# ROWING: Ireland finished fourth in their repechage of the Legs, Trunk and Arms Mixed Coxed Four at the Paralympic Games at Eton Dorney this morning and will compete in the B Final (places seven to 12) tomorrow. There were two places on offer for the A Final and the Ukraine and China set an impressive pace and qualified in first and second, holding off Canada and Ireland, with Russia fifth.

Canada were A Finalists in Beijing, but the standard in this event has improved radically: Italy won gold in Beijing with a time of 3:33.13, almost 10 seconds slower than Ukraine’s winning time this morning. Italy and the United States qualified for the A Final from the second repechage, where all the crews bar one were faster than the gold medal-winning time in Beijing.

Canada, Ireland and Russia will be joined by France, Brazil and Belarus in the B Final.

Paralympic Rowing Regatta, Eton Dorney – Day Two (Irish interest)

Legs, Trunks and Arms Mixed Coxed Four – Repechage One (First Two to A Final; rest to B Final): 1 Ukraine 3:23.53, 2 China 3:25.03; 3 Canada 3:28.82, 4 Ireland (AM McDaid, S Caffrey, S Ryan, K du Toit; cox: H Arbuthnot) 3:34.85, 5 Russia 3:43.84.

# ROWING: Ireland’s adaptive mixed coxed  four of Anne Marie McDaid, Sarah Caffrey, Shane Ryan, Kevin du Toit and cox Helen Arbuthnot will compete in a repechage tomorrow after finishing fifth in their heat at the Paralympic Games at Eton Dorney today. The Ireland coach, John Armstrong, was pleased with the Ireland performance, and they were never far off places two to four. The race was won well by the dominant crew in this discipline, Britain, who claimed the one direct qualification for the A Final. The top two crews in tomorrow’s two repechages will qualify for Sunday’s A Final.

Paralympic Rowing Regatta, Eton Dorney – Day One

Legs, Trunks and Arms Mixed Coxed Four – Heat Two (Winner Directly to A Final; rest to Repechages): 1 Britain 3:23.59; 5 Ireland 3:33.95.

# ROWING: The junior men’s pair of Chris Black and Joel Cassells were again the stars of the show for Ireland as they won the B Final at the World Championships in Plovdiv in Bulgaria this morning with the best time they have ever clocked in competition, six minutes 47.92 seconds. In a fiercely-competitive grade this crew might well have been contending for medals in the A Final, but came up against three of the best crews in the semi-final on Saturday in Romania, Germany and Greece and finished fourth. Black and Cassells then targeted a win in this morning’s race which would give them seventh overall and they brought it home in remarkable fashion. They were credited with one minute 36.29 for the first 500 metres, and the race plan set by coach Seamus Reynolds went so well that as Croatia, Poland and France fought it out behind them, the Irish were never seriously challenged, and won by almost two seconds.

Earlier, Claire Lambe finished fifth in her B Final of the lightweight single sculls, 11th overall. The Dubliner was fourth for a great deal of a fine race, which was won by Italy’s Elisabetta Sancassani ahead of China’s Miao Wang second, with outgoing World Champion Fabiana Beltrame of Brazil only capable of taking third. Early in the final quarter Lambe made ground of Beltrame and contended for third, but the Irish woman was passed late on by Alice McNamara of Australia, who took the fourth spot. Switzerland’s Pamela Weisshaupt, the World Champion in 2008 and 2009, and twice a World Cup winner this year, finished sixth.

World Championships, Plovdiv, Bulgaria, Day Five (Irish interest)

Men

Junior Pair B Final (Places 7 to 12): 1 Ireland (C Black, J Cassells) 6:47.92, 2 Croatia 6:49.81, 3 Poland 6:50.99, 4 France 6:54.82, 5 Belgium 6:56.86, 6 United States 6:57.78.

Women

Lightweight Single Scull – B Final (Places 7 to 12): 1 Italy (E Sancassani) 7:45.78, 2 China (M Wang) 7:47.60, 3 Brazil (F Beltrame) 7:47.87, 4 Australia (A McNamara) 7:49.29, 5 Ireland (C Lambe) 7:56.68, 6 Switzerland (P Weisshaupt) 8:01.59.

# ROWING: Paul O’Donovan made up somewhat for missing out on a place in the A/B Semi-Finals of the junior single sculls at the World Rowing Championships when he won the C Final with a dominant performance in Plovdiv in Bulgaria today. The Skibbereen man, who was fourth last year in this event, was less than a tenth of a second off making the A/B semi-finals on Friday, but he left nothing to chance today and won well, placing him 13th in the overall rankings. His only test came from Leonard van Lierop of the Netherlands, who led early on and challenged again at the finish.

Niall Kenny made a serious bid for second place in the C Final of the lightweight single sculls. The race was won well by Germany’s Daniel Lawitzke, with Brazil’s Ailson Silva and Kenny fighting it out behind him. Silva clung on by .1 of a second, giving him 14th, while Kenny finished 15th overall.

In a two-boat D Final of the men’s lightweight pair, Mark O’Donovan and Anthony English could not best Chinese teenagers Zhiyuan Zhang (18) and Fengjian Qi (17). Ireland thus finish 20th in this class.

Kate O’Brien finished fifth in an interesting race in the D Final of the junior single sculls. The 17-year-old fought it out for third with Lisa Hirtenlehner of Austria for over a thousand metres, but the final quarter saw the Austrian push on – she took second in a photo finish with Chile’s Natalia Sanchez Rojas – while O’Brien was caught by Tunisia’s Racha Soula.

World Championships, Plovdiv, Bulgaria, Day Four (Irish interest)

Men

Lightweight Pair – D Final (Places 19, 20): 1 China 6:58.36, 2 Ireland (M O’Donovan, A English) 7:01.31.

Junior Pair – Semi-Final One (First Three to A Final, rest to B Final): 1 Romania 6:43.22, 2 Germany 6:45.36, 3 Greece 6:46.74; 4 Ireland (C Black, J Cassells) 6:50.66, 5 Poland 6:57.67, 6 Belgium 7:49.61.

Lightweight Single Scull – C Final (13 to 18): 1 Germany 7:09.58, 2 Brazil 7:11.88, 3 Ireland (N Kenny) 7:11.98, 4 Hong Kong 7:13.43, 5 Peru 7:14.38, 6 Japan 7:18.57.

Junior Single Sculls – C Final (Places 13-18): 1 Ireland (P O’Donovan) 7:10.99, 2 Netherlands 7:15.27, 3 Austria 7:21.98, 4 Zimbabwe 7:23.33, 5 United States 7:24.26, 6 Belgium 7:37.43.

Women

Junior Quadruple – B Final (Places 7 to 12): 1 Britain 6:42.64, 2 China 6:45.37, 3 Greece 6:47.28, 4 Australia 6:47.80, 5 Czech Republic 6:51.05, 6 Ireland (K Cromie, H Shinnick, B Jacques, B Walsh) 6:52.07.

Junior Single Sculls – D Final (Places 19 to 24): 1 Russia 8:11.28, 2 Austria 8:13.99, 3 Chile 8:13.99, 4 Tunisia 8:18.17, 5 Ireland (K O’Brien) 8:19.09, 6 Bulgaria 8:24.66.

# ROWING: The Ireland junior pair of Chris Black and Joel Cassells finished fourth in a pacey semi-final at the World Rowing Championships in Plovdiv in Bulgaria this morning and will compete in tomorrow’s B Final.

The Coleraine men lived with the hot pace until the third quarter, when Germany pushed the Irish out of the third qualification spot in a race dominated by Romania. The big German crew then passed Greece, who had held second, and even threatened Romania at the finish. Romania, Germany and Greece were all inside the time of Hungary, who won the second semi-final.

The Ireland women’s junior quadruple scull of Katie Cromie, Hilary Shinnick, Bridget Jacques and Bernadette Walsh finished found themselves sixth at the end of their B Final (12th overall) after a race in which they reached as high a position as fourth at 1250 metres. Australia and the Czech Republic eventually took fourth and fifth, behind winners Britain, who led in China and Greece.

World Championships, Plovdiv, Bulgaria, Day Four (Irish interest)

Men

Junior Pair – Semi-Final One (First Three to A Final, rest to B Final): 1 Romania 6:43.22, 2 Germany 6:45.36, 3 Greece 6:46.74; 4 Ireland (C Black, J Cassells) 6:50.66, 5 Poland 6:57.67, 6 Belgium 7:49.61.

Women

Junior Quadruple – B Final (Places 7 to 12): 1 Britain 6:42.64, 2 China 6:45.37, 3 Greece 6:47.28, 4 Australia 6:47.80, 5 Czech Republic 6:51.05, 6 Ireland (K Cromie, H Shinnick, B Jacques, B Walsh) 6:52.07.

# ROWING: The Ireland senior men’s crews at the World Rowing Championships in Plovdiv in Bulgaria will finish their programmes competing in C and D Finals.

Lightweight single sculler Niall Kenny finished a safe second in his C/D semi-final, but the lightweight pair finished third of three in theirs and with the last crew being consigned to the D Final, this will be how they finish their regatta.

Paul O’Donovan won his C/D Semi-Final of the junior single scull. The Skibbereen man, who came within a tenth of a second of qualifying for the A/B Semi-Finals earlier in the day, was an emphatic winner from Peter Purcell Gilpin of Zimbabwe.

In the women’s junior single, Kate O’Brien finished fifth in her C/D Semi-Final. She tracked the leaders down the course in fourth for most of the race but was pushed into fifth near the end.

World Rowing Championships, Plovdiv, Bulgaria – Day Three (Irish interest)

Men

Lightweight Pair – C/D Semi-Finals (First Two to C Final, One to D Final; Only Three Crews Competed): 1 Russia 6:54.46, 2 Japan 6:57.50; 3 Ireland (M O’Donovan, A English) 7:00.77.

Junior Pair – Repechage Four (First Two to A/B Semi-Final; rest to C/D Semi-Final): 1 Ireland (C Black, J Cassells) 6:53.11, 2 Czech Republic 6:53.55; 3 Spain 6:56.80, 4 Ukraine 7:19.31, 5 Denmark 7:28.63.

Lightweight Single Sculls – C/D Semi-Finals (First Three to C Final; rest to D Final): 1 Germany 7:16.86, 2 Ireland (N Kenny) 7:19.67, 3 Japan 7:20.36.

Junior Single Sculls – Quarter-Final Two (First Three to A/B Semi-Final; rest to C/D Semi-Final): 1 Azerbaijan 7:08.77, 2 Germany 7:11.13, 3 Belarus 7:12.37; 4 Ireland (P O’Donovan) 7:12.46, 5 Austria 7:27.00, 6 Denmark 7:34.99. C/D Semi-Finals (First Three to C Final; rest to D Final): 1 Ireland (O’Donovan) 7:25.81, 2 Zimbabwe 7:27.99, 3 United States 7:31.97.

Women

Junior Quadruple Sculls – Semi-Final Two (First Three to A Final; rest to B Final): 1 New Zealand 6:40.77, 2 United States 6:42.25, 3 Germany 6:42.46, 4 China 6:43.28, 5 Ireland (K Cromie, H Shinnick, B Jacques, B Walsh) 6:51.54, 6 Greece 6:55.84.

Junior Single Sculls – Quarter Finals (First Three to A/B Semi-Final; rest to C/D Semi-Final): 1 Romania 8:02.92, 2 Sweden 8:07.68, 3 Poland 8:09.84; 4 Russia 8:13.92, 5 Ireland (K O’Brien) 8:17.69, 6 Tunisia 8:29.53. C/D Semi-Finals (First Three to C Final; rest to D Final): 1 Czech Republic 8:18.03, 2 Brazil 8:21.39, 3 United States 8:24.31, 4 Tunisia 8:27.27, 5 Ireland (O’Brien) 8:29.11, 6 Bulgaria 8:33.57.

Lightweight Single Sculls – A/B Semi-Final Two (First Three to A Final; rest to B Final): 1 United States 7:49.85, 2 Austria 7:49.92, 3 Belarus 7:50.25; 4 Italy 7:54.51, 5 China 8:00.95, 6 Ireland (C Lambe) 8:14.64.

# ROWING: Claire Lambe’s hopes of qualifying for the A Final of the lightweight single sculls at the World Rowing Championships in Plovdiv in Bulgaria fell away in the third quarter of her semi-final today. The Dubliner was competitive to halfway, although by this stage it was clear that the United States, Austria and Belarus had a strong hold on the three qualification places, though China’s Wang Miao was still pushing in fourth. Lambe had been holding off Elisabetta Sancassani of Italy in a battle for fifth, but the Italian pushed through her and later passed the Chinese as well. Lambe eventually finished sixth.

The Ireland junior women’s quadruple are also set for tomorrow’s B Final (places seven to 12). At the head of the field in their semi-final New Zealand, the United States and Germany took the A Final places, with China joining Ireland in the B Final after being pushed into fourth. The Ireland crew of Katie Cromie, Hilary Shinnick, Bridget Jacques and Bernadette Walsh won their private battle with Greece for fifth by virtue of a good finish.

World Rowing Championships, Plovdiv, Bulgaria – Day Three (Irish interest)

Men

Junior Pair – Repechage Four (First Two to A/B Semi-Final; rest to C/D Semi-Final): 1 Ireland (C Black, J Cassells) 6:53.11, 2 Czech Republic 6:53.55; 3 Spain 6:56.80, 4 Ukraine 7:19.31, 5 Denmark 7:28.63.

Junior Single Sculls – Quarter-Final Two (First Three to A/B Semi-Final; rest to C/D Semi-Final): 1 Azerbaijan 7:08.77, 2 Germany 7:11.13, 3 Belarus 7:12.37; 4 Ireland (P O’Donovan) 7:12.46, 5 Austria 7:27.00, 6 Denmark 7:34.99.

Women

Junior Quadruple Sculls – Semi-Final Two (First Three to A Final; rest to B Final): 1 New Zealand 6:40.77, 2 United States 6:42.25, 3 Germany 6:42.46, 4 China 6:43.28, 5 Ireland (K Cromie, H Shinnick, B Jacques, B Walsh) 6:51.54, 6 Greece 6:55.84.

Junior Single Sculls – Quarter Finals (First Three to A/B Semi-Final; rest to C/D Semi-Final): 1 Romania 8:02.92, 2 Sweden 8:07.68, 3 Poland 8:09.84; 4 Russia 8:13.92, 5 Ireland (K O’Brien) 8:17.69, 6 Tunisia 8:29.53.

Lightweight Single Sculls – A/B Semi-Final Two (First Three to A Final; rest to B Final): 1 United States 7:49.85, 2 Austria 7:49.92, 3 Belarus 7:50.25; 4 Italy 7:54.51, 5 China 8:00.95, 6 Ireland (C Lambe) 8:14.64.

# ROWING: Ireland’s two junior single scullers showed plenty of heart but could not quite make the A/B semi-finals at the World Rowing Championships in Plovdiv this morning.

Paul O’Donovan missed out by less than a tenth of a second in his quarter-final. The Skibbereen man lay in fifth and well off qualification at halfway. However, he mounted his customary mighty push in the second half of the race and caught up with third-placed Pilip Pavukou of Belarus. The Belarussian fought back and retained third place by .9 of a second at the finish. Azerbaijan and Germany filled the first two places. O’Donovan, who had been fourth in this discipline last year, is now set for the C/D Semi-Finals.

Kate O’Brien, making her debut at these Championships, fought bravely in her race and was in a good fourth place with 500 metres to go. But the race got away from the 17-year-old St Michael’s woman in the final quarter and she finished fifth. Romania, Sweden and Poland took the three qualification places and Russia was fourth.

World Rowing Championships, Plovdiv, Bulgaria – Day Three (Irish interest)

Men

Junior Pair – Repechage Four (First Two to A/B Semi-Final; rest to C/D Semi-Final): 1 Ireland (C Black, J Cassells) 6:53.11, 2 Czech Republic 6:53.55; 3 Spain 6:56.80, 4 Ukraine 7:19.31, 5 Denmark 7:28.63.

Junior Single Sculls – Quarter-Final Two (First Three to A/B Semi-Final; rest to C/D Semi-Final): 1 Azerbaijan 7:08.77, 2 Germany 7:11.13, 3 Belarus 7:12.37; 4 Ireland (P O’Donovan) 7:12.46, 5 Austria 7:27.00, 6 Denmark 7:34.99.

Women

Junior Single Sculls – Quarter Finals (First Three to A/B Semi-Final; rest to C/D Semi-Final): 1 Romania 8:02.92, 2 Sweden 8:07.68, 3 Poland 8:09.84; 4 Russia 8:13.92, 5 Ireland (K O’Brien) 8:17.69, 6 Tunisia 8:29.53.

# ROWING: Ireland won its first race at the World Rowing Championships in Plovdiv in Bulgaria this morning – and in impressive fashion too. The junior pair of Chris Black and Joel Cassells are much better than their fourth place in the heats on Thursday suggested – they received their A Level Results that day – but they still had to finish in the top two in today’s repechage if they were to progress to the A/B Semi-Finals. They got a splendid start and led to  halfway. Spain, who had been the closest crew to Black and Cassells, were passed by the Czech Republic in the third quarter and Michael Humpolec and Michal Novy drew alongside the Irish in the final 300 metres and looked set for the win. However, Black and Cassells, the Ireland senior champions in the pair, finished as they had started and won the sprint to the line.

World Rowing Championships, Plovdiv, Bulgaria – Day Three (Irish interest)

Men

Junior Pair – Repechage Four (First Two to A/B Semi-Final; rest to C/D Semi-Final): 1 Ireland (C Black, J Cassells) 6:53.11, 2 Czech Republic 6:53.55; 3 Spain 6:56.80, 4 Ukraine 7:19.31, 5 Denmark 7:28.63.

# ROWING: Claire Lambe produced a good performance in her repechage of the lightweight single sculls at the World Rowing Championships in Plovdiv in Bulgaria today. The 22-year-old Dubliner needed to finish in the top two to qualify for the A/B semi-finals in a race which included Fabiana Beltrame of Brazil, the reigning World Champion, and Leonie Pless of Germany, a World Cup silver medallist in Lucerne this year. Lambe moved into second, over three lengths clear of Pless, by 1250 metres and pushed Beltrame over the rest of the race, although the Brazilian – who competed in the Olympics in the lightweight double sculls – did open up a gap by the finish.

Niall Kenny could not make it into the top three of his lightweight single sculls quarter final. His fourth-place finish behind Italy, Slovakia and Slovenia, sends him to the C/D semi-finals.

Mark O’Donovan and Anthony English finished a disappointing fourth and last  in their repechage of the men’s lightweight pair. Two crews qualified for the A/B Semi-finals, and Canada and Italy fought it out for the lead. Ireland were not able to make it into this set, but held third until they were passed coming up to the line by Hong Kong.    

World Senior and Junior Rowing Championships, Plovdiv, Bulgaria – Day Two (Irish interest)

Men

Lightweight Pair – Repechage Three (First Two to A/B Semi-Finals; rest to C/D Semi-Finals): 1 Canada 7:00.48, 2 Italy 7:01.81, 3 Hong Kong 7:06.93, 4 Ireland (M O’Donovan, A English) 7:07.40.

Junior Pair – Heat Three (Winner directly to A/B Semi-Final; rest to repechages): 1 Romania 6:46.98, 2 Germany 6:53.83, 3 Poland 6:58.00, 4 Ireland (C Black, J Cassells) 6:59.13, 5 Estonia 7:13.74.

Lightweight Single Scull – Quarter Final Two (First Three to A/B Semi-Finals; rest to C/D Semi-Finals) 1 Italy 7:16.04, 2 Slovakia 7:20.77, 3 Slovenia 7:21.94; 4 Ireland (N Kenny) 7:24.42, 5 Hong Kong 7:32.44, 6 Japan 7:37.21.

Junior Single Scull – Heat Four (First Four to Quarter-Finals): 1 China (Ganggang Li) 7:08,24, 2 Ireland (P O’Donovan) 7:13.05, 3 Zimbabwe (P Purcell Gilpin) 7:14.77, 4 Estonia (A Luenekund) 7:22.12; 5 Japan 7:27.06.

Women

Junior Quadruple – Repechage One (First Three to A/B Semi-Final; rest to C Final): 1 Germany 6:38.45, 2 Italy 6:43.88, 3 Ireland (K Cromie, H Shinnick, B Jacques, B Walsh) 6:46.34; 4 Denmark 6:47.68, 5 Ukraine 7:02.24.

Lightweight Single Scull – Repechage Four (First Two to A/B Semi-Final; rest to C/D Semi-Final): 1 Brazil (F Beltrame) 8:02.62, 2 Ireland (C Lambe) 8:05.35; 3 Germany 8:09.65, 4 Japan 8:10.58, 5 Mexico 8:26.49.

Junior Single Scull – Heat Four (Four Guaranteed Quarter-Finals; fastest of rest to Quarter-Finals; rest to Final E): 1 Belarus (K Staraselets) 7:57.89, 2 Chile (N Sanchez Rojas) 8:09.53, 3 Ireland (K O’Brien) 8:13.90, 4 Ukraine (D Serebrianska) 8:16.83; 5 Uganda 10:14.48.