#Rowing: Sanita Puspure won her heat of the single sculls at the World Cup in Varese  this morning, beating Olympic champion Mirka Knapkova in a close finish. Puspure goes on to the semi-finals, while Knapkova goes to a repechage.

 Leonora Kennedy and Barbara O’Brien finished fifth of six in their heat of the women’s pair. They go into a repechage.

World Cup Regatta, Varese (Selected Results, Irish interest)

Women

Pair – Heat One (First Two to A/B Semi-Final; rest to Repechages): 1 Germany 7:23.08, 2 Russia One 7:24.46; 5 Ireland (L Kennedy, B O’Brien) 7:46.38.

Single Sculls – Heat One (Winner to A/B Semi-Finals; rest to Repechages): 1 Ireland (S Puspure) 7:34.32; 2 Czech Republic (M Knapkova) 7:36.13.  

#Rowing: The Ireland team for the first World Cup regatta, in Varese in Italy from April 15^th to 17^th, will feature seven crews. The Olympic-bound lightweight double sculls of Sinéad Jennings and Claire Lambe and Paul O’Donovan and Gary O’Donovan will be joined by the three boats which hope to find their way to Rio through the qualifiers in May – the  lightweight men’s four, the women’s pair and single sculler Sanita Puspure – and by Siobhán McCrohan and Denise Walsh in lightweight single sculls. McCrohan and Walsh were to trial for a single spot, but the trial was twice postponed and both will now travel.

 Pararower Karol Doherty will go out with the bulk of the team on April 12^th, and will compete in the Paralympic Qualifier in Gavirate in Italy on April 20^th to 23^rd.   

 Ireland Team for World Cup, Varese, Italy, April 15^th to 17^th

 Men

 Lightweight Four: L Seaman, M O’Donovan, L Keane, S O’Driscoll. Lightweight Double Scull: P O’Donovan, G O’Donovan.

 Women

Pair: L Kennedy, B O’Brien. Lightweight Double Scull: C Lambe, S Jennings. Single Scull: S Puspure. Lightweight Single Scull: S McCrohan, D Walsh.

 Crew for Paralympic Qualification Regatta, Gavirate, Italy, April 20th-23^rd: K Doherty (Arms and Shoulders men’s single scull).

#Rowing: Ireland’s Sinead Jennings and Claire Lambe won the B Final of the lightweight double sculls at the World Cup Regatta in Lucerne this morning. The new crew held second to Denmark in the early stages but broke clear and by 1500 metres were on their way to an emphatic win. The crew thus places seventh overall at the event.

Sanita Puspure finished second in her B Final, eighth overall. The Denmark single sculler, Fie-Udby Erichsen started fast and while Puspure held off the rest of the competition she could not catch the woman who took silver at the Olympics in 2012.

The women’s double of Helen Hannigan and Lisa Dilleen finished fifth in their B Final, 11^th overall. The crew held fourth to halfway. Britain led and would go on to win. Finland made a break in the third quarter. Ireland stayed in touch and were not far off the lead at the end.

World Cup Regatta, Lucerne – Day Three (Irish interest; selected results)

Women

Double Sculls – B Final (Places 7 to 12): 1 Britain 6:58.87, 2 Finland 7:00.80, 3 Denmark 7:01.70; 5 Ireland (L Kennedy, L Dilleen) 7:02.95.

Lightweight Double – B Final (Places 7 to 12): 1 Ireland (C Lambe, S Jennings) 7:05.11, 2 Netherlands 7:06.62, 3 Denmark 7:07.20.

Single Sculls – B Final (Places 7 to 12): 1 Denmark (F Erichsen) 7:32.23, 2 Ireland (S Puspure) 7:33.86, 3 Switzerland (J Gmelin) 7:36.19.

#Rowing: Mark O’Donovan and Shane O’Driscoll finished sixth in the A Final of the men’s lightweight pair at the World Cup in Lucerne. Britain and Italy fought it out for gold, with Italy winning. Denmark took bronze. The Ireland crew were in sixth through the four quarters.

Denise Walsh finished 4^th in her B Final, 10^th overall in the lightweight single sculls.

World Cup Regatta, Lucerne – Day One (Irish interest; selected results)

Men

Lightweight Pair – Repechage (First Four to A Final): 4 Ireland (M O’Donovan, S O’Driscoll) 6:50.28. A Final: 1 Italy 6:54.52, 2 Britain 6:54.71, 3 Denmark 6:56.81; 6 Ireland 7:14.15.

Lightweight Double Sculls – C Final (Places 13 to 18): 2 Ireland (G O’Donovan, P O’Donovan) 6:23.91.

Women

Pair – C Final (Places 13 to 18): 5 Ireland (H Hannigan, L Dilleen) 7:29.47.

Double Sculls – A/B Semi-Final (First Three to A Final; rest to B Final): 1 Belarus 7:14.98, 2 Germany 7:17.52, 3 Greece 7:19.13; 5 Ireland (H Hannigan, L Dilleen) 7:26.75.

Lightweight Double – A/B Semi-Final (First Three to A Final; rest to B Final): 1 South Africa 7:35.26, 2 US 7:36.79, 3 Germany 7:39.14; 5 Ireland (C Lambe, S Jennings) 7:44.11

Single Sculls – A/B Semi-Final (First Three to A Final; rest to B Final): 1 Australia (K Crow) 7:55.81, 2 United States (G Stone) 8:00.20, 3 New Zealand (F Bourke) 8:03.10; 5 Ireland (S Puspure) 8:11.50.

Lightweight Single – Repechage One (Two to A Final; rest to B Final): 3 Ireland (D Walsh) 8:11.47. B Final (Places 7 to 12): 1 South Africa (K Johnstone) 8:34.06; 4 Ireland (Walsh) 8:39.41.

#Rowing: Sanita Puspure finished fifth in the A/B Semi-Final of the women’s single sculls at the World Cup regatta in Lucerne today. She is now set to compete in the B Final. Kim Crow of Australia set a hot pace, with Genevra Stone and Fie-Udby Erichsen of Denmark filling second and third in the early stages. Puspure was fifth after 500 metres and did not improve that position as the race went on. Fiona Bourke of New Zealand took third behind Crow and Stone.

World Cup Regatta, Lucerne – Day One (Irish interest; selected results)

Men

Lightweight Pair – Repechage (First Four to A Final): 4 Ireland (M O’Donovan, S O’Driscoll) 6:50.28.

Women

Double Sculls – A/B Semi-Final (First Three to A Final; rest to B Final): 1 Belarus 7:14.98, 2 Germany 7:17.52, 3 Greece 7:19.13; 5 Ireland (H Hannigan, L Dilleen) 7:26.75.

Lightweight Double – A/B Semi-Final (First Three to A Final; rest to B Final): 1 South Africa 7:35.26, 2 US 7:36.79, 3 Germany 7:39.14; 5 Ireland (C Lambe, S Jennings) 7:44.11

Single Sculls – A/B Semi-Final (First Three to A Final; rest to B Final): 1 Australia (K Crow) 7:55.81, 2 United States (G Stone) 8:00.20, 3 New Zealand (F Bourke) 8:03.10; 5 Ireland (S Puspure) 8:11.50.

Lightweight Single – Repechage One (Two to A Final; rest to B Final): 3 Ireland (D Walsh) 8:11.47.

#Rowing: The new Ireland lightweight pair of Mark O’Donovan and Shane O’Driscoll will compete in the A Final at the World Cup regatta in Lucerne. The two Corkmen finished fourth in their repechage to take their place in the top six overall.

Denise Walsh would have had to finish in the top two of her repechage to take her place in the A Final of the lightweight single sculls. She missed out by one place, and will compete in the B Final.

World Cup Regatta, Lucerne – Day One (Irish interest; selected results)

Men

Lightweight Pair – Repechage (First Four to A Final): 4 Ireland (M O’Donovan, S O’Driscoll) 6:50.28.

Women

Lightweight Single  – Repechage One (Two to A Final; rest to B Final): 3 Ireland (D Walsh) 8:11.47.

#Rowing: Three Ireland crews won their repechages at the World Cup Regatta in Lucerne today. Sanita Puspure in the single scull and the women’s double (Helen Hannigan and Lisa Dilleen) and lightweight double (Sinead Jennings and Claire Lambe) all grabbed their chances to qualify for the A/B Semi-Finals.

The women’s pair of Monika Dukarska and Leonora Kennedy and the lightweight men’s double of Paul and Gary O’Donovan did not make the semi-finals. Dukarska and Kennedy finished fifth in their repechage and the men’s crew took the same place in their quarter-final.

World Cup Regatta, Lucerne – Day One (Irish interest; selected results)

Men

Lightweight Pair – Heat One (First Directly to A Final; rest to repechages): 1 France 6:45.55; 2 Ireland (M O’Donovan, S O’Driscoll) 6:56.04

Lightweight Double Sculls – Heat Five (First Three Directly to Quarter-Finals): 1 Norway 6:17.32, 2 Ireland (G O’Donovan, P O’Driscoll) 6:20.20, 3 Portugal 6:21.09. Quarter Final (First Three to A/B Semi): 5 Ireland 6:18.69.

Women

Pair – Heat Three (First Two Directly to A/B Semi-Finals; rest to repechages): 1 Denmark 7:09.27, 2 South Africa 7:16.71; 6 Ireland (L Kennedy, M Dukarska) 7:44.68. Repechage: 5 Ireland 7:19.92.

Double Sculls – Heat Two (First Two Directly to A/B Semi-Finals; rest to repechage): 1 New Zealand 6:51.71, 2 Greece 6:53.20, 3 Ireland (H Hannigan, L Dilleen) 6:56.65. Repechage One (First Three to A/B Semis): 1 Ireland 6:56.38.

Lightweight Double Sculls – Heat One (First directly to A/B Semi-Finals; rest to repechages): 1 South Africa 6:54.01; 2 Ireland (C Lambe, S Jennings) 6:57.98. Repechage Four: 1 Ireland 7:00.87.

Single Sculls – Heat One (First directly to A/B Semi-Finals; rest to repechages): 1 Australia (K Crow) 7:30.62; 2 Ireland (S Puspure) 7:38.60. Repechage (First Two to A/B Semis): 1 Ireland 7:36.39.

Lightweight Single Sculls – Heat Two (First directly to A Final; rest to repechages): 1 New Zealand (Z McBride) 7:32.88; 3 Ireland (D Walsh) 7:57.67.

#Rowing: Sanita Puspure took second place in her heat of the women’s single sculls at the World Cup regatta in Lucerne. There was just one qualification place on offer, and this was taken with aplomb by Kim Crow of Australia. Puspure was the one other competitor who put any pressure on Crow, but the in-form sculler had a clearwater lead down the course and won by over eight seconds.

Denise Walsh finsihed third in her heat of the lightweight single sculls. The race was won in stunning fashion by Zoe McBride of New Zealand, and she took the one qualification place for the A Final.

World Cup Regatta, Lucerne – Day One (Irish interest; selected results)

Men

Lightweight Pair – Heat One (First Directly to A Final; rest to repechages): 1 France 6:45.55; 2 Ireland (M O’Donovan, S O’Driscoll) 6:56.04

Lightweight Double Sculls – Heat Five (First Three Directly to Quarter-Finals): 1 Norway 6:17.32, 2 Ireland (G O’Donovan, P O’Driscoll) 6:20.20, 3 Portugal 6:21.09.

Women

Pair – Heat Three (First Two Directly to A/B Semi-Finals; rest to repechages): 1 Denmark 7:09.27, 2 South Africa 7:16.71; 6 Ireland (L Kennedy, M Dukarska) 7:44.68

Double Sculls – Heat Two (First Two Directly to A/B Semi-Finals; rest to repechage): 1 New Zealand 6:51.71, 2 Greece 6:53.20, 3 Ireland (H Hannigan, L Dilleen) 6:56.65

Lightweight Double Sculls – Heat One (First directly to A/B Semi-Finals; rest to repechages): 1 South Africa 6:54.01; 2 Ireland (C Lambe, S Jennings) 6:57.98

Single Sculls – Heat One (First directly to A/B Semi-Finals; rest to repechages): 1 Australia (K Crow) 7:30.62; 2 Ireland (S Puspure) 7:38.60

Lightweight Single Sculls – Heat Two (First directly to A Final; rest to repechages): 1 New Zealand (Z McBride) 7:32.88; 3 Ireland (D Walsh) 7:57.67.

# Rowing: Helen Hannigan and Lisa Dilleen showed fighting spirit in their heat of the double sculls at the World Cup Regatta in Lucerne in Switzerland. There were just two direct qualification places on offer in their heat: New Zealand and Greece zipped into the lead and held off all the challengers. Ireland and Austria chased them, but only Dilleen and Hannigan kept up the fight. They finished third, 3.25 seconds behind Greece, and are now set to compete in a repechage. 

World Cup Regatta, Lucerne – Day One (Irish interest; selected results)

Men

Lightweight Pair – Heat One (First Directly to A Final; rest to repechages): 1 France 6:45.55; 2 Ireland (M O’Donovan, S O’Driscoll) 6:56.04

Lightweight Double Sculls – Heat Five (First Three Directly to Quarter-Finals): 1 Norway 6:17.32, 2 Ireland (G O’Donovan, P O’Driscoll) 6:20.20, 3 Portugal 6:21.09.

Women

Pair – Heat Three (First Two Directly to A/B Semi-Finals; rest to repechages): 1 Denmark 7:09.27, 2 South Africa 7:16.71; 6 Ireland (L Kennedy, M Dukarska) 7:44.68

Double Sculls – Heat Two (First Two Directly to A/B Semi-Finals; rest to repechage): 1 New Zealand 6:51.71, 2 Greece 6:53.20, 3 Ireland (H Hannigan, L Dilleen) 6:56.65

Lightweight Double Sculls – Heat One (First directly to A/B Semi-Finals; rest to repechages): 1 South Africa 6:54.01; 2 Ireland (C Lambe, S Jennings) 6:57.98

#Rowing: Gary and Paul O’Donovan qualified for the quarter-finals of the World Cup regatta in Lucerne with a second-place finish in their heat of the lightweight double sculls. Norway won well and Ireland took over ahead of Portugal in the final quarter and held off a push by the Portuguese.

Sinéad Jennings and Claire Lambe had just one qualification place, for the semi-finals, on offer in their heat of the lightweight double. South Africa held off Ireland and Denmark at the head of the field, with Ireland testing the eventual winners.

World Cup Regatta, Lucerne – Day One (Irish interest; selected results)

Men

Lightweight Pair – Heat One (First Directly to A Final; rest to repechages): 1 France 6:45.55; 2 Ireland (M O’Donovan, S O’Driscoll) 6:56.04

Lightweight Double Sculls – Heat Five (First Three Directly to Quarter-Finals): 1 Norway 6:17.32, 2 Ireland (G O’Donovan, P O’Driscoll) 6:20.20, 3 Portugal 6:21.09.

Women

Pair – Heat Three (First Two Directly to A/B Semi-Finals; rest to repechages): 1 Denmark 7:09.27, 2 South Africa 7:16.71; 6 Ireland (L Kennedy, M Dukarska) 7:44.68

Lightweight Double Sculls – Heat One (First directly to A/B Semi-Finals; rest to repechages): 1 South Africa 6:54.01; 2 Ireland (C Lambe, S Jennings) 6:57.98