ROWING:"IT IS good to be coming to the pointy end of things; to actually see some racing," said Ireland performance director Martin McElroy yesterday as he stood on the bank at the Duisburg regatta course in Germany.
At the end of a long period of trials and assessment, an Ireland team of 15 athletes will compete at the Wedau international regatta, which begins today. Their eyes will be fixed firmly on the prize of places at the first World Cup event in two weeks. The entries for the event in Bled in Slovenia must be submitted by Monday.
“This is a test for the next step,” said McElroy. “Up to now everything we’ve done has been internal. You obviously have to connect to the outside world at some point.
“The small-boat entry here is really good – big numbers and a good standard of competition. So, at a small-boat level it is enough to give you a good read of what’s going on.”
Cathal Moynihan and Cormac Folan, the remaining Olympians in the squad, are joined by a big, mostly young, group who will form different combinations over the two days. Sanita Puspure, who has competed for Latvia and is awaiting her Ireland passport, will compete in the single scull. She is eligible to compete for Ireland in the World Cup events this season.
The Ireland team will not be the only source of interest in Duisburg – the Queen’s University’s men’s senior eight, which has been outstanding so far in Britain and Ireland this season, have also travelled.
They are set to face the French national eight, which may be too much for even this ambitious crew.
Colin Williamson of Queen’s goes in the single scull, and among the entry in this event is former world champion Marcel Hacker.
Commercial’s Becky Quinn has entered as a lightweight single sculler.
The Junior International regatta in Munich last weekend suggested the top Ireland crews may not be too far off the mark this season.
Turlough Hughes, in the single scull, and Shane O’Driscoll and Paul O’Donovan in the double finished fourth in their events on Sunday.
Patrick Hughes, twin brother of Turlough, who has relatively recently taken to the sport at King’s Hospital, was in action at the KRSG regatta in Ghent. He teamed up with David Butler in the junior double, finishing 19th on the Saturday and eighth of 27 crews on the Sunday.
Seán McGowan’s return to earth after his historic ocean row has begun in earnest. He was “very shook; very weak and slow to walk” after he hit land last week. He was diagnosed with scurvy and is now receiving injections and is recovering – he got his first eight-hour sleep on Wednesday night.
He is delighted Soweto Connection, the charity which benefited from his Atlantic odyssey, has already collected about €20,000.
The money will fund the building of a nutrition centre in the townships.
McGowan is set to feature on Matt Cooper’s radio show today on Today FM.
IRELAND SQUAD(for Wedau Regatta, Duisburg, today until Sunday) – Men – Heavyweight Pair: Cormac Folan, Seán Jacob. Lightweight Pair: Peter Hanily, Anthony English. Lightweight Scullers (in different combinations): Cathal Moynihan, Niall Kenny, Justin Ryan, Michael Maher. Women – Heavyweight Single: Sanita Puspure. Lightweight Scullers (in different combinations): Siobhán McCrohan, Claire Lambe, Sarah Dolan, Siobhán Jacob, Dympna Kelly, Sheila Clavin.
Other Irish:Queen's University – Senior Eight: Jonny Mitchell, Marc Butler, James Graham, Christopher Coyle, Addulrahman Mohamed, Eoin Mac Domhnaill, Gavin Meek, Damian Hannon; Harry Ryhs-Davies. Single Scull: Colin Williamson. Commercial – Lightweight Single: Becky Quinn.
