Ireland to host Fisa conference

ROWING:IRELAND HAS landed the Fisa World Coaches Conference for next year. The prestigious event will be held at the Strand Hotel in Limerick from November 2nd to 4th.

“We are very proud,” said Anthony Dooley, the president of Rowing Ireland yesterday. “It’s an Olympic year, and they will come from the four corners of the earth to discuss the sport,” he said.

The last time the conference was held in Ireland was in 1988, also in Limerick. This time the venue will overlook the river Shannon – and the course used for the interprovincial sprints last weekend.

Ireland’s performance at international level this year will be reviewed at a special meeting in Athlone on Sunday. Ireland’s high performance director, Martin McElroy, will make a presentation to the Rowing Ireland board.

The hopes of the young Ireland team of having a representation at London 2012 now depend on the Olympic Qualifiers in May in Lucerne.

A bid to broaden the sport’s appeal by creating provincial crews has won the backing of the Munster board of Rowing Ireland. “It is a good step forward,” said James Mangan of the University of Limerick, who has championed the idea. “It is about creating platforms. Once you create platforms you can build something on them.”

Back on the water, tomorrow’s Tullamore Time Trial has drawn a record entry of 115 crews. The first head on the canal will begin at 8.30, and there will be further starts at 10.30, 12.30 and 2.30.

Dave Neale of UCD, Ciarán Brady of Carlow and Rory O’Connor of Queen’s University (all originally Offaly Rowing Club men) should be the main contenders for the fastest single sculler on the day. On Sunday, the Cork Sculling Ladder time trial sees Andrew Hurley of Bantry and Karen Corcoran-O’Hare out to reprise their wins from last year.