Fiona Murtagh qualifies for single sculls A final at World Rowing Championships

Fiona Murtagh has qualified for the A final of the women’s single sculls at the World Rowing Championships in the Netherlands, while Fintan McCarthy could only manage fourth in the men’s single sculls semi-final, leaving him to contest the B final.

Reigning World Champions Murtagh sat in third for much of her semi-final race, Serbia’s Jovana Arsic holding the lead with Aurelia-Maxima Janzen of Switzerland in second. The Galway woman closed in on Janzen, moving up to second at the 1,400m mark.

Pushing to the finish, Murtagh passed Arsic in the closing 50m, with her time of 7:24.68 sending her through to Sunday’s A final (12.52pm Irish time) as the third-fastest qualifier.

In the men’s single sculls, McCarthy finished fourth in the first semi-final, clocking 6:55.45. Outside the top-three finish required to qualify for the A final, McCarthy will instead race in the B final on Sunday (12.20pm).

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Earlier, Claire Feerick, Aisling Hayes, Emma Waters and Emma Fagan won the B final of the women’s four, finishing in 6:26.34, over two seconds clear of the New Zealand boat in second.

And in the women’s quadruple sculls B final, Isobel Clements, Sophia Young, Alison Bergin and Emily Hegarty finished third in 6:18.56. Switzerland took the win in 6:13.73, with France second in 6:15.22.

Konan Pazzaia and Mags Cremen are in action in the mixed doubles sculls shortly (3.07pm). The three heats will be conducted using the time trial system after organisers determined “weather conditions may create unfair racing conditions”.