#ROWING: All four Ireland crews are set for repechages after today's first session of heats at the European Rowing Championships in Belgrade in Serbia. The women’s pair of Leonora Kennedy and Lisa Dilleen came a creditable second to Romania in their heat, but only one automatic qualification place was on offer. Women’s single sculler Sanita Puspure also finished just one place off qualification, in third, in a race won by Olympic champion Mirka Knapkova. The Ireland women’s double of Monika Dukarska and Eimear Moran were fifth in their heat.
Earlier, Paul O’Donovan had finished third in his heat of the lightweight single sculls.
European Rowing Championships, Belgrade, Serbia – Day One (Irish interest; selected results)
Men
Lightweight Single Sculls – Heat Three (First Two to A/B Semi-Finals; rest to Repechage): 1 Italy (M Miani) 6:56.92, 2 Bulgaria (N Vasilev) 6:59.35; 3 Ireland (P O’Donovan) 7:02.21, 4 France 7:06.95, 5 Turkey 7:16.58.
Women
Pair – Heat Two (Winner to A Final; rest to Repechage): 1 Romania (C Grigoras, L Oprea) 7:14.51; 2 Ireland (L Kennedy, L Dilleen) 7:18.77, 3 Croatia 7:21.87, 4 Serbia 7:24.46, 5 Germany 7:32.40.
Double Sculls – Heat Two (First Two to A Final; rest to Repechage): 1 Poland (M Fularczyk, N Madaj) 6:46.50, 2 Britain (F Houghton, V Thornley); 3 Netherlands 6:54.59, 4 Czech Republic 7:10.63, 5 Ireland (M Dukarska, E Moran) 7:16.66.
Single Sculls – Heat Three (First Two to A/B Semi-Finals; rest to Repechage): 1 Czech Republic (M Knapkova) 7:29.98, 2 Netherlands (C Acterberg) 7:31.64; 3 Ireland (S Puspure) 7:39.26, 4 Sweden 7:48.13, 5 Latvia 7:51.24.
