Rowing: Ireland's nascent heavyweight double scull of Seán Casey and Sean Jacob looks set to take on Sam Lynch and Gearóid Towey in the FISA Team Cup in Seville next weekend.

Casey and Jacob, part of the emerging Ireland heavyweight programme, have been training full time with Thor Nilsen's lightweight group in Seville. Nilsen feels that the early-season Team Cup on Saturday and Sunday, February 21st and 22nd, may be a chance to test their mettle in competition against the World Championship bronze medallists.

"I think that could be interesting," the Norwegian said yesterday. "If the two Seáns can keep up with the lightweights there is a good possibility they can develop to international standard."

Although Italy will be among the 20 or so nations competing in the event, which is run over 1,000 and 500 metres, Lynch and Towey will not encounter last year's gold medallists in the lightweight double, Elia Luini and Leonardo Pettinari.

The Italians are pursuing individual programmes, but clearly not losing their edge - Luini broke the world indoor rowing record in the lightweight men's category last week at the Italian Indoor Rowing Championships, clocking six minutes 2.6 seconds for 2,000 metres.

All four of Ireland's elite women are training in Spain and are likely to compete next weekend. Fiola Foley and Niamh Ní Cheilleachair will form a lightweight double, and Heather Boyle and Sinead Jennings may also team up in this discipline.

Jennings has been testing the possibility of competing as a heavyweight single sculler this season. However, Nilsen pointed out yesterday it is likely that competition in this discipline in June's Olympic Qualifier will be intense. There may be only two places for Athens available and "there are at least 10 to 12 good nations trying to qualify", he said.

Niall O'Toole, another former world champion who has hopes of making the start line in Athens, has joined the Seville training camp. The 34-year-old Commercial man won the world lightweight single sculling title in 1991.

O'Toole was part of the national squad crews entered as Tara in the St Michael's head of the river two weeks ago. These have been scratched from the rescheduled event tomorrow.