Fisa have awarded the 2012 World Coaches Conference to Ireland. The conference will be held in the Strand Hotel in Limerick on 2nd-4^th November 2012. The hotel overlooks the course used for the recent interprovincial sprint event. The conference was previously held in Limerick in 1988.

Ulster and Munster tied for the top spot in the Limerick City of Sport Sprint Regatta on Saturday. Ulster stormed into an early lead, winning the first two events and being well placed in the next few races. They maintained their lead until the last few races when Munster overhauled them. Going into the last race Munster were two points ahead. Ulster won the race and tied up the match. As no tiebreak had been agreed in advance both teams shared first place with 70 points each. Leinster were third on 54 points and Connaught fourth with 43 points. 

 

 

County Leitrim has received a welcome boost with the announcement that a recent round of Government funding will enable the development of an international standard rowing facility on Lough Rinn, near Mohill in the south of the county.

 

The funding which was provided by the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport as part of an overall €6 million investment across four projects will enable Leitrim County Council in conjunction with Carrick on Shannon Rowing Club develop a 2,000 metre, six lane facility which will be capable of hosting national and international events as well as acting as a training base for international teams in advance of major competitions.

 

The development of the facility on Lough Rinn is already underway through Leitrim County Council and the facility will become available by April of next year. Once completed the Rowing Facility will be run under the supervision of the Carrick on Shannon Rowing club which is the oldest rowing club in Ireland its foundation dating back to 1836.

 

Commenting on the potential of the new rowing facility, Sinead McDermott, Leitrim Tourism said, “Today’s announcement really is a milestone for Leitrim, the development of this facility will not only raise the profile of Leitrim in a sporting sense but will also have a considerable impact on the local economy and tourism industry. By its very location, this new facility will be extremely accessible for rowing clubs and teams from Northern Ireland, Dublin and the UK.”

 

Anthony Dooley, President of Rowing Ireland echoed this view saying, ''Rowing Ireland believe that the development of Lough Rinn will be a major boost to the development of rowing in the region and will attract rowing people across all age groups and classes both within Ireland and from abroad, having a multi-lane course in such a beautiful and picturesque location will be major draw.”

 

Lough Rinn, a 162 hectares lake which is 3,000 meters in length is ideally suited as a rowing facility and the development project will see the creation of a six lane facility through the placement of pontoons alongside retractable rowing equipment. There will also be a number of spectator points developed with a walkway planned around the entire lake over the next number of years.

 

Outlining the impact the rowing facility will have on the sport, Tony Keane, President of Carrick on Shannon Rowing Club said, “We are thrilled with the awarding of the funding and with the development of the rowing facility. We already have strong links with Clubs across Ireland, Northern Ireland and England and would hope that this facility would enable us to host landmark rowing competitions which would not only increase interest in the sport but also provide a welcome boost to Leitrim.”

 

Rowers and spectators who visit Leitrim in the future will be well catered for with the four star Lough Rynn Castle Hotel on the shore of the Lake itself and the vibrant town of Carrick on Shannon less then fifteen minutes drive.

Ireland had two A Finalists at the World Rowing Championships in Bled in Slovenia this morning. The men’s lightweight quadruple scull of Niall Kenny, Michael Maher, Justin Ryan and Mark O’Donovan finished fourth, with Denmark pipping them for the bronze medal  The Adaptive coxed four were one place further back. Even in a much stronger event this year, Anne-Marie McDaid, Sarah Caffrey, Shane Ryan and Kevin du Toit and cox Helen Arbuthnot matched their performance of last year in placing fifth in the world in the Legs, Trunk and Arms mixed coxed four.

The programme for the day was brought forward because of forecast bad weather.

World Rowing Championships, Bled, Slovenia – Day Eight (Selected Results; Afloat)

Men

Four – A Final: 1 Britain 5:55.18, 2 Greece 5:57.20, 3 Australia 5:58.44.

Lightweight Eight – A Final: 1 Australia 5:44.57, 2 Italy 5:44.73, 3 Denmark 5:46.75.

Lightweight Quadruple Scull – A Final: 1 Italy 6:00.95, 2 Germany 6:01.08, 3 Denmark 6:02.81; 4 Ireland (N Kenny, M Maher, J Ryan, M O’Donovan) 6:03.84, 5 United States 6:09.40, 6 Hungary 6:20.07.

Lightweight Double Sculls – A Final: 1 Britain 6:18.67, 2 New Zealand 6:19.01, 3 Italy 6:21.33.

Women

Lightweight Double Sculls – A Final: 1 Greece 6:59.80, 2 Canada 7:03.46, 3 Britain 7:04.33.

Single Sculls – A Final: 1 Czech Republic (M Knapkova) 7:26.64, 2 Belarus (E Karsten) 7:28.68, 3 New Zealand (E Twigg) 7:30.68.

Adaptive

Legs, Trunk and Arms mixed coxed Four (1,000m) – A Final: 1 Britain 3:27.10, 2 Canada 3:31.84, 3 Germany 3:33.27; 4 France 3:37.17, 5 Ireland (A-M McDaid, S Caffrey, S Ryan, K du Toit; cox: H Arbuthnot) 3:38.13, 6 United States 3:38.16.

 

Ireland’s Siobhan McCrohan and Claire Lambe just pipped France in a photo finish for fifth in the C Final of the lightweight women’s double scull at the World Rowing Championships in Bled in Slovenia. The original results gave the two crews as joint fifth (17th overall), but the official verdict eventually gave fifth place to Ireland and sixth to France.

Sweden and Belarus were locked together in first and second for much of the race and finished in this order. Ireland, Poland, Spain and France were in the following group. Poland finished well to take third and Spain took fourth. Ireland and France crossed the line together in the same time of seven minutes 10.56 seconds. 

World Rowing Championships, Bled, Slovenia – Day Seven (Selected Results)

Men

Pair – A Final: 1 New Zealand 6:14.77, 2 Britain 6:16.27, 3 Italy 6:21.33.

Quadruple Sculls – A Final: 1 Australia 5:39.31, 2 Germany 5:39.56, 3 Croatia 5:42.82.

Single Sculls – A Final: 1 New Zealand (M Drysdale) 6:39.56, 2 Czech Republic (O Synek) 6:40.05, 3 Britain (A Campbell) 6:44.86.

Women

Four – A Final: 1 United States 6:30.30, 2 Australia 6:31.18, 3 Netherlands 6:34.06.

Lightweight Quadruple Scull – A Final: 1 Britain 6:28.14, 2 China 6:30.41, 3 United States 6:33.91.

Double Scull – A Final: 1 Britain 6:44.73, 2 Australia 6:45.98, 3 New Zealand 6:46.74. B Final (Places 7 to 12; first two boats qualify for Olympic Games 2012): 1 Germany 6:57.43, 2 China 6:58.41, 3 United States 6:59.83, 4 Finland 7:04.51, 5 Serbia 7:05.75, 6 Ireland (L Dilleen, S Puspure) 7:13.92.

Lightweight Double Scull – C Final (Places 13 to 18): 1 Sweden 7:03.67, 2 Belarus 7:05.20, 3 Poland 7:07.97, 4 Spain 7:08.53, 5= Ireland 7:10.56, France 7:10.56. 

Adaptive

Legs, Trunk and Arms Mixed coxed Four – A/B Semi-Final (First Three to A/B Semi-Final; rest to B Final): 1 Germany 3:30.78, 2 Ireland (A-M McDaid, S Caffrey, S Ryan, K du Toit; cox: H Arbuthnot) 3:32.63, 3 United States 3:32.98; 4 China 3:35.66, 5 Italy 3:41.51, 6 Russia 3:45.79.

Ireland’s Adaptive Coxed Four finished second in the A/B semi-final at the World Rowing Championships in Bled in Slovenia to qualify for tomorrow’s A Final – and guarantee a place at next year’s Paralympic Games in London.

The crew of Anne-Marie McDaid, Sarah Caffrey, Shane Ryan, Kevin du Toit and cox Helen Arbuthnot finished second to Germany. The United States finished third, and also qualified. China, Italy and Russia missed out.

World Rowing Championships, Bled, Slovenia – Day Seven (Selected Results) 

Adaptive – Legs, Trunk and Arms Mixed coxed Four – A/B Semi-Final (First Three to A/B Semi-Final; rest to B Final): 1 Germany 3:30.78, 2 Ireland (A-M McDaid, S Caffrey, S Ryan, K du Toit; cox: H Arbuthnot) 3:32.63, 3 United States 3:32.98; 4 China 3:35.66, 5 Italy 3:41.51, 6 Russia 3:45.79.

Ireland won two races in the second half of the programme at the World Rowing Championships in Bled in Slovenia today. Sarah Dolan had an outstanding second 1,000 metres to win the C Final of the lightweight single sculls. The Trinity student was over five seconds down on Phuttaraska Nikree of Thailand at half way but she overhauled her and won the race from Carla Mendes of Portugal by over five seconds. Dolan thus finished 13th in her first appearance at this level.

In a much closer C/D semi-final of the lightweight double sculls, Siobhan McCrohan and Claire Lambe had to hold off a sprint finish by France to take the race. Spain finished third and took the final qualification place for the C Final (places 13 to 18).

World Rowing Championships, Bled, Slovenia – Day Six (Selected Results)

Men

Lightweight Men’s Four – A Final: 1 Australia 5:55.10, 2 Italy 5:56.33, 3 Britain (R Chambers, C Bartley, P Mattick, R Williams)  5:57.33.

Double Scull – A Final: 1 New Zealand 6:10.76, 2 Germany 6:10.82, 3 France 6:14.31.

Single Scull – A/B Semi-Final One (First Three to A Final): 1 Britain (A Campbell) 6:50.00, 2 Czech Republic 6:53.04, 3 Germany 6:56.40.

Lightweight Single Scull – A Final: 1 Denmark 6:54.73, 2 Italy 7:01.54, 3 New Zealand 7:03.30.

Women

Eight – A Final: 1 United States 6:03.65, 2 Canada 6:04.39, 3 Britain 6:06.03.

Double Scull – A/B Semi-Final (First Three to A Final; Rest to B Final): 1 Britain (A Watkins, K Grainger) 6:59.72, 2 New Zealand (F Patterson, A Reymer) 7:01.52, 3 Czech Republic (L Antosova, J Antosova) 7:03.69; 4 Serbia 7:06.45, 5 China 7:07.97, 6 Ireland (L Dilleen, S Puspure) 7:25.28.

Lightweight Double Scull – C/D Semi-Final (First Three to C Final; rest to D Final) 1 Ireland (S McCrohan, C Lambe) 7:18.72, 2 France 7:18.91, 3 Spain 7:20.18; 4 Austria 7:21.99, 5 Korea 7:37.88, 6 Czech Republic 7:44.79.

Lightweight Single Scull – A Final: 1 Brazil 7:44.58, 2 Switzerland 7:48.24, 3 Germany 7:50.44. C Final (places 13 to 17): 1 Ireland (S Dolan) 8:22.91, 2 Portugal 8:27.96, 3 Thailand 8:28.22, 4 Sweden 8:33.50, 5 El Salvador 8:39.24.

Ireland’s Lisa Dilleen and Sanita Puspure finished sixth in their semi-final of the women’s double scull at the World Rowing Championships in Bled in Slovenia. They go into tomorrow’s B Final where they can book a place for the boat at the London Olympics by finishing in the top two.

In today’s semi-final, Britain’s Anna Watkins and Katherine Grainger  had their expected win, with New Zealand and the Czech Republic taking the other A Final places. Ireland were in touch at half way but as Serbia, who finished fourth, pushed up on the leading group, Ireland faded back.

World Rowing Championships, Bled, Slovenia – Day Six (Selected Results)

Women

Double Scull – A/B Semi-Final (First Three to A Final; Rest to B Final): 1 Britain (A Watkins, K Grainger) 6:59.72, 2 New Zealand (F Patterson, A Reymer) 7:01.52, 3 Czech Republic (L Antosova, J Antosova) 7:03.69; 4 Serbia 7:06.45, 5 China 7:07.97, 6 Ireland (L Dilleen, S Puspure) 7:25.28.

Coleraine man Peter Chambers struck gold at the World Rowing Championships in Bled in Slovenia today. Chambers, who rowed at junior level for Ireland, teamed up with Kieren Emery to win the lightweight junior pair for Britain. Italy were second and Germany third.

On the first day of finals, Germany won the men’s eight with an outstanding row. New Zealand pipped Britain in the women’s pair and Germany won the women’s quadruple title.

World Rowing Championships – Day Five (Selected Results)

Men

Eight – A Final: 1 Germany 5:28.81, 2 Britain 5:30.83, 3 Canada 5:31.18.

Lightweight Pair – A Final: 1 Britain (P Chambers, K Emery) 6:27.59, 2 Italy 6:29.07, 3 Germany 6:29.19.

Women

Pair -  A Final: 1 New Zealand 6:58.16, 2 Britain 6:58.24, 3 Australia 7:03.98.

Quadruple – A Final: 1 Germany 6:18.37, 2 United States 6:19.90, 3 New Zealand 6:23.33.

Ireland’s Siobhan McCrohan and Claire Lambe finished third in their repechage of the lightweight women’s double scull at the World Rowing Championships in Bled in Slovenia today, missing out on a place in the A/B semi-finals by one place. Australia won the race and Belgium held off Ireland’s challenge for the second qualification place.

The Ireland crew will compete in the C/D semi-finals. Their aim of reaching the top eight, and qualifying the boat for the Olympic Games at this event, has now gone as the best position they can now record is 13th.

Ireland’s Sarah Dolan won her C/D Semi-Final by 8.5 seconds to qualify for the C Final (places 13 to 17) of the lightweight single scull. Carla Mendes of Portugal also qualified, but Slovakia’s Barbora Sagova missed out in the three-boat race.

World Rowing Championships, Bled, Slovenia – Day Four (Irish interest)

Men

Lightweight Quadruple Scull – Repechage (First Four to A Final; rest to B Final): 1 Ireland (N Kenny, M Maher, J Ryan, M O’Donovan) 5:59.00, 2 Denmark 6:01.10, 3 United States 6:02.14, 4 Hungary 6:09.47; 5 Armenia 6:49.97.

Women

Lightweight Double Scull – Repechage Three (First Two to A/B Semi-Finals; rest to C/D Semi-Finals): 1 Australia (A McNamara, H Every-Hall) 7:06.17, 2 Belgium (J Hammond, E Geentjens) 7:10.37; 3 Ireland (S McCrohan, C Lambe) 7:14.62, 4 Belarus 7:14.97, 5 France 7:19.04.

Lightweight Single Scull – C/D Semi-Finals (First Two to C Final; rest to D Final): Ireland (S Dolan) 8:07.38, 2 Portugal 8:15.88; 3 Slovakia 8:22.14.