#ROWING: Lisa Dilleen and Leonora Kennedy qualified directly for the A/B semi-finals at the World Cup Rowing regatta in Aiguebelette in France this morning. The Ireland crew, which had finished fourth at the European Championships, knew a place in the top three of their heat would be enough to see them through without the need for a repechage. They were in the top three, with Canada and United States Two through the key parts of the race, but it was Canada which finished best to win narrowly from United States Two.
World Cup Regatta, Aiguebelette, France, Day One (Selected Results, Irish interest)
Men
Lightweight Single Sculls – Heats (Time Trials; First Two Directly Through to A/B Semi-Finals; rest to Repechage) – Heat One: 1 China (Tiexin Wang) 7:02.36, 2 France (D Piqueras) 7:07.64; 5 Ireland Two (M O’Donovan) 7:20.78
Heat Three: 1 Ireland One (P O’Donovan) 7:11.34, 2 Britain (Z Lee-Green) 7:15.60.
Women
Pair – Heat Two (First Three to A/B Semi-Finals; rest to Repechage): 1 Canada (N Mastracci, S Grainger) 7:13.29, 2 United States Two (G Luczak, C Lind) 7:13.87, 3 Ireland (L Kennedy, L Dilleen) 7:18.15; 4 Germany Two 7:32.77, 5 China Two 7:37.06.
Pararowing – Arms and Shoulders Men’s Single Sculls – Heat Two (First to A Final; rest to Repechage): 5 Ireland (T Kelly)