Rowing News:Ireland's new lightweight coach, John Holland, who has been given the task of qualifying lightweight boats for Beijing, will be able to call on top athlete Gearóid Towey for the season.
Towey (30), who has a gold, a silver and two bronze medals from World Championships, stepped away from the sport last January and has been based in Spain. But he will be part of Holland's first session with the athletes which starts this day week at Blessington . The camp will run to the next weekend.
Holland may also be able to call on Sam Lynch (32), although this is complicated by the fact the man who won World gold medals in 2001 and 2002 is now a junior doctor.
Lynch was very positive about Holland's appointment yesterday and said he would be in contact with him to see does he figure in the Corkman's plans. However, Lynch said that while he is in training and would be available for this weekend, a full-time commitment was not on at the moment because of his job in St James's Hospital in Dublin.
Holland said he plans to have his team together for 20 days each month. Initially they will be based at Blessington, but he is looking at taking them away, most likely to Spain, for December and January.
In February, the Ireland team, including the heavyweights under Harald Jahrling, will come together in France.
Holland's personnel are likely to include the lightweight four which finished 12th at the World Championships in August - Cathal Moynihan, Eugene Coakley, Richard Archibald and Paul Griffin - along with Richard Archibald, Diarmaid Mac Colgáin and Towey.
Liam Molloy (21), who has been recovering from injury, may also figure, as could Dave Heffernan, who is based in York in England. Tim Harnedy has a long-term injury which will have to respond to treatment if he is to compete in the season ahead.
The lightweight women are welcome to work under Holland or stay in Jahrling's system.
Mac Colgáin was fiercely critical of Jahrling last season after he was not given the chance to form a lightweight double with Molloy after the two had finished second and first, respectively, in the second national trial.
Holland said yesterday he would likely form a double in similar circumstances, allowing a crew the chance to show their competitiveness in the run-up to the Olympic Qualifier in Poland in June. But he also said athletes would have to take part initially in the trials process under Jahrling.
The team manager designate, Mike Heskin, said that it was "all systems go" now for the Ireland structures. He met Jahrling and Holland recently and it was "very, very productive and positive".
On the water tomorrow, the Portadown Marascull has a strong local entry, with Richard Archibald the likely winner of the men's senior single scull.
