Ireland pocketed two medals and progressed to five A Finals on day two of racing in Lucerne, Switzerland, at rowing's World Cup II. Siobhán McCrohan takes gold in the Lightweight Women's Single, and Tiarnán O'Donnell opens his international career with a silver medal in the PR2 Men's Single.
Tribesmen Rowing Club's Siobhán McCrohan was heading into today's A Final as the favourite as the reigning World Champion. There was no getting past McCrohan once she got going, taking the lead from the first strokes and holding her position right through to the finish. Holding a consistent rate at 33 to 34 strokes per minute throughout the race, there was no phasing her as some of her competitors raised it to as high as 41 strokes into the finish. Siobhán crossed the line with clear water, claiming the gold medal.
Limerick native Tiarnán O'Donnell wins silver in the PR2 Men's Single
Limerick native Tiarnán O'Donnell wins silver in the PR2 Men's Single in his first international event. Having made the switch from wheelchair basketball to rowing just last May, O'Donnell has come a long way in a year, bringing home silverware from the World stage. It was Italy's Stefanoni who led from the start again, but by the half way mark O'Donnell had moved himself into that second place position. Going bowball to bowball in the middle 1000m with the second Italian sculler, it was Ireland who broke away first taking second place.
Steven McGowan also competed in the Final of the PR2 Men's Single and finished in fourth place, just outside of the medal positions. Staying with the pack through the entire race, McGowan pulled out the fastest 500m split in the last quarter of the race, gaining over three seconds on the Italian sculler in third place. An impressive race for his first event in the single having previously only raced in the double with Katie O'Brien.
Fiona Murtagh and Aifric Keogh progress to tomorrow's A Final in the Women's Pair with a win in their Semifinal this morning. Murtagh and Keogh led from the start but had Greece sitting right on their bow up until the halfway mark. By the finish line, Ireland had clear water on the remaining crews. The Irish pair, coached by Giuseppe DeVita, won silver at World Cup I in Varese earlier this year, and they'll be going up against 2023 World Championships gold and silver medalists, the Netherlands and Australia tomorrow in the race for medals.
Alison Bergin and Zoe Hyde put down another race win today sending them into the Women's Double A Final. Tomorrow they're up against China, USA, Australia, Norway and New Zealand. At last months European Championships Norway won gold with Bergin and Hyde finishing in fifth place. Just three seconds separates the six crews from the Semifinal times so it's anyone's game tomorrow.
The Lightweight Women's Double of Margaret Cremen and Aoife Casey are into the A Final after winning their Repechage this morning. Sitting in second place behind China for the majority of the race, it was in the final 500 meters that Cremen and Casey turned things around pushing their bow ahead of the Chinese crew. They're up against New Zealand, GB, USA, China and Canada tomorrow in the final.
Olympic Champions Paul O'Donovan and Fintan McCarthy
The Switzerland Lightweight Men's Double held their ground against Olympic Champions Paul O'Donovan and Fintan McCarthy taking the win in the second Semifinal. In their usual style, the Skibbereen rowers held a solid start and began to make their way up the field as the race progressed. It was in the final quarter where they brought it up that the Swiss moved along with them and just managed to hold them off. Tomorrow's A Final is one not to be missed!
The Men's Pair of John Kearney and Ross Corrigan did just enough to make it into tomorrow's Final, finishing third in their Semifinal behind Spain and the second GB crew. Sitting in fourth place coming into the final quarter, Kearney and Corrigan pulled out the fastest 500 meter split of the race to put them ahead of the pair from the USA.
Brian Colsh and Andrew Sheehan just missed out on a spot in the A Final finishing one second behind the fourth place cut off. Colsh and Sheehan stayed well in contention with the Italian, French and New Zealand doubles that have qualified for the Pairs Olympics, showing great potential for them as an U23 crew. Tomorrow they're the first crew to race from Ireland in the B Final against Cuba.
Day 1 Results (Irish interest)
Lightweight Women's Single A Final -> GOLD
PR2 Men's Single (O'Donnell) Final -> SILVER
PR2 Men's Single (McGowan) Final -> 4th
Women's Pair A/B Semi 1st -> A Final
Women's Double A/B Semi 1st -> A Final
Lightweight Women's Double Repechage 1st -> A Final
Lightweight Men's Double A/B Semi 2nd -> A Final
Men's Pair Heat A/B Semi 3rd -> A Final
Men's Double Repechage 5th -> B Final
Sunday Schedule (IST)
8:25am - Men's Double B Final
9:36am - Women's Pair A Final
9:49am - Men's Pair A Final
10:44am - Lightweight Women's Double A Final
10:58am - Lightweight Men's Double A Final
12:19pm - Women's Double A Final
