Jennings may return to Ireland

ROWING: Sinead Jennings' Scotland-based coach, tasked with building towards an Olympic medal for the world champion at his Edinburgh base, has hinted that he may move the operation, perhaps to Ireland.

Hamish Burrell, who guided Jennings to gold in the lightweight single scull at the world championships in Lucerne last year, reported that the efforts to create an Olympic class lightweight double have been going well.

Fiola Foley and Heather Boyle have joined Jennings in Edinburgh, and while there was a "big gap initially" to Jennings' standard, both athletes are closing it.

"By April there is a good chance there will be a double," Burrell says.

However, a problem as arisen in that the canal on which they train is now being opened up to barges, and this may make training unfeasible. This leaves open the possibility of moving the whole operation to Strathclyde, or to Ireland.

The Irish Amateur Rowing Union is looking for a chief coach, but Burrell says he wants primarily to work with a small number of athletes towards the aid of Olympic gold and has no ambition to be in charge of the bigger picture.

With interviews for the chief coach position due in the next few weeks, there are interesting times ahead for the rowing union.