Irish Heavy Four tenth at Rowing World Cup

Sun 15th July 2007

Irish Heavy Four tenth at Rowing World Cup

The Irish men’s heavyweight four (M4-) of Alan Martin, Sean Casey, Cormac Folan, and Sean O’Neill raced in the B final (places seven to twelve) at the final leg of the Rowing World Cup in Lucerne this morning and finished fourth; a placing of tenth overall at this regatta.

Under more intense sunshine on the Rotsee this morning the Slovenians led the field at the 500metre mark, followed by the Canadians with the Irish occupying third. By the time the crews had reached the halfway point the Canadians had snatched the lead with the French pushing through the Irish to relegate them to fourth. The Irish foursome recorded the fastest third quarter of the race which saw them rise to second behind eventual winners Canada.

At full tilt over the final quarter the crews produced a thundering finish which saw Canada take the win, with Slovenia second, and the French just pipping the Irish for third by a mere two tenths of a second. The result sees the Irish finish tenth at this regatta. This year’s goal is to qualify the boat for next year’s Olympic Games in Beijing, and to do that they must finish inside the top eleven at the upcoming World Rowing Championships in August.

The other Irish boats competing in Lucerne finished their regatta yesterday, Orla Duddy fairing the best in the non-Olympic lightweight single scull with a tenth overall placing. Her counterpart in the men’s single (LM1x); Richard Coakley was fourteenth overall.

Three Irish boats finished sixteenth overall; Caroline Ryan in the heavyweight women’s single sculls (W1x), the lightweight women’s double of Sinéad Jennings and Niamh NiCheilleachair (LW2x), and the men’s heavyweight quad (M4x)of Paul Murray, Paul O’Brien, Sean Jacob (in for the injured Con Collis), and James Wall.

The lightweight men’s four (LM4-) of Paul Griffin, Liam Molloy (in for the injured Richard Archibald), Eugene Coakley, and Cathal Moynihan won the D final placing them nineteenth overall at this regatta.

The Irish team moves on to their three and a half week training camp in St.Moritz tomorrow ahead of next month’s World Championships, which, this year is the main Olympic qualifying regatta. The will return to the National Rowing Centre in Inniscarra, Cork for ten days prior to the beginning of the Worlds.

The lightweight women’s single (LW1x), the lightweight women’s double (LW2x), the lightweight men’s four (LM4-), the heavyweight men’s four (M4-) all travel to St.Moritz as does Sean Jacob who comes out of the quad and back into the heavy single (M1x). Richard Archibald will also re-join the lightweight men’s four(LM4-) group. 
Ends.
Issued on behalf of the Irish Amateur Rowing Union by the Irish Sports Council

For Further Information:
Sinéad McElroy, Irish Sports Council in Lucerne 00353 87 6338512
sinead.mcelroy@gmail.com

Additional Information:
IMAGES: 
• Stock racing, training and feature pics of the team are available from Sportsfile 01-4547400 www.sportsfile.com
• Getty Images will be at the regatta this weekend should you wish to purchase racing pictures.

LUCERNE WORLD CUP, July 13th – 15th
Sunday 15th, Irish Results

M4- Heavyweight Men’s Four, 4th in B final, 10th overall
Alan Martin (NUIG)
Sean Casey (Muckross)
Cormac Folan (NUIG)
Sean O’Neill (St. Michael’s)
 
Sat 14th Irish Results
LW2x Lightweight Women’s Double Sculls, 4th in C final, 16th overall
Sinéad Jennings (St. Michael’s)
Niamh NiCheilleachair (Castleconnell)

LW1x Lightweight Women’s Single Sculls, 4th in B final, 10th overall
Orlagh Duddy (Belfast)

W1x Heavyweight Women’s Single Sculls, 4th in C final, 16th overall
Caroline Ryan (Garda)

LM4- Lightweight Men’s Four, Won D final, 19th overall
Paul Griffin (Muckross)
Liam Molloy (NUIG)
Eugene Coakley (Skibbereen)
Cathal Moynihan (Neptune)

LM1x Lightweight Men’s Single Sculls, 2nd in C final, 14th overall
Richard Coakley (Skibbereen)

M4x Men’s Heavyweight Quad, 4th in C final, 16th overall
Paul Murray (NUIG)
Paul O’Brien (Garda)
Sean Jacob (Commercial)
James Wall (NUIG)
 
Key Dates
World Under 23 Rowing Championships Strathclyde, Scotland 26th – 29th July
World Rowing Championships  Munich, Germany 26th August – 2nd Sept
European Rowing Championships  Poznan, Poland 21st – 23rd September