#WorldUnder-23Rowing: Ireland took its second good result of the morning as the men’s pair of Seán O’Connor and Fionnán McQuillan-Tolan qualified for the semi-finals with second behind Australia at the World Under-23 Rowing Championships in Linz in Austria.

Angus Moore and Alexander Hill laid down a marker with a stunning win, but there was just one other direct qualification place and the Ireland crew won their battle with Russia for this – they finished over five seconds ahead of the Russians.

World Under-23 Rowing Championships, Day Two (Irish interest, selected results)

Men

Pair – (First Two Directly to A/B Semi-Finals; rest to Repechage) – Heat Two: 1 Australia (A Moore, A Hill) 6:37.37, 2 Ireland (S O’Connor, F McQuillan-Tolan) 6:49.15; 3 Russia 6:54.42, 4 Venezuela 7:05.10, 5 United States 7:09.48, 6 Estonia 7:15.64.

Women

Lightweight Single Sculls – (First Two Directly to A/B Semi-Finals; rest to Repechage) – Heat One: 1 Belgium (E Peleman) 7:46.06, 2 Ireland (D Walsh) 7:50.87; 3 Croatia 7:52.54, 4 Germany 8:00.47, 5 Israel 8:04.22, 6 Argentina 8:06.23.

#WorldUnder-23Rowing: Denise Walsh qualified for the Semi-finals with a controlled performance which brought her the second of two qualification places in lightweight single sculls at the World Under-23 Championships this morning in Linz in Austria. The Skibbereen woman started well and led, but even when Belgium’s Eveline Peleman took over in the lead Walsh stuck to her task and held off Helena Pavkovic of Croatia for second place. Walsh was still looking fresh at the finish.

World Under-23 Rowing Championships, Linz, Austria, Day Two (Irish interest, selected results)

Women

Lightweight Single Sculls – (First Two Directly to A/B Semi-Finals; rest to Repechage) – Heat One: 1 Belgium (E Peleman) 7:46.06, 2 Ireland (D Walsh) 7:50.87; 3 Croatia 7:52.54, 4 Germany 8:00.47, 5 Israel 8:04.22, 6 Argentina 8:06.23.

#WorldUnder-23Rowing: Paul O’Donovan won his heat at the World Under-23 Rowing Championships in Linz in Austria today. The lightweight sculler controlled the race and though any of the top four places would have taken him through to the quarter-finals, his win gives him a better lane draw on Friday. Adam Ling of New Zealand was second, 2.66 seconds behind the UCD man.In the final race of the day, Adam Boreham also qualified for his quarter-final, finishing fourth of five in his heat of the single sculls.

World Under-23 Championships, Linz, Austria – Day One (Irish interest)

Men

Four – One Crew Directly to A Final, Rest to Repechage – Heat Two: 1 Romania 6:08.20; Australia 6:13.69, 3 Croatia 6:14.98, 4 Britain 6:15.40, 5 Ireland (R Bennett, M Wray, J Mitchell, R O’Callaghan) 6:18.48.

Single Sculls - First Four to Quarter-Finals, Rest to Repechage – Heat Five: 1 Germany 7:11.64, 2 Slovakia 7:13.99, 3 Montenegro 7:16.60, 4 Ireland (A Boreham) 7:28.36; 5 El Salvador 7:36.19.

Lightweight Single Sculls – First Four to Quarter-Finals, Rest to Repechage – Heat Four: 1 Ireland (P O’Donovan) 7:12.40, 2 New Zealand (A Ling) 7:15.06, 3 Germany (C Mertens) 7:18.66, 4 Slovakia (R Vanco) 7:21.20; 4 Canada (M Christie) 7:24.75.

Women

Four – One Crew Directly to A Final, Rest to Repechage – Heat One: 1 Australia 6:44.65; 2 Ireland (E Tormey, A Sheehan, A Keogh, L Dilleen) 6:54.39, 3 New Zealand 6:54.45, 4 United States 6:55.34, 5 Germany 6:57.42, 6 France 7:05.06. Heat Two (qualifier): 1 Russia 6:50.08.

#WorldUnder-23Rowing: Ireland’s men’s four of Richie Bennett, Jonathan Mitchell, Matthew Wray and Rob O’Callaghan finished fifth in their heat at the World Under-23 Championships at Linz in Austria today. Like the Ireland women’s four at the Championships this is a new crew, and they face a challenge if they are to make it to the final through tomorrow’s repechage. Romania dominated the heat and took the one direct qualification place for the A Final.

World Under-23 Championships, Linz, Austria – Day One (Irish interest)

Men

Four – One Crew Directly to A Final, Rest to Repechage – Heat Two: 1 Romania 6:08.20; Australia 6:13.69, 3 Croatia 6:14.98, 4 Britain 6:15.40, 5 Ireland (R Bennett, M Wray, J Mitchell, R O’Callaghan) 6:18.48.

Women

Four – One Crew Directly to A Final, Rest to Repechage – Heat One: 1 Australia 6:44.65; 2 Ireland (E Tormey, A Sheehan, A Keogh, L Dilleen) 6:54.39, 3 New Zealand 6:54.45, 4 United States 6:55.34, 5 Germany 6:57.42, 6 France 7:05.06. Heat Two (qualifier): 1 Russia 6:50.08.

#WorldUnder-23Rowing: Ireland’s women’s four of Emily Tormey, Ailish Sheehan, Aifric Keogh and Lisa Dilleen finished second in their first race at the World Under-23 Championships at Linz in Austria today. Only one crew qualified directly for the A Final, and Australia took this spot, finishing almost 10 seconds ahead of the Ireland crew, who were rowing in their first major event together but put crews from Germany, the United States and New Zealand behind them. The temperatures soared up into the high twenties before the race started.

World Under-23 Championships, Linz, Austria – Day One (Irish interest)

Women

Four – One Directly to A Final, Rest to Repechage: 1 Australia 6:44.65; 2 Ireland (E Tormey, A Sheehan, A Keogh, L Dilleen) 6:54.39, 3 New Zealand 6:54.45, 4 United States 6:55.34, 5 Germany 6:57.42, 6 France 7:05.06.

#rowing – Killarney Rowing Festival will celebrate the oldest regatta in the world and wonderful rowing tradition on the Lakes of Killarney, on Sunday 28th July, 2013, at Killarney Golf and Fishing Club, Killarney, County Kerry. The Festival will host the World most coveted rivals, Oxford and Cambridge Boat Club.The unique event also co-insides with 'The Gathering Ireland 2013' a Tourism Ireland initiative honouring Ireland's Diaspora and historical and cultural links to Ireland. Killarney's tourism success owes much to the visit of Queen Victoria to Killarney in 1861.

The Annual KillarneyRegatta in now in its 228th year is the oldest traditional regatta in the World, steeped in history and raced on Lough Lein, one of the famous Lakes of Killarney. There are five remaining active clubs in the town and hinterland of Killarney, each operating from various boathouses along the shores of Lough Lein. The Clubs, namely, Muckross Rowing Club, Flesk Valley RC, Workmen's RC, Commercials RC, St Brendan's RC, and Fossa RC. The Type of boat is unique to the Lakes of Killarney and known as 'The Killarney Sixes' wooden in structure, wooden oar, fixed seat, the boats were originally designed and built by Salters in Oxford.

Both Oxford and Cambridge Boat Clubs were delighted to receive the invitation and will be joining the Killarney Rowing fraternity for the weekend. Flights to Kerry Airport, two nights accommodation, have been kindly sponsored by Tourism Ireland, with Killarney Chamber of Commerce and Tourism and Killarney Branch of the Irish Hoteliers Federation providing accommodation. The boats will be ready and waiting at the pier at O'Mahoney's Point, Killarney Golf and Fishing Club.

Speaking about the event, Festival Director Andrew Wharton commented " it's one of those classic events for Killarney, the perfect location and a wonderful way to celebrate our rowing tradition. The cultural links that have bound this sport together, with the famous Caseys of Sneem, the Great River Race in London which has been won by many Killarney Clubs. As a sport, rowing keeps getting more popular, especially with all clubs embracing many types of rowing, be it, coastal, sliding, gig and fixed seat racing. It means rowing continues all year round. It will be such a spectacle to see so much colour and life on Lough Lein. The Killarney people have welcomed the festival, their generosity is breathtaking. They know the importance of the heritage, History and of course the friendly rivalry that binds us all together..Oxford and Cambridge will definitely be having a fantastic time in Killarney"

The Festival will be a day of fun and celebration, and will see Oxford and Cambridge competing with the coastal boats of South and Mid Kerry and the most coveted race of the day, Killarney Rowing Clubs taking on the world's greatest rivals, for the famous 'Lakes of Killarney 'Salter's Cup' which was won the famous Casey Brothers of Sneem on three occasions in the 1920's and 30's.Noel Casey Stephen and Paddy Casey will be on hand to present the precious Cup. The first race of the day (11.45) is the Irish Universities v Oxford and Cambridge. There are 11 races in total, including U14/U16, boys and boys, open races, intermediate and senior races, in both Killarney sixes and coastal boats.

Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland, said: "We are delighted that the Oxford and Cambridge boat clubs will travel here for the Killarney Rowing Festival, particularly in this special year of The Gathering Ireland. Since last year, Tourism Ireland has been promoting The Gathering Ireland extensively in Great Britain and elsewhere around the world, targeting millions of people who have ancestral links to Ireland, or those who have an affinity for the destination and all things Irish. Millions of people in GB have connections with Ireland and we are reaching out to them, encouraging them to come home for what is a truly special year."

A true spectacle on the day will be the site of 100 strong South Kerry men rowing The Seine Boat Race, unique to South Kerry. Historically the Seine Boat was used by fishermen to haul fish captured in floating nets. Seine Boats are timber built vessels with 12 oarsmen and a coxswain who calls out the stroke. The Regattas in South Kerry are held in Cromane, Ballinskelligs, Waterville, Valentia, Portmagee, Cahirciveen, Caherdaniel, Sneem,Over the Water, and Templenoe. The race is usually over eight grueling kilometers.The Seine Boat races are a true test of strength, endurance and team work.

During the weekend both Oxford and Cambridge crews will pay a visit to Muckross house for lunch and take a boat tour on lakes of Killarney, to showcase the famous scenery and landscape with an emphasis of the importance of Queen Victoria's historical trip to Killarney and Muckross in 1861. There will be an opportunity for the crews to visit Queen Victoria's Barge in the 'Old Boat House' at Muckross. A Civic Reception at The Lake Hotel, Killarney will be hosted by Killarney Town Council later that Saturday afternoon. Both crews will be free to savour Killarney's wonderful night life. All Rowing Clubs will be ready action on Sunday 28th at 10.00am at O'Mahoney's Point for a practice run on the 'Killarney sixes'.

Another Highlight of the Day will be The Tug O' War' competition - refereed by Henry Clifton, one of the greats in Rowing. clubs and organisations are being encouraged to enter teams for two great charities - Brendan Heffernan's Mercy Hospital Oncology Unit Fund and The Palliative Care Unit Kerry General Hospital. Brendan is Honorary Treasure of Workmen's Rowing Club and is receiving treatment at the Mercy Hospital, to date he has raised over €10,000.

The Killarney Golf and Fishing Club are delighted to be the venue of this year's Festival, providing car parking facilities, a BBQ , outdoor children's activities and refreshments. The local rowing clubs will provide the traditional sandwiches, tea and buns to the rowers all part of a perfect regatta day. All we need is the weather!.

Rowing plays an enormous part of the sporting life in Killarney, in the 2008 Olympic Games, Three Killarney Oarsmen rowed for Ireland - Paul Griffin, Sean Casey and Cathal Moynihan, all members of Muckross Rowing Club, Ireland's oldest rowing club.

For further information:Valerie O'Sullivan contact 087-2629375/[email protected]

#IrishRowingChampionships: NUIG/Gráinne Mhaol produced one of their best ever rows to win the senior eights championship of Ireland at the National Rowing Centre in Cork today. The defending champions had a fine start and upped the tempo down the course to burn off their rivals. They set a time of six minutes 13.38 seconds in headwind conditions. Queen's University were second and UCD third.

The women’s senior eight from St Michael’s created history by becoming the first senior eight solely from the club to win a senior eights championship. Sinéad Jennings, who was not originally entered, but had been part of the crew as it was formed, came in for Emily Tormey.

Skibbereen brought their tally of titles at the Championships to six with wins in the men’s intermediate double sculls and the women’s junior quadruple sculls, while Lee won the men’s junior pairs and Sinéad Dolan of Trinity the intermediate single sculls.

The last race of Championships, which were sponsored by Hanley Calibration, was the women’s novice eight, where Queen’s University took the title.

Irish Rowing Championships, National Rowing Centre, Farran Woods, Cork – Day Three (Selected Results, Finals)

Men

Eight – Senior: 1 Gráinne Mhaol/NUIG (R O’Callaghan, R Bennett, D Mannion, N Kenny, E Donnelly, A Martin, C Folan, J Wall; cox: R Cooke) 6:13.38, 2 Queen’s University, Belfast 6:17.87, 3 UCD 6:17.94.

Four – Novice, coxed: 1 Queen’s 7:49.87, 2 UCD 7:50.79, 3 UCC 7:55.25.

Pair – Intermediate: 1 UCC 8:13.04, 2 Portora 8:36.82, 3 Bann 8:42.84. Junior: 1 Lee 7:45.41, 2 Clonmel 7:49.17, 3 Shandon 7:56.48.

Sculling, Double – Intermediate: 1 Skibbereen B 7:30.60, 2 Skibbereen A 7:36.20, 3 Belfast BC 7:36.79. Junior: 1 Shandon (J Casey, A Harrington) 7:55.13, 2 Skibbereen 8:13.06, 3 Lee 8:19.07.

Single – Senior: 1 Lee Valley (J Keohane) 8:00.96, 2 Three Castles (E Grigalius) 8:03.83, 3 Portadown (S McKeown) 8:21.55.

Women

Eight – Senior: 1 St Michael’s (A Leahy, S Jennings, J O’Keeffe, A O’Sullivan, K O’Brien, A Sheehan, O McEvoy, H O’Sullivan; cox C McGowan) 7:14.80, 2 UCD 7:22.21, 3 Cork/Skibbereen 7:22.95. Four, Intermediate, coxed: 1 St Michael’s 8:10.43, 2 UCD C 8:18.36, 3 UCD A 8:28.10. Novice: 1 Queen’s 7:34.56, 2 Bann 7:36.42, 3 Commercial 7:43.41.

Pair – Junior: 1 Portora (D Maguire, P Mulligan) 9:04.90, 2 Muckross 9:16.42, 3 Shannon 9:19.32.

Sculling, Quadruple – Junior: 1 Skibbereen 7:52.92, 2 Cork BC A 8:03.87, 3 Cork BC B 8:06.00.

Single – Senior: 1 UCD (C Lambe) 9:09.20, 2 St Michael’s (S Jennings) 9:10.31, 3 Three Castles (H Walshe) 9:28.57. Intermediate: 1 Trinity (Sinéad Dolan) 9:22.10, 2 NUIG (C Hurst) 9:30.96, 3 Trinity (S O’Brien) 9:35.91.

#IrishRowingChampionships: Claire Lambe and John Keohane won the men’s and women’s senior single sculls titles at the Irish Rowing Championships at Farran Woods in Cork today. Both had hard battles before crossing the line as winners.

Lambe had a disappointing start and saw Sinéad Jennings take and hold the lead until halfway. Lambe came back and led by 1500 metres, but Jennings mounted challenge after challenge.

Keohane took the lead early on but had to battle to retain it. Eimantas Grigalius, a World Junior Champion in 2003, drove hard a the Corkman through the closing 500 metres, but Keohane, rating below his opponent, retained his lead – and the title he won last year.

There was great excitement in the closing stages of the men’s novice coxed four. UCD’s lead was eaten away and then completely lost to Queen’s University, who won by .92 of a second. UCD also lost out in the women’s intermediate coxed four to a strong St Michael’s crew of Hannah McCarthy, Emily Tormey, Kate O’Brien, Hanah O’Sullivan and cox Conor McGowan.

The men’s intermediate pair and the women’s junior pair and men’s junior double sculls were convincingly won by UCC, Portora and Shandon respectively.

Irish Rowing Championships, National Rowing Centre, Farran Woods, Cork – Day Three (Selected Results, Finals)

Men

Four – Novice, coxed: 1 Queen’s 7:49.87, 2 UCD 7:50.79, 3 UCC 7:55.25.

Pair – Intermediate: 1 UCC 8:13.04, 2 Portora 8:36.82, 3 Bann 8:42.84.

Sculling, Double – Junior: 1 Shandon (J Casey, A Harrington) 7:55.13, 2 Skibbereen 8:13.06, 3 Lee 8:19.07.

Single – Senior: 1 Lee Valley (J Keohane) 8:00.96, 2 Three Castles (E Grigalius) 8:03.83, 3 Portadown (S McKeown) 8:21.55.

Women

Four, Intermediate, coxed: 1 St Michael’s 8:10.43, 2 UCD C 8:18.36, 3 UCD A 8:28.10.

Pair – Junior: 1 Portora (D Maguire, P Mulligan) 9:04.90, 2 Muckross 9:16.42, 3 Shannon 9:19.32.

Sculling, Single – Senior: 1 UCD (C Lambe) 9:09.20, 2 St Michael’s (S Jennings) 9:10.31, 3 Three Castles (H Walshe) 9:28.57.

#IrishRowingChampionships: Experience counts in difficult conditions, and the water became very choppy for the second session of finals at the Irish Rowing Championships. Sinead Jennings described it as “the hardest conditions I have rowed in” but the 36-year-old former world champion stayed out in front of Orla Hayes to win the lightweight single sculls. Catríona Jennings battled hard in the novice single sculls but had to settle for fourth, in a race won by Emily Hegarty of Skibbereen.

The final of the women’s senior pair was also a battle – but one which the NUIG crew of Lisa Dilleen and Aifric Keogh had won with hundreds of metres to go. Their closest rivals were Ailish Sheehan and Emily Tormey of St Michael’s – the two rowers who will join them in the Ireland four at the World Under-23 Championships next week.

The duel between Skibbereen and Shandon in the men’s junior quadruple sculls was also a fascinating one, with Shandon coming out on top by the closing stages. However Aodhán Burns of Skibbereen left the destination of the title in no doubt in the intermediate single - he led all the way down the course.

What Albert Maher called the “mileage” put in by the Commercial senior quadruple stood to them in their contest with a brave UCD crew which continued to fight it out down the course.

The junior women’s eight of Galway Rowing Club brought the club their second title of the day with a good win. Remarkably, the eight rowers – Femhe Caffrey, Claire Caulfield, Cara Cunningham, Ruth Cummins, Megan Donnelly, Kellie Wade, Fiona Murtagh and Clare Elwood – had also won this title last year. Last year they were coxed by Affraic O’Regan, while his year Normagh Heaney coxed the crew.

Irish Rowing Championships, National Rowing Centre, Farran Woods, Cork – Day Two

Men

Eight – Intermediate: 1 NUIG, 2 UCD, 3 UCC.

Pair – Senior: 1 Galway RC A (A Miller, M Ewing) 7:29, 2 NUIG (R Bennett, R O’Callaghan) 7:30, 3 St Michael’s B (D Power, K O’Connor) 7:44.

Sculling, Quadruple – Senior: 1 Commercial 7:17, 2 UCD 7:19, 3 Skibbereen 7:28. Junior: 1 Shandon 7:16, 2 Skibbereen 7:21, 3 Lee 7:31.

Single – Intermediate: 1 Skibbereen (A Burns) 9:04, 2 Shannon (Carmody) 9:12.78, 3 Clonmel (Prendergast) 9:13.29. Novice: 1 Portadown (S McKeown) 8:21, 2 Athlone (Munnelly) 8:24, 3 University of Limerick (Haugh) 8:28.

Women

Eight – Junior: 1 Galway RC 8:11, 2 Portora 8:20, 3 Bann 8:24.

Pair – Senior: 1 NUIG (A Keogh, L Dilleen) 9:11, 2 St Michael’s RC 9:22, 3 Skibbereen 9:45.

Sculling, Quadruple – Senior: 1 Skibbereen/Killorglin, 2 Commercial/ Three Castles.

Double – Intermediate: 1 NUIG (C Hurst, A Keogh), 2 Trinity, 3 St Michael’s.

Single – Lightweight: 1 St Michael’s (S Jennings) 9:51, 2 Skibbereen (O Hayes) 9:56, 3 St Michael’s (S Clavin) 10.29. Novice: 1 Skibbereen (E Hegarty) 10:42, 2 Commercial (Foley) 10:52, 3 Queen’s (Edwards) 11:10. Junior: 1 Fermoy (H Shinnick) 9:20, 2 Belfast (K Turner) 9:44, 3 Carrick-on-Shannon (C Kelly) 9:48.

#IrishRowingChampionships: NUIG continued where they left off on the second day of the Irish Rowing Championships at the National Rowing Centre in Cork. Their intermediate eight were full of conviction as they charged through the line to beat UCD, and the NUIG women’s intermediate double scull of Cliona Hurst and Aifric Keogh snapped up their title soon after.

The men’s pair went to Michael Ewing and Alex Miller, who are based in Belfast and England respectively but were representing Galway Rowing Club. St Michael’s won the men’s junior coxed four and Killorglin/Skibbereen the two-boat senior women’s quadruple sculls.

The irrepressible Hilary Shinnick brought her tally of junior single sculls’ titles to three with a pillar-to-post win, while novice single sculler Sam McKeown got off the mark in Irish titles with a good win for his club, Portadown.

Irish Rowing Championships, National Rowing Centre, Farran Woods, Cork – Day Two

Men

Eight – Intermediate: 1 NUIG, 2 UCD, 3 UCC.

Pair – Senior: 1 Galway RC A (A Miller, M Ewing) 7:29, 2 NUIG (R Bennett, R O’Callaghan) 7:30, 3 St Michael’s B (D Power, K O’Connor) 7:44.

Sculling, Single – Novice: 1 Portadown (S McKeown) 8:21, 2 Athlone (Munnelly) 8:24, 3 University of Limerick (Haugh) 8:28.

Women

Sculling, Quadruple – Senior: 1 Skibbereen/Killorglin, 2 Commercial/ Three Castles.

Double – Intermediate: 1 NUIG (C Hurst, A Keogh), 2 Trinity, 3 St Michael’s.

Single – Junior: 1 Fermoy (H Shinnick) 9:20, 2 Belfast (K Turner) 9:44, 3 Carrick-on-Shannon (C Kelly) 9:48