In a change to the original plans for the season, Sanita Puspure and the women’s pair of Leonora Kennedy and Lisa Dilleen will represent Ireland at the World Cup Regatta in Lucerne in Switzerland in two weeks’ time.
“The hope is that they will get close to the final . . . get that experience for next year,” said Ireland performance director Morten Espersen. Puspure reached the A Final in Aiguebelette last weekend, where she finished sixth, while the pair were third in the B Final, ninth overall.
Espersen said budgetary constraints would make things a “little difficult” as he organises this trip, and just two crews will travel. Tight budgets have also been a story of the domestic season. Cork’s regatta struggled against a problem which has been a constant in the Grand League regattas: working the raw data through the complex system needed to sort and order the crews. Next season Rowing Ireland hopes to take out much of the this weight by marrying this side with the successful new tracker system. Funding was not available this season.
Cork had an exciting finish, with Gráinne Mhaol/NUIG beating UCD in a close race to take the men’s Division One eight. Other notable winners were Andy Harrington in the Division One men’s single sculls and Catríona Jennings in the women’s equivalent.
Trinity’s men’s senior eight had opted to compete at Marlow, where they finished fourth. The Queen’s quadruple scull occupied the same position in the elite class. These two crews, along with Dave Neale and Eimantas Grigalius in the double sculls, are set to backbone a small Irish challenge at Henley Royal Regatta, which begins on Wednesday. Lady Elizabeth are named in today’s qualifying races for the Britannia. Women’s Henley saw pararower Katie O’Brien of Galway and Holly Nixon of Portora record notable wins.
This weekend’s action on the water comes in the form of sprint regattas at Castleconnell tomorrow and Fermoy on Sunday. In the Great Pacific Race, Battleborn, the boat flying the Irish flag, has held second place through the week.
