World champions Sanita Puspure and Paul O'Donovan both set new Irish records at the Irish Indoor Rowing Championships in the University of Limerick on Saturday.
Puspure set a superb time of six minutes 35.9 seconds, matching her personal best and making it the fastest time ever recorded by a woman at the championships. Ireland internationals Aifric Keogh and Monika Dukarska finished second and third, both lopping big numbers off their personal best times. Puspure thanked the organiser, Joe Cantillon, afterwards for the improved ventilation at the venue.
O’Donovan’s time of 6:06.2 was the best recorded by a lightweight at this event. He was most closely challenged by twins Fintan and Jake McCarthy of Skibbereen. O’Donovan competed for UCC, which was named as the best club overall – although the world champion wore an Angola top, as his UCC one did not arrive until later.
The fastest heavyweight man was Irish single sculls champion Fionnan Crowley of Castleconnell, while the fastest junior was 16-year-old Tristan Orlic, who set a remarkable time of 6:16.7. Zoe McCutcheon of Enniskillen was the fastest junior woman.
Alex Byrne of Shandon also set a new Irish record in the men's under-23 event.
IRISH INDOOR ROWING CHAMPIONSHIPS
(at University of Limerick)
Selected Results – Men
Open: F Crowley (Castleconnell) 5:59.6, 2 P Boomer (Belfast RC) 6:10.2, 3 G Patterson (Sligo) 6:14.5. Under 23: 1 A Byrne (Shandon) 6:04.6. 2 R Corrigan (Queen's) 6:09.2, 3 D Breen (UCC) 6:11.8. Lightweight: P O'Donovan (UCC) 6:06.2, 2 J McCarthy (Skibbereen) 6:17.1, 3 F McCarthy (Skibbereen) 6:18.6. U-23 Lightweight: H Sutton (UCC) 6:22.4, 2 M Taylor (Queen's) 6:24.2, 3 N Beggan (Commercial) 6:25.3. Jun 18: 1 T Orlic (Neptune) 6:16.7, 2 J O'Donovan (Castleconnell) 6:19.3, 3 M Gallagher (St Joseph's) 6:20.1. Jun 16: M O'Grady (Athlone) 6:43.6.
Women
Open: 1 S Puspure (Old Collegians) 6:35.9. 2 A Keogh (UCC) 6:45.4, 3 M Dukarska (Killorglin) 6:49.3. Under-23: 1 E Hegarty (UCC) 6:55.7, 2 E Lambe (UCD) 6:58.9, 3 T Hanlon (UCC) 7:08.7. Lightweight: D Walsh (Skibbereen) 7:17.1. U-23 Lightweight: A Casey (UCC) 7:23.7, 2 L Heaphy (Skibbereen) 7:33.7, 3 A Keating (Skibbereen) 7:42.0. Jun 18: 1 Z McCutcheon (Enniskillen) 7:12.4, C Kirwan (St Michael's) 7:15.0, 3 R O'Donoghue (Killorglin) 7:15.1. Jun 16: A Moloney (Commercial) 7:30.2.
