ROWING/Weekend round-up: Within hours of the Ireland team winning three golds at the World Championships in Lucerne last year, team manager Mick O'Callaghan was making it clear that none of the crews were automatic selections for this year. They would have to trial and prove themselves not just the best in Ireland but on course to win World Championship gold if they were to be sent to Seville this September.

O'Callaghan reiterated the message yesterday, on the eve of the trials, which start at Inniscarra Lake in Cork this evening and conclude on Sunday.

Two of the gold medallists, lightweight single scullers Sam Lynch and Sinéad Jennings, look like clear choices for Seville, although Jennings may yet opt for a lightweight double, which is an Olympic-class boat.

The lightweight pair of Tony O'Connor and Gearóid Towey could face a rockier road. Those who will face them in pairs this weekend would have hopes of giving the world champions a run for their money: Derek Holland and Neil Casey, Owen and Neal Byrne, Noel Monahan and Eugene Coakley and Richard Archibald and Paul Griffin are set to provide stern opposition.

There will also be a strong push to form a men's lightweight four, an Olympic boat, again this year, and O'Connor and Towey would clearly strengthen such a boat.

The Irish University Rowing Championships today at Castlewellan also promise some keen competition. UCD and Queen's, who fought it out in the final of the senior eights at Neptune regatta last weekend - with UCD coming out on top - will be joined by Trinity and NUIG in a straight final. The Galway college won last year, but UCD will be buoyed up by their win at Neptune.

The Queen's regatta tomorrow in Belfast features a similar eights line-up, with Garda coming in for NUIG.