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Displaying items by tag: Olympic Qualifier

#Rowing: Sanita Puspure qualified a third Ireland boat for the Olympic Games today. The 34-year-old single sculler took the second of four Rio places at the Olympic Qualification Regatta in Lucerne. Emma Twigg had her expected win in the event, and Puspure held fifth through 500 metres and half way. However, by the three-quarter mark the Ireland sculler was third behind Twigg and Fie Udby Erichsen, and she moved into second by the finish. Ekaterina Karsten took the third qualification place and Erichsen the final one.

Olympic Qualification Regatta, Lucerne, Switzerland (Irish interest; selected results)

Women

Single Sculls – Final (First Four Qualify for Olympic Games): 1 New Zealand (E Twigg) 7:21.87, 2 Ireland (S Puspure) 7:24.76, 3 Belarus (E Karsten) 7:25.94, 4 Denmark (F Erichsen)  7:26.47; 5 Ukraine 7:28.61, 6 Latvia 7:43.84.

Published in Rowing

#Rowing: Sanita Puspure has qualified for the final of the Olympic Qualification Regatta in Lucerne, Switzerland. The Ireland single sculler finished second in the semi-final behind Emma Twigg of New Zealand, with Elza Gulbe of Latvia taking the third qualification place. Twigg and Puspure were clear in the first and second places from early on, with Gulbe making third her own in the second half, well clear of the other three contenders, from Russia, Spain and Norway.

 Denmark’s Fie-Udby Erichsen of Denmark won the second semi-final, with Ekaterina Karsten of Belarus and Nataliya Dovgodko of Ukraine taking the other final places.

 The first four scullers in tomorrow’s final will book their places at the Olympic Games.  

Olympic Qualification Regatta, Lucerne, Switzerland (Irish interest; selected results)

Women

Single Sculls – Semi-Finals (Three to A Final) – Semi-Final One: 1 New Zealand (E Twigg) 7:36.75, 2 Ireland (S Puspure) 7:40.46, 3 Latvia (E Gulbe) 7:46.69. Semi-Final Two: 1 Denmark (F Erichsen) 7:37.09, 2 Belarus (E Karsten) 7:41.89, 3 Ukraine (N Dovgodko) 7:42.18

Published in Rowing

#Rowing: Sanita Puspure won her heat at the Olympic Qualification Regatta in Lucerne this morning and qualified directly for the semi-finals. Three places were available, but the Ireland single sculler took the lead early, and never relinquished it, though under pressure from double Olympic champion Ekaterina Karsten, who finished second. Nataliya Dovgodko of the Ukraine took third.

There is one extra place available for women’s single scullers at the qualifier as an invitation place set aside for delegations from small countries has not been taken up. Four will now qualify.   

Olympic Qualification Regatta, Lucerne, Switzerland (Irish interest; selected results) – Day One:  

Women

Single Sculls – Heat One (First Three to A/B Semi-Final; rest to Repechage): 1 Ireland (S Puspure) 7:38.55, 2 Belarus (E Karsten) 7:40.08, 3 Ukraine (N Dovgodko) 7:48.35; 4 Serbia 8:01.63, 5 Italy 8:03.08.

Heat Two: 1 Denmark (F Erichsen) 7:35.43, 2 Latvia (E Gulbe) 7:41.72, 3 Germany (J Richter) 7:42.23.

Heat Three: 1 New Zealand (E Twigg) 7:31.10, 2 Britain (M Hodgkins-Byrne) 7:39.01, 3 Russia (J Levina) 7:42.64.  

 

Published in Rowing

#Canoeing: Jenny Egan finished seventh in her K1 200m final at the canoe sprint European Olympic Qualifier in Duisburg in Germany today. Germany and Sweden secured the top two spots, and with them places at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Egan was in the middle of the group from third to ninth who were covered by less than a second. The Irishwoman was competing in her second final of the day.

Tom Brennan finished ninth in his final of the K1 200, with the top two of  Spain and Hungary qualifying for Rio de Janeiro.

Canoe Sprint European Olympic Qualifier, Duisburg, Germany (Selected Results, Irish interest)

Men

K1 1,000 – Final: 1 Hungary (B Dombvári) 3 min 35.307, 2 Russia (R Anoshkin) 3:35.695; 4 M Fitzsimon 3:38.727.

K1 200 – Final: 1 Spain (S Craviotto) 34.615, 2 Hungary (Be Horváth) 35.077; 9 T Brennan 36.773.

Women

K1 500 – Final: 1 Germany (S Hering) 1 min 55.378, 2 Slovakia (M Kohlová) 1:55.677; 8 J Egan 2:00.270.

K1 200 – Final: 1 Germany (S Volz) 41.470, 2 Sweden (L Stensils) 41.509; 7 J Egan 42.874.  

Paracanoe World Championships, Duisburg

Men - KL3 200 – B Final (Places 10-18): 1 P O’Leary 42.882 seconds.

Published in Canoeing

#Canoeing: Jenny Egan finished eighth in the final of the K1 500 at the canoe sprint European Olympic Qualifier at Duisburg this morning, outside the places which would have qualified her for a place at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in this class. She has also qualified for the K1 200 final, which takes place later in the day.

Canoe Sprint European Olympic Qualifier, Duisburg, Germany (Selected Results, Irish interest)

Women

K1 500 – Final: 1 Germany (S Hering) 1 min 55.378, 2 Slovakia (M Kohlová) 1:55.677; 8 J Egan 2:00.270.

Published in Canoeing

#Canoeing: Ireland brought their tally of finals reached to four at the canoe sprint European Olympic Qualifier in Duisburg today. Jenny Egan made her way to a second final – the K1 200 – and Tom Brennan for the men’s equivalent in the afternoon session. They will qualify for Rio if they finish in the top two in their finals. 

Canoe Sprint European Olympic Qualifier, Duisburg, Germany (Selected Results, Irish interest)

Men

K1 1,000 – Heat One (Winner to A Final; 2-7 to semi-final; rest out): 4 M Fitzsimon 3:31.693. Semi-Final: 1 Fitzsimon 3:31.453.

K1 200 – Heat Two (Winner to Final; 2-7 to semi-final; rest out): 4 T Brennan 35.85. Semi-Final (Three to Final; rest out): 3 Brennan 35.938.

K2 200 – Heat One (First Three to A Final; 4-7 to semi-final): 6 T Brennan, B Watkins 34.350. Semi-Final (First Three to A Final; rest out): 5 Brennan, Watkins 34.249.

Women

K1 500 – Heat One (Three to Final; 4-7 to Semi-Final): 5 J Egan 1:55.428. Semi-Final (Three to A Final): 3 Egan 1:52.823.

K1 200 – Heat One (Three to Final; 4-7 to Semi-Final): 3 J Egan 41.515.

Paracanoe World Championships, Duisburg

Men - KL3 200- Heat Four (First Seven to Semi-Final): 2 P O’Leary 42.061. Semi-Final One (First Two and next best time to A Final; 3rd, 4th to B Final): 3 O’Leary 41.722.

 

Published in Canoeing

#Canoeing: Jenny Egan qualified for the A Final of her top event, the K1 500 metres, at the canoe sprint European Olympic Qualifier in Duisburg in Germany today. She finished third in her semi-final. A top-two place in the final would qualify her for the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Canoe Sprint European Olympic Qualifier, Duisburg, Germany (Selected Results, Irish interest)

Men

K1 1,000 – Heat One (Winner to A Final; 2-7 to semi-final; rest out): 4 M Fitzsimon 3:31.693.

K2 200 – Heat One (First Three to A Final; 4-7 to semi-final): 6 T Brennan, B Watkins 34.350.

Women

K1 500 – Heat One (Three to Final; 4-7 to Semi-Final): 5 J Egan 1:55.428. Semi-Final (Three to A Final): 3 Egan 1:52.823.

Paracanoe World Championships, Duisburg

Men - KL3 200- Heat Four (First Seven to Semi-Final): 2 P O’Leary 42.061. Semi-Final One (First Two and next best time to A Final; 3rd, 4th to B Final): 3 O’Leary 41.722.

Published in Canoeing

Ferry & Car Ferry News The ferry industry on the Irish Sea, is just like any other sector of the shipping industry, in that it is made up of a myriad of ship operators, owners, managers, charterers all contributing to providing a network of routes carried out by a variety of ships designed for different albeit similar purposes.

All this ferry activity involves conventional ferry tonnage, 'ro-pax', where the vessel's primary design is to carry more freight capacity rather than passengers. This is in some cases though, is in complete variance to the fast ferry craft where they carry many more passengers and charging a premium.

In reporting the ferry scene, we examine the constantly changing trends of this sector, as rival ferry operators are competing in an intensive environment, battling out for market share following the fallout of the economic crisis. All this has consequences some immediately felt, while at times, the effects can be drawn out over time, leading to the expense of others, through reduced competition or takeover or even face complete removal from the marketplace, as witnessed in recent years.

Arising from these challenging times, there are of course winners and losers, as exemplified in the trend to run high-speed ferry craft only during the peak-season summer months and on shorter distance routes. In addition, where fastcraft had once dominated the ferry scene, during the heady days from the mid-90's onwards, they have been replaced by recent newcomers in the form of the 'fast ferry' and with increased levels of luxury, yet seeming to form as a cost-effective alternative.

Irish Sea Ferry Routes

Irrespective of the type of vessel deployed on Irish Sea routes (between 2-9 hours), it is the ferry companies that keep the wheels of industry moving as freight vehicles literally (roll-on and roll-off) ships coupled with motoring tourists and the humble 'foot' passenger transported 363 days a year.

As such the exclusive freight-only operators provide important trading routes between Ireland and the UK, where the freight haulage customer is 'king' to generating year-round revenue to the ferry operator. However, custom built tonnage entering service in recent years has exceeded the level of capacity of the Irish Sea in certain quarters of the freight market.

A prime example of the necessity for trade in which we consumers often expect daily, though arguably question how it reached our shores, is the delivery of just in time perishable products to fill our supermarket shelves.

A visual manifestation of this is the arrival every morning and evening into our main ports, where a combination of ferries, ro-pax vessels and fast-craft all descend at the same time. In essence this a marine version to our road-based rush hour traffic going in and out along the commuter belts.

Across the Celtic Sea, the ferry scene coverage is also about those overnight direct ferry routes from Ireland connecting the north-western French ports in Brittany and Normandy.

Due to the seasonality of these routes to Europe, the ferry scene may be in the majority running between February to November, however by no means does this lessen operator competition.

Noting there have been plans over the years to run a direct Irish –Iberian ferry service, which would open up existing and develop new freight markets. Should a direct service open, it would bring new opportunities also for holidaymakers, where Spain is the most visited country in the EU visited by Irish holidaymakers ... heading for the sun!