#ROWING: Minister of State Michael Ring yesterday opened the top-class new rowing and canoeing facility at Lough Rinn in Leitrim. The adjustable 2,000 metre course, which can be used for sprint canoeing and rowing, is of top intenational standard. According to Leitrim Tourism the investment so far has been €900,000. The next phase, if it is funded, would bring the associated facilities up to the standard where international events could be held at the course.

Deane Public Works of Enniskillen worked on the course with Polaritas of Hungary, whose systems were used in London 2012 and will be in Rio 2016.

Lough Rinn is very accessible from the North, South and East of Ireland. It has a number of major advantages, including dependable water levels, a 1,000 metre area at one end of the course where crews can warm up and cool down, and a north-south orientation, which should mean the course would rarely be adversely affected by windy conditions.