ROWING:ROWING IRELAND chief executive Frank Coghlan said yesterday that about a dozen applications have come in for the post of high performance director of the organisation, with candidates having until today to make their applications.
The current lead coach, Adrian Cassidy, will remain in his position until his successor has bedded in, and he has issued a steady-as-you-go statement in which he assures Irish rowing people that the international system will continue as new people are appointed to lead it.
Cassidy, who heaped praise on recently-departed junior coach Derek Holland, says that the performance level of the junior rowers in the last three seasons have improved hugely. The point is illustrated by the statistics which show a big surge in the numbers of rowers reaching international standard.
However, the days of a part-time junior coach are surely over. Holland himself says that his successor should have a full-time post.
Apart from the volume of athletes going through the junior coaching system, there is also a need for the top juniors to be given more cutting edge competition.
When our top junior crew this season, the pair of Chris Black and Joel Cassells, went to the World Championships they suffered because they had not had enough competition of this standard.
The outgoing high performance director made a virtue of not taking athletes to international events if they were not of the required standard – but even talented athletes must compete regularly against their betters if they are to improve.
Pat McInerney will oversee the junior programme for the time being and a plan for the months ahead has been issued. A number of key dates are pencilled in.
The first Irish trials are set for Newry on November 17th-18th and a second are set for the same venue on February 9th-10th.
The final trials are set for April 19th-21st at the National Rowing Centre, with the final junior assessment on June 23rd.
Claire Lambe’s silver medal at the World University Championships in Kazan in Russia was a tribute to the dedication of the athlete, but the Cabra woman was also quick to thank UCD and Old Collegians for the financial support in Kazan.
The athletes were not backed financially by Rowing Ireland and colleges stepped into the breach.
Irish athletes also had some good results at the giant World Masters Regatta in Duisburg. Commercial won medals in both the pair (Fran O’Toole and Donal McGuinness) and the single sculls (Denis Crowley).
The excitement among coastal rowers at the weekend was more hair-raising.
Howth and Dún Laoghaire lifeboats rescued five rowing skiffs in Dublin Bay on Saturday after they got into difficulties in high seas.
Bann Rowing Club will celebrate the three Olympic medals won for Britain by Coleraine rowers Richard and Peter Chambers (silver in the lightweight four) and Alan Campbell (bronze in the single scull) at a dinner tomorrow night in the town.
