ROWING:THE NATIONAL Championships, which begin today in Cork and continue tomorrow, are packed full of interesting match-ups, not least in the men's senior eights.
Eight crews have entered the big one, and while Trinity and NUIG may have the strongest claims, few would make firm predictions of the outcome.
Trinity will campaign with the crew which competed at Henley, with Seán Osborne in the stroke seat. NUIG, who have been there and thereabouts at this level right through this decade were, characteristically, coy about their line-up yesterday.
The three composite crews are, by definition, unproven entities. Seán Jacob, reportedly exhausted after his five-day Henley run, has pulled out of the Neptune/Old Collegians crew. But this crew still has big hitters in the shape of Martin Walsh, Aodhan Kelly, Eoghan Garvey and Con Collis, along with stroke man Jan Herzog, an Oxford Blue and a former medal winner with Germany.
The super-composite of Galway, Old Collegians, Shannon and Tribesmen will hope for good conditions, as they will be lighter than their rivals, and the University of Limerick/Garda crew would have to be characterised as outsiders.
This leaves UCD, Belfast and Commercial, any of which could pull out a top-class performance. UCD have been keen to stress that their primary aim is the intermediate eight, but their season lifted off with their defeat of Trinity in the Gannon Cup, and they would love to peak again tomorrow.
Belfast were disappointed with their short run at Henley in the Thames Cup but reckon they have a better crew now than that which reached the semi-final of the Thames Cup in 2006.
And what of Commercial? Their Wyfold Cup run at Henley was a huge boost, and their young stars have to come of age at some stage. However, the prediction here is a Trinity win.
The women's senior eight has six entries and a clear favourite in Muckross, while returning Henley heroine Caroline Ryan can add another jewel to a crown which already includes Women's Henley and Henley Royal Regatta with a win in the women's single scull.
The Henley winner and the Oxford Blue will be joined by a former world champion in Sam Lynch. The St Michael's man teams up with his brother Hughie in the senior double scull, and the two join James Harrington and Niall Kenny in the senior coxless four.
In other news, Neasa Folan, the Ireland Development Coach, will leave the Irish system for the British one. The Galway woman will become a talent development coach on the World Class Start Programme immediately after the Olympic Games. She will work out of the Molesey club.
