Paul O’Donovan and Fintan McCarthy have to settle for silver on competitive return in Lucerne

The last time Paul O’Donovan and Fintan McCarthy lost a major regatta in the lightweight double sculls the world hadn’t yet heard of Covid-19. That was at the World Cup in Lucerne, in 2019, after which they were unbeatable on the water across Olympic, World and European level.

Back in Lucerne this weekend for the final World Cup regatta of the season, their first time racing together in 2023 after O’Donovan completed his medical studies, they were beaten again, this time settling for silver by the narrowest of margins, edged out in a frantic sprint for the line by the French crew.

The Skibbereen pair won’t be too bothered, given that lack of time in the boat together this season. Still the French crew have laid down a marker ahead of next summer’s Paris Olympics, their home Games, the crew of Hugo Beurey and Ferdinand Ludwig winning by 0.09 of a second.

As is their style, O’Donovan and McCarthy pressed hard going into the last 500m, edging in front and perhaps easing up too soon, allowing the French to strike back, winning in 6:17.88 to 6:17.97, with the Swiss double of Raphael Ahumada Ireland and Jan Schaeuble, racing at their home venue, third in 6:22.00, having won the first two World Rowing Cups.

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“We didn’t know where we were at the finish,” Ludwig said of the French performance. “A hard race, after a difficult start of the season, it’s just amazing. Beating the Irish, the Swiss here, it’s just unbelievable. We’re at a loss for words.”

McCarthy had partnered with Hugh Moore for the European Rowing Championships in Slovenia back in May, finishing sixth. The last time the Olympic gold medal winning double rowed together was at last year’s World Championships, and defending that title is their next target, those championships, set for Belgrade in September, the first chance to qualify for Paris.

Irish interest on Sunday concluded with another excellent performance by Philip Doyle and Daire Lynch in the men’s pair, who came through in the last 500m to snatch the bronze medal ahead of Romania. For Doyle, like O’Donovan a qualified medal doctor, another Olympic qualification beckons along with Lynch, who timed their effort perfectly, the Dutch crew striking gold ahead of Croatia.

Earlier, in the women’s lightweight double, Margaret Cremen and Aoife Casey finished fifth in their final, coming home in 7:02.07, victory there going to the British crew in 6:54.57.

On Saturday, Siobhán McCrohan won the silver medal in the lightweight women’s single scull, racing brilliantly all weekend and nailing second behind Sophia Luwis of the USA, just over four seconds down.

In the women’s pair, Natalie Long and Tara Hanlon finished sixth in their final, victory there going to Australia, as did the women’s four of Imogen Magner, Eimear Lambe, Aifric Keogh and Fiona Murtagh, who briefly moved up to fifth inside the last 500, before setting for sixth, Romania once again dominant there. Earlier, Nathan Timoney and Ross Corrigan also finished in sixth place in the A Final of the men’s heavyweight pair.