A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Kürten misses out in qualifier Jessica Kürten was relegated to the runner-up slot behind home favourite Albert Zoer on Okidoki by 1.2 seconds in Saturday night's Audi Grand Prix in s'Hertogenbosch in the Netherlands, but she missed the cut for an 11th-place finish in yesterday's World Cup qualifier.
Kürten's mare Quibell connected with the second-last, an oxer, and four faults dropped the Irish pair to 11th, still good enough to earn the world number two six World Cup points, boosting her to seventh in the western European league.
The move up means Kürten will get a good draw for the first speed round in Kuala Lumpur. Germany's Meredith Michaels- Beerbaum won yesterday's qualifier. Grania Willis
Towey's back with a bang
Gearóid Towey took his chance to prove he remains in the elite of Irish rowing with excellent performances at the first national selection regatta at Inniscarra Lake, Cork. Towey, who set last year aside to row the Atlantic and had his funding slashed because of it, was the fastest man home in a single scull on the weightings applied by national coach Harald Jahrling.
Towey was in the top boat of the regatta yesterday, a lightweight four that included Eugene Coakley, Richard Archibald and Paul Griffin. Liam Gorman
Loeb takes title in Catalonia
The women's lightweight double of Sinéad Jennings and Niamh Ní Chéilleachair came in fourth in Jahrling's rankings, and the coach said Ní Chéilleachair "has moved up a lot" this season.
World champion Sebastien Loeb won the Catalunya Rally for the second year in a row yesterday to forge nine points clear of Marcus Gronholm in the title standings.
The Frenchman, driving a Citroen for Kronos Racing after the withdrawal of the manufacturer's works team last year, finished 48.2 seconds ahead of Spanish team-mate Dani Sordo.
It was his second win in a row after Mexico earlier this month.
Second place, in front of his home crowd, was Sordo's first top three finish in the world championship.
But podium celebrations were ruled out as a mark of respect after the death on the opening day of a German co-driver, Joerg Bastuck, who was hit by another car while changing a wheel.
