ROWING:Galway, Nice, Monaco and Beijing - news of Irish rowing comes from nearly as many desirable locations as Government Ministers will visit this weekend.
The Tribesmen Head of the River on the Corrib tomorrow provides the usual early-season highlight in the western capital. There is a massive entry, and there are three heads scheduled, at 10.30, 2.0 and 4.15.
The final head will be led off by four men's senior eight crews, with NUIG first off. Some of the college's top oarsmen are in the Ireland training camp near Nice, but their crew will still be expected to account for St Michael's, Neptune and a composite including Queen's University, Lady Victoria and Belfast Rowing Club.
In the men's intermediate eight, Commercial have shown fine form and tomorrow can test themselves against NUIG, UCC and UCD. As a simple example of the size of the rest of the entry, the men's novice eight category has 14 crews - that's 126 athletes.
Two of NUIG's absent stars are not short of mental exercise while they are billeted in St Cassien, near Nice. Paul Murray and James Wall have university exams this week - and, under a special dispensation from the Galway college, have been sitting them in the University of Nice.
One man who has not joined the camp is Sam Lynch, who has "a small injury at the moment", according to team manager Mick O'Callaghan, who says the conditions on the water in France have been "excellent".
Yesterday, Kieran Kerr, a member of the St Michael's club who was a jury member at the 2001 World Championships in Lucerne, learned officially that he will be a jury member at the Beijing Olympics next year.
Kerr said most international umpires "are lucky to get one (an Olympic Games) in a lifetime".
"This is what I have been aiming for for a long time," he said.
Less inspiring news from the St Michael's club came with the news that the young international oarsman Dan Barry has opted out of the system.
Ireland will have jury members at four events run by world governing body Fisa this year: the World Junior Championships (Terry McEvoy), the European Championships and World Masters (Ian James) and the World Cup in Amsterdam (John McGeehan).
The more glamorous side of rowing was on show in Monaco recently, when Prince Albert, son of actress Grace Kelly, rowed with Jack Kelly III in the Prince Albert II Challenge, a coastal event.
The cousins share a grandfather, Jack Kelly, who won three Olympic gold medals for the US. Jack Kelly III rowed in Ireland a few seasons ago on a visit by his club, Vesper BC of Philadelphia. He told The Irish Timesthat the Irish link remains important to his family.
Back on Irish soil, the St Patrick's Day parade in Limerick tomorrow honours Paul Gleeson and Tori Holmes, who rowed the Atlantic. The Limerickman and his Canadian girlfriend will be Grand Marshals for the parade.
