Sports digest

Today's other stories in brief

IARU enter Jacob for Poznan regatta

ROWING:The Irish Amateur Rowing Union (IARU) told the High Court yesterday that it has entered the name of Seán Jacob in next month's regatta in Poznan, Poland, which will determine the final rowers for the Beijing Olympic games, writes Mary Carolan.

The development came as lawyers for Jacob asked the court to fix a date for the hearing of an application by Jacob to have the IARU sanction his place in the regatta. That hearing has been fixed for next week but the development could yet lead to a settlement.

Jacob claimed the IARU was refusing to allow him take part in the regatta after originally telling him that he was to go to the event.

Jacob said he had missed out on a place at the Games by two positions at the 2007 World Championships as the top 11 scullers qualified automatically but he finished 13th. It had been represented to him that he had already been selected to participate at Poznan. Following a regatta in Munich where he claimed he was operating at only 90 per cent capacity due to illness, Jacob said he was told he would not be sent to the event in Poland.

He appealed that decision to both the International Rowing committee and the IARU, but those applications proved unsuccessful.

High Road take top two places 

CYCLING:The High Road team dominated the 146km 17th stage of the Giro d'Italia yesterday, taking the top two places in a sprint finish.

Germany's Andre Greipel crossed the line first in three hours 27 minutes five seconds with Britain's Mark Cavendish second in the same time.

Spain's Alberto Contador finished safely in the main peloton and retained the overall lead. Riccardo Ricco of Italy is second, 41 seconds adrift.

White free to play in final

RUGBY:Leicester prop Julian White is free to play in Saturday's English Premiership final against Wasps.

The English Rugby Football Union decided to suspend White for one week, but chose to enforce the ban from May 21st to 27th.

The former England frontrow was found guilty of stamping in the semi-final win over Gloucester at an RFU disciplinary hearing. White was free to play from yesterday.

Stamping usually carries a ban of between four to six weeks but Leicester acted swiftly to the incident, suspending White for seven days and fining him £5,000 (€6,330).

Fairyhouse event attracts world-class riders

HORSE TRIALS:Some of the world's leading event riders are competing in the four-day international starting today at the Tattersalls Ireland complex opposite Fairyhouse racecourse in Co Meath, writes Margie McLoone.

Two full days of dressage start this morning with competitors in the featured Horse Sport Ireland FEI World Cup qualifier appearing before their ground jury tomorrow. Among the overseas riders aiming for the €10,000 first prize in this three-star class are Britain's William Fox-Pitt, Pippa Funnell, Jeanette Brakewell, Zara Phillips, Polly Stockton and Lucy Wiegersma.

The Australian challenge was halved yesterday when the 2007 Badminton winner Headley Britannia (Ludinca Fredericks) was withdrawn. The rider's husband Clayton remains in the field, as does regular New Zealand visitor Andrew Nicholson.

Stuart Fitzgerald represents South Africa with Julian Stiller being the sole American contender.

Duarte Seabra, who competes for Portugal, is well known to eventing enthusiasts here as he is based at Carol Gee's Fernhill yard outside Kilkenny.

Sydney Olympian Patricia Ryan features among the Irish riders hoping to repel the raiders along with the likes of the Army Equitation School's Captain Geoff Curran, Niall Griffin, Joseph Murphy, Sacha Pemble and Louise Lyons.

The cross-country action is scheduled to start on Saturday and the event concludes with the show jumping phase on Sunday.