#Rowing: Paul and Gary O’Donovan won their repechage to secure a place in the semi-finals of the lightweight double sculls at the European Rowing Championships in Racice today. The Irish crew did not start well, but by halfway they were making their move and they led through the second half of the race. As they passed the grandstand, they came under pressure from the Ukraine, but they held firm and won by a length.

European Championships, Racice, Czech Republic, Day One (Selected Results; Irish interest)

Men

Lightweight Pair – Exhibition (Race for Lanes): 1 Ireland (M O’Donovan, S O’Driscoll) 6:57.77, 2 Italy 6:59.82, 3 Russia 7:01.75, 4 Britain (J Cassells, S Scrimgeour) 7:03.39.

Lightweight Double Sculls – Heats (Winner to A/B Semi-Finals; rest to Repechages) – Heat One: 1 France (P Houin, J Azou) 6:26.97. Heat Two: Germany (L Schaefer, J Osborne) 6:37.53.

Heat Three: 1 Poland 6:25.93, 2 Ireland (G O’Donovan, P O’Donovan) 6:32.15, 3 Russia 6:36.38, 4 Switzerland 6:40.60, 5 Austria. Heat Four: 1 Italy 6:30.77.

Repechage Three (First two to A/B Semi-Finals): 1 Ireland 6:34.33, 2 Ukraine 6:36.51; 3 Portugal 6:40.75, 4 Sweden 7:05.89.

Women

Lightweight Single Sculls – Heat One (First Three to Semi-Finals; rest to Repechage): 1 Ireland (D Walsh) 7:44.85, 2 Denmark (A Runge Holmegaard) 7:49.49, 3 Poland (J Dorociak) 7:49.90; 4 Czech Republic 8:05.07, 5 Portugal 8:08.19. Heat Two: 1 Switzerland 7:42.510. Heat Three: 1 Sweden 7:39.52.

#ROWING: Sanita Puspure took her place in the semi-finals of the women’s single sculls at the World Rowing Championships in Amsterdam today. The 32-year-old led for most of the race but was passed by Russian veteran Julia Levina (41) in the final quarter.

The Ireland women’s four found the going tough again in their repechage and will compete in the B Final of this 10-boat event. Canada and the Ukraine took the two places available in the A Final, while Ireland finished sixth.

World Rowing Championships, Day Four (Selected Results; Irish interest)

Men

Lightweight Single Sculls – Quarter-Final (First Three to A/B Semi-Finals; rest to C/D Semi-Finals): 1 Germany (L Hartig) 7:13.67, 2 Ireland (P O’Donovan) 7:14.76, 3 Denmark (S Jensen) 7:33.91; 4 Azerbaijan 7:25.84, 5 Russia 7:33.91, 6 Algeria 7:43.76.

Women

Four – Repechage (First Two to A Final; rest to B Final): 1 Canada 7:03.51, Ukraine 7:05.31; 3 Netherlands 7:06.85, 4 Germany 7:10.32, 5 Italy 7:17.82, 6 Ireland (M O’Neill, E Tormey, A Keogh, B O’Brien) 7:22.82.

Double Sculls – Repechage Three (First Two to A/B Semi-Final: rest to C/D Semi-Final): 1 United States (M O’Leary, E Tomek) 7:18.10, 2 Ireland (H Hannigan, M Dukarska) 7:21.14; 3 Romania 7:22.87, 4 Estonia 7:48.85.

Single Sculls – Quarter-Final Three (First Three to A/B Semi-Final; rest to C/D Semi-Finals): 1 Russia (J Levina) 8:00.54, 2 Ireland (S Puspure) 8:02.31, 3 Lithuania (L Saltyte) 8:08.41; 4 Belarus 8:24.58, 5 Norway 8:25.56, 6 Hungary 8:29.50.

#ROWING: Sweden pushed Ireland out of the vital second spot in the repechage of the lightweight double sculls at the World Rowing Championships in Amsterdam today. The race developed into a three-boat battle to land the two spots in the A/B Semi-Finals: world champions Italy and Ireland, who had a very good third quarter, led early leaders Sweden at 1500 metres. The Swedes came back, however, and pipped Ireland by .51 of a second. Ireland's Claire Lambe and Denise Walsh are now set to compete in the C/D Semi-Finals.

World Rowing Championships, Amsterdam, Day Three (Selected Results; Irish interest)

Women

Lightweight Double Sculls – Repechage Four (First Two to A/B Semi-Finals; rest to C/D Semi-Finals): 1 Italy (L Milani, E Sancassani) 7:40.06, 2 Sweden (C Lilja, E Fredh) 7:43.11, 3 Ireland (C Lambe, D Walsh) 7:43.62, 4 Belarus 7:55.20.