, Towey capitalised on his rival's absence at Munich. In the middle of some world class company his fourth place ahead of the Dutch Olympic medallist Peppin Aardvin and Michael Banninger enough to keep the door open.
Blessington, the front runners for the Irish lightweight quad were being left in the shadows in what was meant to be their selection race off.
Commercial's Emmet O'Brien made the early pace but as the Senior One sculls entered rough water in the middle of the course, Neptune heavyweight Albert Maher lengthened his stroke and powered to the front, rating 33 to take a four length lead at the finish line.
Maher's demolition work in conditions that would normally favour lightweights immediately raised his World Championship prospects and is certain to add momentum behind new plans for a sculling panel at Neptune next season.
Club mate Brendan Dolan, who finished second after taking on water, was later selected for the lightweight quad along with Emmet O'Brien, John Armstrong and Neal Byrne - a combination that received official sanction from Director of Coaching Thor Nilsen.
The lightweight coxless four of Sam Lynch and Derek Holland were also confirmed for Paris at the end of June, and their relatively untroubled win at the weekend showed little evidence of recent exam and injury disruptions.
The four stayed in front down the length of the 2,000 metre course and finished with a three length advantage.
More significant though was the performance of the junior sweep squad which finished second comfortably within the 15 second margin set for last year's abortive under 23 campaign.
Afterwards, junior convener Sebastian Peeters conceded his earlier description of the four's "slim" chance of making the Junior Worlds may be in need of revision.
"At the end of the day Thor decides whether they will go to Hazenwinkel or not. They didn't row particularly well during the middle of the course and when they dropped the rate to 32 1/2 the lightweights went away from us but the boat has only done half a dozen outings and to be just 10 seconds from one of the best fours in the world is pretty good," Peeters said.
In the women's Senior One eights the competition could not be keener - UCG are restored to the top of the pile by a third of a length after a close three way contest with UCDL Under 23 internationals Vanessa Lawrenson and Debbie Stack back in the line up - and Neptune.
Stroked by Fiona Lawless, the Galway crew recovered from a poor start and by the 1,000 metre headland mark had inched their new Simms eight into a narrow lead which they managed to defend past the line.
