Competition heats up for Beijing

ROWING: The pace of competition for places in the Ireland rowing team in the run-up to Beijing 2008 hots up in the coming weeks.

Tomorrow's five regional time trials feature the international athletes from last season competing for the first time, and on Sunday invitees to the international camp in Cyprus head off for three weeks.

Because of college commitments, Gearóid Towey will not head out until next weekend.

A week after the group returns, on December 2nd, Ireland coach Harald Jahrling will announce an Olympic squad, which will be divided into A and B groups. The occasion will also give a chance to show off the expanded National Rowing Centre at Inniscarra in Cork.

The A squad is expected to be the group of 10 athletes who formed the men's heavyweight and lightweight fours and the lightweight women's double at the World Championships at Eton and showed themselves to be world class.

The B squad, which should also consist of 10 or so athletes, according to team manager Mick O'Callaghan, is where the places will be up for grabs. December 2nd and 3rd will also see the first national time trial at Inniscarra, and as O'Callaghan puts it, this "could be important enough for the people in the B group".

The first day of the trial, December 2nd, clashes directly with the Muckross Head of the River at the same venue. Maurice Coffey, the Kerry club's captain, admitted yesterday there was "surprise" when they were told of the new plans, but the club will now run the head after the national trial. "We are quite happy that the two events are running side by side. It is a great opportunity for young members of our club and other clubs to see Olympic-class oarsmen up close," Coffey said.

Jahrling headed out to Cyprus yesterday. He will be the "Coach in the Spotlight" at the 2006 World Coaching Conference in Limassol over the weekend.

Interestingly, among the priorities the German has set for the Ireland team this year is the new event of the European Championships, which will be staged in the previously free month of September.

One of the sport's biggest names made a surprise visit last weekend. World single sculling champion Mahe Drysdale competed in the NUIG Head of the River in Galway last Saturday, subbing into the Tyrian/University of London eight. It was Drysdale's first visit to Ireland, and he enjoyed the event. "It is a beautiful stretch of river and the conditions were pretty good." He also sampled the Galway hospitality afterwards. "The Guinness definitely tastes better here," said the lanky New Zealander.

On a more sober note, those who wish to brush up on the technical aspects of rowing get their chance tonight at a rules seminar in Neptune Rowing Club at 8pm.