Newry hosts Olympic hopefuls

ROWING:THE FIRST stage in fashioning a rowing team which will represent Ireland in Olympic year begins in Newry tomorrow. One hundred and eighty seven rowers, most of them young hopefuls, have entered the national assessment event, which consists of an ergometer (rowing machine) test tomorrow and a time trial on Sunday for those who reach the required standard.

The standout name among the entries is Sinéad Jennings (35), but the world champion of 2001 said yesterday she will not be able to take part this weekend as she has cellulitis in her hand. The trials process for seniors continues with an assessment in February and the national trial in April, and Jennings hopes she may still be able to take part. The Donegal woman had stepped away from the international side of the sport in the past two seasons. An attempt to reach the Olympics as a cyclist came a cropper at the World Cup in Kazakhstan earlier this month.

The women’s entry at senior level – even in the absence of Jennings – looks stronger than the men’s. Claire Lambe, Siobhán McCrohan and Sinéad Dolan lead the lightweight charge. Among the heavyweight rowers, Sanita Puspure, Lisa Dilleen and Eimear Moran are joined by Alice O’Sullivan and Helen Walshe.

Monika Dukarska and world junior silver medallist Holly Nixon lead the young pretenders.

It is possible Ireland will form two women’s crews for the Olympic qualifiers in May in Lucerne. There are also hopes of forming a lightweight men’s crew for the qualifiers, and the proven group of under-23 lightweight men of recent years will compete this weekend. There is a small group of senior heavyweight men.

The cut-off point of six minutes 10 seconds on the ergometer may be beaten by a number of athletes, but there is concern as to whether Ireland will have competitive crews this season.

The highlight of the 2011 season for Irish rowing was the World Junior Championships in Eton, where Nixon took her silver medal. Paul O’Donovan of Skibbereen was fourth in Eton and he will compete this weekend with hopes of starting the process that will see him moving up at least one place in the world rankings – and medalling – in his final year as a junior. Chris Black and Joel Cassells of Bann, who won two gold medals as a pair at the Coupe de la Jeunesse, will also hope to represent Ireland this season at the top level.

UCD’s wonderful season, in which they won the men’s and women’s senior eights championships of Ireland, will be celebrated at the Old Collegians Boat Club annual dinner tonight in Dublin.

The surviving members of the famous 1973 winning men’s eight are set to attend the event, which also marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of Old Collegians.