ROWING:Only a few short years ago the prospects of international success for heavyweight rowers in this country looked as promising as a dank Irish day.

Success at Henley Royal Regatta was the limit of the ambitions of the talented few at the top of the sport.

Things have changed. Under coach Harald Jahrling, Ireland placed 10th and seventh in the last two World Championships in the men's four. This weekend, 13 heavyweight oarsmen are invited to the national senior and under-23 camp at Inniscarra Lake in Cork.

In the year ahead, according to Jahrling, an Ireland heavyweight quadruple scull may be formed. This would be a new direction for this country, but as we cannot field two heavyweight fours at the 2007 World Championships - at which boats can qualify for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing - a quad could provide another viable outlet.

The likes of Rory O'Connor, Dan Barry and Paul O'Brien are all young - birthday-boy O'Brien joins the other two at 19 today - but have great potential to give new life to a tradition which faltered after the inspiring feats of Seán Drea and Garda oarsmen in the 1970s and early 1980s.

The junior regional trial set for Galway tomorrow has been scrapped because of flooding. The Neptune Head has been rescheduled for February 10th.

INVITEES TO NATIONAL CAMP (at Inniscarra Lake this weekend):Men - Heavyweight: A Martin, S Casey, C Folan, J Wall; S Jacob, C Collis, J Wholley, K McCarthy, E Joyce, P Murray, P O'Brien, D Barry, R O'Connor. Lightweight: P Griffin, R Archibald, E Coakley, G Towey, T Harnedy, S Lynch, R Coakley, G Ward, D O'Dowd, C Moynihan, N Casey, L Molloy, B Clarke, J Brinn, V Ruane, K Clarke, M Carroll, M O'Donovan. Women - Heavyweight: C Ryan. Lightweight: S Jennings, N Ni Cheilleachair, H Boyle.