Irish crews progress to the semi-finals

Rowing/World Championships: The three Ireland crews in action yesterday negotiated their way through the repechages at the World Championships in Gifu, Japan, to ensure all five crews entered reached the semi-finals.

The performance of the Ireland lightweight pair of Richard Coakley (22) and Siaghal Mac Colgain (23) was particularly heartening.

The crew had been formed in the wake of an injury to Siaghal's elder brother Diarmaid earlier this month, and coach Harald Jahrling took the pressure off them prior to yesterday's racing by pointing out they were primarily in Japan as reserves. "I don't expect them to perform any miracles," he said.

The two young men were not content to just make up numbers, however, and they secured a semi-final place by holding off a late push by Germany to secure third in their repechage behind the Netherlands and Australia.

"The best we could have hoped for is the result we got today," said Ireland team manager Mick O'Callaghan.

The men's four also put Germany behind them in their repechage, as they finished second behind New Zealand, who had taken over from the fast-starting Irish and then held them off to win. All three crews go forward.

Niamh Ní Cheilleachair also had to settle for second in her repechage, behind the experienced Austrian, Michaela Taupe. Ní Cheilleachair (24) raced hard to try to head the Austrian, but had to settle for the second qualification spot.

Ireland's hottest tips for a medal in Gifu, the lightweight four, will have every intention of continuing the trend of leaving the Germans in their wake when they compete in the semi-finals tomorrow.

Germany's Bastian Seibt, Stefan Mlecko, Matthias Veit and Axel Schuster pipped Ireland for the silver medal at the World Cup regatta in Munich, something of a sore spot for Ireland's ambitious crew, who looked entirely in command when they left the Germans in their wake in the A Final of the World Cup in Lucerne.

Both crews should advance, with two of the other big hitters, France and Italy, competing in the other semi-final.

MEN

Four: Repechage One (Three to Semi-Final A/B): 1 New Zealand 5:48.46, 2 Ireland (C Folan, S Jacob, S Casey, A Martin) 5:49.78, 3 Germany 5:50.22, 4 Slovenia 5:51.49, 5 Korea 6:08.22.

Lightweight Pair - Repechage (Three to Semi-Final A/B): 1 Netherlands 6:26.61, 2 Australia 6:28.00, 3 Ireland (S Mac Colgain, R Coakley) 6:28.60, 4 Germany 6:29.29, 5 Japan 6:34.75.

WOMEN

Lightweight Single Scull - Repechage Two (First Two to Semi-Final A/B): 1 Austria (M Taupe) 7:29.23, 2 Ireland (N Ni Cheilleachair) 7:30.31, 3 Italy 7:38.88, 4 El Salvador 7:42.80, 5 Finland 7:46.32, 6 Indonesia 7:47.43.