FOR the pre race favourites it went exactly to plan. Trinity men and UCD women divided up Saturday's boat race silverware and left their opposition to reflect on the few chances they were afforded.

Trinity's 27th win in the Gannon Cup was one largely untroubled by the element of contest and by the end the UCD eight were adrift by four and a half lengths.

It had started at St James's Gate with UCD the faster away. Both crews knew that UCD's race plan depended on taking the lead from the start and unsettling the favourites. In the event their first stroke proved to be their best and within 10 metres Trinity had regained the initiative, rating 40 strokes a minute and never looked like surrendering it.

At every bridge along the course the margin was widening gradually and by the end of Arran Quay a dispirited UCD were down by a length and a half in water being chopped by wind against tide. Having earlier opted to row on the Northside station Trinity took advantage of the shelter given by the long Four Courts bend and by Grattan Bridge three lengths separated the two boats. Then rating at 36, Trinity passed under O'Connell Bridge - the only serious threat left in the race - and went over the finishing line to record a comfortable 27th Gannon Cup win against 20 for the light blues.

The expected UCD quick start had been the main threat of the race according to Brendan Smyth, rowing in his last colours event: "We knew their race plan would be to throw everything into the start. In the five Gannon races I've rowed in, the ones I've lost have been the ones that UCD have got off to a good start."

Peter Lennon was racing in his second colours race as number three man: "UCD tried to burst off the start but we knew after 30 strokes that they weren't going to be able to row through us and at that stage we knew that was it really. I thought their plan would have been a push at the Queen Street Bridge but it never materialised."

For UCD's number seven, Paddy Purser, the result added to what is becoming a legendary record of five races and five defeats. Conducting their post mortem, coaches Mike Geraghty and Eamonn Flynn put this one down to crew composure.

"All they could do against a crew like Trinity was row to the best of their ability and they didn't do that, they were always rowing in their puddles and psychologically Trinity got the edge before the race began by waiting until the last moment to take their training tops off. It might sound unimportant but it's the sort of thing that makes such a big difference.

"We were working all week on settling their minds to put them in the contest, but Trinity got the early start, we allowed ourselves to get rattled and we paid the price accordingly," said Geraghty.

In the 17th women's Corcoran Cup race a short starting style gave Trinity the initial advantage and after the first 20 strokes they were ahead by three seats. Side by side, oars clashed and while Trinity seemed to lose their concentration and seize up, UCD pulled ahead.

By the first bridge, they were half a length in front, rating at 35 strokes a minute. At Grattan Bridge, the margin had widened to two lengths and, despite warnings from the umpire, UCD moved across from their south station into the inside flow of the river. Trinity tried to claw back the distance by increasing their rate but the challenge soon faded and UCD finished the race in assured style, four lengths ahead.

"UCD took advantage of the clash and from then on it was all wrapped up. You don't let a crew of that class get a length up," conceded Trinity's coach Angus Woods.