This is a key weekend in Irish rowing, though no medals or trophies will be won or presented.

The national trials at Inniscara, Co Cork, pit the top athletes in the sport against each other from today until Sunday, with the aim of finding those which are fitted to gain the national imprimatur for World Cup regattas and the World Championships. The national director of coaching, Thor Nilsen, was set to travel from Sweden last evening to be part of the selection process.

One of the outstanding young single scullers of recent years, Gearoid Towey, should also be watched closely, with an eye to whether his recent spell in England has benefited him.

But the men's lightweight four, fourth in the Olympics two year's ago, have been the focus of much attention, and should be again at the weekend. Sam Lynch, one of the Olympic four, has had a dreadful year, with injury and illness ruling him - and the boat - out of the World Championships in France last year.

Now, after a building his strength as a single sculler, in a recent spell of training in Henley, Lynch has returned, and will be at Inniscara this weekend.