Big one for lightweight four

ROWING COLUMNIRELAND'S LIGHTWEIGHT four get another chance to banish some demons today. Their main aim at the World Cup regatta in Lucerne this weekend is to prove themselves top of the prospective Olympic qualifiers by matching or bettering Germany, but today's heat pits them against China, who shocked the Irish in the first race of the World Championships in 2006.

China have gone on to establish themselves as the top crew in the world, but Ireland will give it a lash in today's heat. "We'll try to soften their cough," said coach John Holland last night.

Only the US look equipped to mix it with China and Ireland in the heat, and three crews will go through to tomorrow's semi-final.

The men's heavyweight four face an even bigger challenge, with world champions New Zealand sweeping in. Today's Irish heat is no cakewalk, featuring Britain, who won in Munich, the Netherlands and France. Three go through.

The men's pair and the lightweight double scull will probably need the second chance of this evening's repechages, thanks to difficult heat draws.

At home, Blessington is set for one of its busiest weekends. The deferred University Championships and the women's lightweight trials are scheduled for today, while the huge Metropolitan Regatta runs through the day tomorrow. Carlow will hold their regatta on Sunday.

NUIG will fight it out with UCD and Commercial in the senior eights final at Metro. Belfast and a Neptune/Old Collegians composite are also entered - along with a Commercial/Carlow junior composite. This crew has raised hackles because it will row as Carlow in the National Championships, where composite crews are not allowed in junior 18 eights.

The demands of examinations mean Trinity's eight will rush to the University Championships this evening. The men's senior eight final, scheduled for 7pm, could be a stormer. Trinity's internal strife has apparently ended, with Joe Calnan and Tim Harnedy not part of coach Mark Pattison's plans.

UCD have been aching to get a lash at NUIG, and if the Dublin college needed a further fillip, the boat they are set to use is special. In a ceremony last night it was officially named the Olympian, marking the participation of the first official Ireland crew at at Olympic Games in London 60 years ago. Six UCD men were part of that team.

UCD may have a former student at this year's Olympics in Sean Jacob. The Dubliner's case for participation in the qualifier is to be heard in the High Court next week.

WORLD CUP REGATTA (Lucerne):Today's heats (Irish interest; times Irish): 10:24 - Men's Pair: Ireland (J Devlin, S Casey); France Two; New Zealand; China One; South Africa; 11:24 - Men's Four: Argentina; The Netherlands; Britain One; France; Ireland (J Wall, S O'Neill, C Folan, A Martin); noon - Lightweight Men's Double Scull: Ireland (R Coakley, C Moynihan); Argentina; France One; China; Finland; 12:24 - Lightweight Men's Four: Poland One; Ireland (E Coakley, G Towey, R Archibald, P Griffin); China, United States; Egypt.