# ROWING: The Ireland double of Laura D’Urso and Holly Nixon qualified for the semi-finals of the World Under-23 Championships by finishing third in their heat this morning in Trakai in Lithuania. The Irish chased eventual winners Austria down the course, and filled second until a late challenge by France pushed them into third.

Claire Lambe must compete in a repechage after finishing second in a fight for the one qualification place with Anna Ioannou of Cyprus in their heat of the lightweight single scull. The Dubliner refused to let Ioannou get comfortable in the lead and passed her going into the final quarter, but the Cypriot struck back and retook the lead.

World Under-23 Championships, Trakai, Lithuania, Day Two (Irish interest)

Women

Double Scull – Heat Three (First Three directly to A/B Semi-Final; rest to repechage): 1 Austria (M Lobnig, L Farthofer) 7:24.99, 2 France 7:29.62, Ireland (L D’Urso, H Nixon) 7:31.90; 4 Romania 7:42.91, 5 Croatia 7:47.31

Lightweight Single Scull – Heat One (First directly to A/B Semi-Final, rest to repechage): 1 Cyprus (A Ioannou) 8:07.34, 2 Ireland (C Lambe) 8:12.84.

# ROWING: Ireland’s lightweight pair of Shane O’Driscoll and Jonathan Mitchell came within a third of a second of direct qualification for the semi-finals at the World Under-23 Rowing Championships in Trakai in Lithuania today. In a close finish to a competitive heat, Argentina pipped them for the third qualification place. The Ireland men’s four also finished fourth in their heat and will join the pair in tomorrow’s repechages. Both crews should make it through, as three crews qualify from a line-up of four in both repechages.

World Under-23 Championships, Trakai, Lithuania, Day One (Irish interest)

Men

Four – Heat One (First Three to A/B Semi-Finals, rest to Repechage): 4 Ireland (E Mullarkey, S O’Connor, F Manning, T Lynam) 6:20.49.

Lightweight Pair – Heat One (First Three to A/B Semi-Finals, rest to Repechage): 4 Ireland (S O’Driscoll, J Mitchell) 6:58.62.