ROWING Irish Rowers Compete in Munich World Cup

The Irish rowing team will compete in the second leg of the 2005 Bearing Point Rowing World Cup in Munich, starting tomorrow (Friday 17th), under new head Coach Harald Jahrling.

Four Irish boats will compete in the regatta, two lightweight and two heavyweight crews. The men’s lightweight four (LM4-) go into the weekend strengthened by the return of Athens Olympians Paul Griffin and Richard Coakley to the boat. Griffin is back to full fitness following his stress fracture to a rib, and Archibald has finished university exams. Skibbereen club man Timmy Harnedy, who was part of the Olympic squad is also back in the boat following exams, alongside his fellow clubmate and Athens Olympian Eugene Coakley.

The four will be hoping to improve on the Eton performance where they won the ‘B’ final, making the ‘A’ final is their goal. However, they will face stiff opposition in the pursuit of this goal in the form of two Italian crews, the French four that won gold in Eton, and a new German four that has impressed onlookers while in training over the last couple of days. Their heats get underway at 12.18pm Irish time tomorrow.

Also competing for the Irish will be the men’s heavyweight four (M4-)of Cormac Folan, Sean Jacob, Sean Casey and Alan Martin who exceeded expectations in their first regatta together by making the ‘A’ final in Eton. Many of the stronger crews in this category such as Poland, Germany and Italy did not travel to Eton, and by competing this weekend will make repeating the Eton performance for the Irish all the more difficult. The newly formed Irish four have showed promise but are only at the beginning of their international career as a crew, and will be targeting a finish in the upper end of the ‘B’ final this weekend. Their heats start at 11.24am Irish time tomorrow.

Women’s lightweight double (LW2x) of Niamh NiCheilleacher and Heather Boyle need to show progress from their first outing together at Eton, and will also be targeting a performance that sees them finish in the top half of the ‘B’ final. Their heats begin at 11.42am Irish time tomorrow.

The heavyweight pair (M2-) of Marc Stephens and John Forde make up the final Irish boat taking to the water in Munich and will be the first of the Irish in action tomorrow at 10.18am Irish time. Although entered, Sinéad Jennings (LW1x) will not be participating in Munich due to exam commitments and will rejoin the squad as soon as she is finished.

Sinéad McElroy of the Irish Sports Council will act as media liaison officer to the Irish team for the World Cup series and the 2005 World Championships in September and can be contacted for results / interviews on 01-8608804 / 087-6338512 or smcelroy@irishsportscouncil.ie

For live results and competition schedules visit www.worldrowing.com

KEY DATES

Bearing Point Rowing World Cup

World Cup 1 Eton, UK 26th – 28th May

World Cup 2, Munich, Germany 17th – 19th June

World Cup 3, Lucerne, Switzerland 8th – 10th July

2005 ROWING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, GIFU, JAPAN 28th Aug-4th Sept.