Neptune start as favourites

ROWING/Trinity Regata: They may be the world's best lightweight pair, but Gearóid Towey and Tony O'Connor have given themselves a heavy schedule in two different disciplines at tomorrow's Trinity regatta at Islandbridge.

The world champions compete in a coxless pair competition which will see them take on Commercial's experienced Fran O'Toole and Emmet O'Brien at 8.26 a.m. and compete four times in all if they are to come out victorious in the final at 6.10 p.m.

The other side of the draw features former world champion Niall O'Toole, who is set to team-up with James Lindsay-Fynn, and two other talented pairs in Neal and Owen Byrne and Mark Pollock and Brendan Smyth.

O'Connor and Towey are also key parts of Neptune's A eight, which would be strong favourites to take the senior men's eights title. UCD and Garda, two of their main rivals, meet in the quarter-finals, and if the draw plays out as expected the winners of this clash will meet Neptune A in the final.

Neptune's B crew, who face the winners of Garda and UCD in the semi-final face radical changes after the disappointing show at Neptune regatta.

Trinity's women's eight could have a particularly satisfying day: they have the chance to avenge their defeat to Neptune at Neptune's regatta in the regatta proper. As an added bonus the regatta hosts the Corcoran Cup, the women's colours race, where DULBC would be expected to beat UCD.