Season may end on a high note

With little over a week to go to the World Championships in St Catharines, Canada, a calm has descended over Irish rowing - hopefully the prelude to a storm of medal-winning performances in the championships, which start on Sunday week and finish a week later.

The season has ended for most Irish rowers: it was a season where the three big events planned to mark the centenary of the Irish Amateur Rowing Union - the national championships, the Home Internationals and the Coupe de la Jeunesse - were successful and generally blessed with excellent weather.

The controversy which blew up in recent weeks over the non-selection of coach Mick Desmond for Canada will provide one of the talking points in official and unofficial reviews of the season. But views on the personalities involved may give way in time to a closer look at the structures in a sport which is changing quickly, with many athletes effectively paid professionals. It is worth pondering that three (unpaid) coaches started this year with Irish squads - John Holland, Barry Currivan and Desmond - and none were with the team for Canada, despite hard work during the year and a body of success to point to.

The Northern Irish team showed the way last weekend to the Irish team both for the World Championships and - whatever the eventual formation - the Irish Olympic squad. Northern Ireland won two silver medals (men's and women's lightweight doubles) and two bronze (men's lightweight single, women's lightweight quad) in the Commonwealth Rowing Championships in London, Ontario. John Armstrong (37) was on both men's teams.