#Rowing: Jake and Fintan McCarthy raced brilliantly to win their heat and qualify directly for the A/B Semi-Finals at the World Under-23 Rowing Championships in Poland this morning. There was just one direct qualification place on offer in this heat of the lightweight double sculls and Italy gave Ireland quite a race. The two crews were locked together as they approached the 1500-metre mark – but then the McCarthy twins went. They led by .18 of a second at 1500 metres and sprinted away from their rivals to win well.
Lydia Heaphy and Margaret Cremen made a solid start to their campaign in the women’s lightweight double by taking the second and final qualification spot in their heat. They were fastest to the 500 metre mark, but Britain’s Susannah Duncan and Danielle Semple took over from there. They would build their lead to win by almost eight seconds. Cremen and Heaphy secured their spot, staying well clear of third-placed Poland.
World Under-23 Championships, Poznan, Poland (Irish interest; selected results)
Men
Lightweight Double Sculls – Heat Three (First to A/B Semi-Finals; rest to Repechage): 1 Ireland (F McCarthy, J McCarthy) 6:35.94.
Women
Lightweight Double Sculls – Heat Four (First Two to A/B Semi-Finals; rest to Repechage): 2 Ireland (L Heaphy, M Cremen) 7:37.99.
