A good week for Irish rowing could get even better today if single sculler Padraic Hussey can finish in the top three in today's semi-final of the World Junior Championships at Ottensheim in Austria, so qualifying for tomorrow's final.

The Offaly 18-year-old, Ireland's only representative at the championships, had to come first or second in his repechage yesterday to progress. In the end he won comfortably by half a length. A medal-winning performance in Austria would top off a week in which the relative prominence of Irish rowing in world terms was reflected in the grant of £176,900 by Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation, Dr Jim McDaid to Irish rowers.

On the back of the grant, Dermot Henihan, chairman of the IARU's Competitive Rowing Committee said it may now opt to send more than one "development" crew to the World Championships in Cologne next month.

Lightweight single sculler Sam Lynch, the Neptune lightweight coxless four and a men's lightweight quadruple scull have already been pre-selected, reaching the criteria of being possible finalists in Cologne. Possible additions could be the women's lightweight quad and heavyweight single sculler Albert Maher.