Essen regatta to offer timely clues

ROWING:At last, some international action. The three Irish crews chosen in the first national trial seven weeks ago get a cut at some competition from outside the country at the Hügelregatta in Essen, Germany, this weekend.

The regatta is primarily a chance to "add a bit of spice" to the build-up to the three World Cup regattas and the World Championships, according to Ireland coach Harald Jahrling, with little stress on finishing positions on the Saturday and Sunday.

The lightweight four, heavyweight four and single sculler Seán Jacob have competed primarily against each other so far in preparation, whereas the unfamiliarity of the opposition tomorrow and Sunday will create a sense of what it is like to really race.

The form of the lightweight four, Ireland's premier crew in recent years, has been the source of some speculation. There were suggestions the unit, in which Richard Coakley has replaced Gearóid Towey, had been struggling in training.

"They started very rusty," conceded Jahrling recently, "as they did in 2005 and 2006."

In those two years the crew went on to take silver and bronze at the World Championships.

This weekend the lightweight four face a number of German and Polish formations, and it will be a surprise if they do not excel. There will be heats and finals on both days on the novel eight-lane course.

The Denmark lightweight four, who took gold at Athens in what seemed the last hurrah of a great team, have been rebuilt around Eskild Ebbesen, albeit without the stalwart Thomas Ebbert. They have opted to race at heavyweight, and the effort of Ireland's heavyweight four against them may tell Jahrling much, given he should know the relative form of his own two fours.

Germany and Egypt also have entrants in this class, along with a Cambridge crew that includes Dan O'Shaughnessy, a Canadian member of the eight that won the Boat Race.

Marcel Hacker, the former world champion who came agonisingly close to regaining his title last year, is one of Jacob's opponents in a classy field. Slovenians Iztok Cop and Luka Spike and Dirk Lippits of the Netherlands should give the Dubliner a good idea of how he stands in what is one of the most difficult of Olympic-class events.

Back in Ireland, tomorrow's Portora regatta is an event for upcoming talent. Commercial and Coleraine take on the hosts in the final of the junior eight.

Drogheda Rowing Club have an open day tomorrow aimed at attracting people back to the sport: "The whole idea is to put boats out on the water and to let people see it," says secretary Gerry Farrell.

Munster rugby coach Declan Kidney presented the prizes for the Cork Sculling Ladder on Wednesday. Daniel Murphy of Cork BC won the men's open and Sandra Wall of Clonmel RC the women's open. Both also won the intermediate prizes.