ROWING:Caroline Ryan nailed her colours to the mast when she won the women's singles scull finals on the first day of the final national selection regatta at Farran Wood in Cork.

The garda, who is based in Pearse Street, Dublin, is one of the few elite rowers not a full-time athlete, but she has a fiercely determined streak and has improved remarkably over the last few seasons.

Last year she picked off rivals on the international scene on her way to an eighth-place finish at the World Cup in Poznan and a 10th in Lucerne, before she came unstuck in the World Championships and withdrew with an injury.

At the first selection regatta last month she beat lightweight queen Sinead Jennings for the first time and yesterday she repeated that feat.

Another heavyweight, Helen Walshe, finished well and filled second place, ahead of third-placed Jennings and 2.1 seconds behind Ryan.

Coach Harald Jahrling could decide this weekend to put Ryan and Walshe in a double scull or go with Ryan and Walshe in single sculls. He said Ryan's time of eight minutes 48.17 seconds was not outstanding, and Walshe was so close that it would not be fair to send only one if a single were chosen.

The two will team up in a double scull in today's second day of the trial.

Jennings is certain of a place in a lightweight double this season and, with nothing to gain from yesterday's race, has been doing heavy training that left her looking less sharp than usual.

Her partner for the year ahead may again be Niamh Ní Cheilleachair. The two teamed up last year and finished seventh in the world, but Ní Cheilleachair withdrew from the first trial this year after collapsing on the first day.

The Offaly woman is clearly back in full health and was the best-placed lightweight, apart from Jennings, in yesterday's single sculls final, finishing fifth, ahead of Siobhán McCrohan (sixth), who had performed well in the earlier heat.

Orlagh Duddy, surprisingly, did not make the A final, but posted a good time in winning the B final.

Jahrling was keeping his cards close to his chest on the choice of a lightweight men's double after 20-year-old Liam Molloy won the final of this class narrowly ahead of Diarmaid Mac Colgain with Kevin Clarke third.

Molloy, who has been performing well in the trials system and for intervarsity champions NUIG this season, could slot into a boat for the World Under-23 Championships, but Jahrling would not say if he was now also in consideration for a senior place. "We have to consider if we have senior As, full stop," the German said.

Siaghal Mac Colgain, who pulled up after equipment failure in the heats, and Ger Ward, who rowed despite suffering from a stomach ailment, both missed out on a chance to make the final.

"To have the season end like this would be shocking," said Ward afterwards.

There is a lot to be decided over the next two days.