ROWING NEWS ROUND-UP:IRELAND'S LIGHTWEIGHT women's double scull of Claire Lambe and Siobhan McCrohan face a tough heat on their first outing at the European Championships at Montemor-o-Velho in Portugal today.
With 12 crews competing, one crew from each of two heats will go directly through to the A final, but the line-up of the Irish heat (10.48) is a list of strong European powers: France, Germany, Poland and Italy line up alongside hosts Portugal.
Ireland have a good lane draw, however, as they go off in lane four.
The men’s lightweight double of Niall Kenny and Mark O’Donovan have a less demanding heat (11.12). They face Greece, Norway, Sweden and Russia, with the winner going directly through to the semi-final.
Both Irish crews look likely to need to travel the repechage route this afternoon.
Former international oarsman Neal Byrne has been appointed development coach with Trinity, a full-time position. The 34-year-old Dubliner won World Championship bronze medals in 1997 and 1999 and represented Ireland at the Sydney Olympics in 2000. He will be primarily involved with “year one” rowers.
Michael Maher of Commercial, representing the Dublin Ladder, and Sheila Clavin of St Michael’s, of the Limerick Ladder, were convincing winners of the Sculling Challenge in Belfast, while the Ireland eight which took bronze at the World University Championships in Hungary are the Afloat rowers of the month for August.
