It is a bumper weekend for rowing. The Ireland team launches itself into the first international regatta of the season in Italy, while at home the Irish University Championships today at the National Rowing Centre act as a curtain raiser to the Skibbereen regatta. It will be held tomorrow and Sunday at the same venue.

Ireland scullers Paul O'Donovan and Sanita Puspure will not be short of competition at the Memorial Paolo d'Aloja regatta in Piediluco in Italy. There are 29 entries in O'Donovan's lightweight scullers' class and Puspure is one of 17 women single scullers.

Ireland's two other crews face less daunting competition: five crews are entered in the women's pair, in which Lisa Dilleen and Leonora Kennedy are set to compete; and six in the women's double, where Eimear Moran and Monika Dukarska will represent Ireland.

The regatta begins today and runs through to Sunday.

Even by wider Irish sporting standards, Skibbereen Regatta is a big event. There are 701 crews entered, and over 1,000 competitors will take to the water. There are about 100 volunteers controlling competition, which runs from 11.30 to 7.30 tomorrow and from 8.30 to 3.30 on Sunday.

There will be an edge in Division One of the single sculls, where Tim Harnedy (31), a silver medallist at the World Championships in 2005, is set to make his return.

The men’s Division One eights sees NUIG/Gráinne Mhaol taking on Trinity, while in the women’s eight the Galway combination faces Trinity and Cork Boat Club.

The battle of the senior eights at the University Championships today will be on similar lines: Trinity, UCD and NUIG fight it out in the men’s competition and two Trinity crews take on UCD in the women’s.