Irish crews face some serious opposition in Germany

ROWING WEEKEND REGATTAS:FOUR IRELAND crews slip into the fast lane this weekend when they compete at the Huegelregatta in Essen, Germany.

It will be the first chance for the new management team to see Ireland’s senior oarsmen up against top international opposition.

A good indication of the steep climb facing some of the athletes comes in the lightweight single scull, where Dave Heffernan, who is inexperienced at this level, is set to face Vasileios Polymeros and Mads Rasmusenn, both of whom are medallists at Olympic and World Championship level.

Seán Casey, who competes in the single scull, has similarly tough opposition in Iztok Cop and Luka Spik. The big Kerryman has Olympic experience, albeit in the heavyweight four, which finished 10th in Beijing.

Cormac Folan, who was also part of that crew, teams up with Martin Walsh in the heavyweight pair, while Rory O’Connor and Ali Floyd are entered in the lightweight double scull. Floyd, a student at Trinity College, is English, but his mother is Irish and he has an Irish passport.

Ireland’s performance director, Martin McElroy, said a decision on Ireland’s World Cup campaign – if there is to be one – will be made once this weekend’s regatta is assessed. There will not be a team for the first World Cup in Spain in two weeks, although adaptive athletes may be sent.

McElroy is planning without Sinead Jennings this season, at least in competition. “At the moment she is going to sit this season out,” he said yesterday.

Back in Ireland, one of the big events of the year, the Cork regatta, will bring plenty of action to all six lanes of the National Rowing Centre tomorrow. The organisers are very pleased with their entry of over 355 crews. The novice and intermediate single sculls have ballooned in size in recent years, and this is reflected in the entry.

Commercial, fresh from a strong showing at Ghent, bring their entire senior and intermediate group to the venue, which they recently used for training.

Their senior eight, which has been strengthened by the addition of former Trinity oarsman Seán Osborne, won on the first day in Belgium and finished third on the second. Tomorrow they are set to take on Galway, NUIG, St Michael’s and a local combination of Shandon and UCC.

Commercial’s strong under-23 prospect Michael Maher goes in the double scull and in the senior single, where he will be up against serious opposition, including Peter Hanily and Dave Mannion. Mick Desmond, the Commercial coach, says he is intent on sending Maher to the Amsterdam regatta, even if the club has to cover the cost.

Portora’s regatta in Enniskillen draws a strong junior entry, mostly from Northern Ireland, but with representatives from Neptune, Athlone and Coláiste Iognáid.