Paul and Gary O’Donovan finish sixth in New Zealand

Four home crews take top four places in the Premier Double Sculls on Lake Karapiro

The O’Donovan brothers had to settle for sixth place in the Premier Double Sculls on Lake Karapiro. Photograph: Srdjan Stevanovic/Inpho
The O’Donovan brothers had to settle for sixth place in the Premier Double Sculls on Lake Karapiro. Photograph: Srdjan Stevanovic/Inpho

Paul and Gary O’Donovan finished sixth in the Premier Double Sculls at the North Island Club Championships in New Zealand on Monday. Four crews from the New Zealand squad took the top four places on Lake Karapiro.

Earlier, Paul O’Donovan had finished sixth of eight in the the Premier Single Sculls, a race won by New Zealand heavyweight single sculler Robbie Manson. Gary O’Donovan took third in the B Final.

The Skibbereen men, who took second in the Olympic Games in the lightweight double, have been competing in the heavyweight events in the Irish off-season. They used the event as a warm-up for the New Zealand Championships, which run from February 13th to 17th, also on Lake Karapiro.

Shane O’Driscoll and Mark O’Donovan, the world champions in the lightweight pair, ended their campaign at the regatta with a win in the B Final of the Premier Pair, placing ninth overall.

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There were two very good results for Max Murphy, the former UCD Boat Club captain. He won in the senior eight and four with Waikato.

North Island Rowing Championships, Lake Karapiro, New Zealand, Monday (Irish interest)

Men:
Senior Eight - A Final: 1 Waikato (3: M Murphy) 6:19.55.
Senior Four - A Final: 1 Waikato (3 M Murphy) 6:15.01.
Premier Pair - B Final: 1 Skibbereen (M O'Donovan, S O'Driscoll) 6:43.34.
Senior Pair - A Final: 4 Waikato (M Murphy, T Bedford) 6:51.51.
Premier Double Sculls - Final: 6 Skibbereen (P O'Donovan, G O'Donovan) 6:50.76.
Premier Single - A Final: 1 R Manson 6:39.58; 6 Skibbereen (P O'Donovan) 6:54.63. B Final: 3 Skibbereen (G O'Donovan) 6:57.21.

Liam Gorman

Liam Gorman

Liam Gorman is a contributor to The Irish Times specialising in rowing