#Rowing: The Ireland women's four finished fourth in their A/B Semi-Final at the World Championships in Linz-Ottensheim, missing out by one place on an A Final. The must now compete in a B Final, where a top-two placing would lift their boat into an Olympic place.
The first 700 metres were discouraging, but from there the crew of Tara Hanlon, Eimear Lambe, Aifric Keogh and Emily Hegarty made real progress. They moved from sixth into fifth and were in fourth coming into the final 500 metres, overlapping the Romanian crew in third. Ireland kept the pressure on, but Romania held out for third. Australia and Denmark led home.
Gary O'Donovan will also compete in a B Final. He finished a distant sixth in his semi-final of the lightweight single sculls, slowing up and paddling home in the final quarter.
Lydia Heaphy took sixth in her semi of the lightweight single. She was very much in contention for a top-three spot through the middle stages of the race, but it got away from her by the end.
World Rowing Championships, Linz-Ottensheim, Austria - Day Five (Irish interest)
Men
Lightweight Double Sculls - A/B Semi-Final Two (First Three to A Final; rest to B Final): 1 Ireland (F McCarthy, P O'Donovan) 6:13.46, 2 Germany 6:13.59, 3 Norway 6:14.15.
Lightweight Single Sculls A/B Semi-Final One (First Three to A Final; rest to B Final): 6 Ireland (G O'Donovan) 7:34.01.
Women
Four - A/B Semi-Final Two (First Three to A Final; rest to B Final): 1 Australia 6:25.34, 2 Denmark 6:28.58, 3 Romania 6:30.96; 4 Ireland (T Hanlon, E Lambe, A Keogh, E Hegarty) 6:32.37.
Pair - A/B Semi-Final One (First Three to A Final; rest to B Final): 1 New Zealand 6:57.92, 2 United States 7:01.78, 3 Italy 7:01.80; 4 Ireland (A Crowley, M Dukarska) 7:03.05.
Lightweight Single Sculls A/B Semi-Final One (First Three to A Final; rest to B Final): 6 Ireland (L Heaphy) 7:42.23.
