Irish crews had a good first day at the Fisa World Coastal Rowing Championships in Bari in Italy. John Keohane, who is defending his crown in the men’s single, qualified through the heats for tomorrow’s A Final, as did Monika Dukarska and Sheila Clavin in the women’s single. The men’s coxed quadruple from Kilmacsimon saw their hopes disappear in an instant when their bowman broke an oar in their heat. They came home down the field with just three men rowing, but went on to win their C Final last evening.

Fisa World Coastal Rowing Championships, Bari, Italy Day One

Men

Quadruple, coxed – Heat Two (1-8 to A Final; 9-16 to B Final; rest to C Final): 1 Bayer Leverkusen, Germany 20:55.60; 18 Kilmacsimon (S Bennett, S O’Neill, K O’Dwyer, E O’Neill; K O’Leany) 27:56.60.  C Final: 1 Kilmacsimon 26:03.50.

Double – Heat Two (1-6 to A Final, 7-12 to B Final; 13-18 to C Final; rest to D Final): 1 Elpis Genova, Italy 21:45.80; 14 Kilmacsimon (D O’Donovan, R Farrissey) 30:48.00. C Final: 6 Kilmacsimon 31:30.70.

Single – Heats (1-8 To A Final; 9-16 to B Final; rest to C Final) – Heat One: 1 Trieste, Italy (S Martini); 11 Arklow (E Kavanagh). Heat Two: 1 Cus Pavia, Italy 24:34.90; 6 Kilmacsimon (J Keohane) 25:24.60.

Women

Double – Heats (1-6 to A Final; rest to B Final) – Heat One: 1 Aviron Hennebont, France 26:23.50; 8 Arklow (D Maghery, Y Jordan) 34:04.30. Heat Two: 1 Aviron Grenoblois, France 26:47.10; 8 Kilmacsimon (H O’Neill, L O’Neill) 38:15.20.

Single – Heats (1-6 to A Final; rest to B Final) – Heat One: 1 Murcarolo, Italy 30:20.60; 3 St Michael’s (S Clavin) 33:12.50, 8 Arklow (J Ni Ghormain) 39:02.00. Heat Two: 1 Societe Nautique D’Avignon 29:19.90, 2 Killorglin (M Dukarska) 30:38.90; 8 Arklow (J Lee) 42.01.80.