Finals in reach for Irish crews

Rowing: Ireland has four crews still in with a chance of reaching tomorrow's A finals after the first day of the World Cup regatta in Munich yesterday.

The lightweight men four of Richard Archibald, Eugene Coakley, Niall O'Toole and Paul Griffin won the heat to move directly into today's semi-finals.

Sam Lynch and Gearóid Towey, competing in the heavyweight men's double, lost out on an automatic qualification when they finished second to the USA in their heat. However, the Irish went on to qualify comfortably in the repêchage, this time finishing second to Germany.

The lightweight women's double scull of Heather Boyle and Sinéad Jennings had the satisfaction of winner their repêchage, beating France into second.

Single sculler Seán Casey was the only other qualifier from the rest of the Irish squad for today's elite semi-finals.

WORLD CUP (Munich, Germany): Women's Pair: 1 K Grainger/C Bishop (Gbr) 7:38.44, 2 C Davies/L Nelson (US 1) 7:40.73, 3 K Mackenzie/K Hammes (US 3) 7:42.37; Double scull: 1 S Winckless/E Laverick (Britain) 7:20.94, 2 E Sancassani/G Bascelli (Ita) 7:21.51, 3 P Yuenan/Y Jing (Chn 2) 7:27.32; Men's Pair: N Stojic/M Stegic (Ser) 6:56.00, 2 T Garbett/R Dunn (Gbr) 7:00.17, 3 R Kolander/M Prelog (Slo 2) 7:04.43; Lightweight Women's Single scull: 1 J Hammond (Gbr) 8:22.30, 2 M Rajle (Cro) 8:28.38, 3 N Ní Cheilleachair (Irl) 8:30.70; Double scull: 1 D Reimer/C Blasberg (Ger) 7:12.59, 2 H Casey/T Langlands (Gbr) 7:16.39, 3 S Sten/M Nieminen (Fin 1) 7:17.70; Men's Pair: 1 J & M Kuehner (Ger) 7:12.34, 2 B Webb/J Warnock (Gbr) 7:18.31, 3 P Sommeregger/C Engl (Aut) 7:22.12; Four: 1 Ireland 6:19.88, 2 China 6:22.51, 3 Denmark 6:23.83; Repêchages Open Men's Pair: 1 A Michalek/P Imre (Cze) 6:48.42, 2 T Garbett/R Dunn (Gbr) 6:48.54, 3 J Despres/J Dyrda (Fra) 6:54.37, 4 N Casey/D Holland (Irl 2) 6:54.97.