"Get a medal here and you have your seat for the World Championships." Tom Fennessey, the president of the Irish rowing union, yesterday put his finger on the most attractive incentive for the six Irish crews at the final leg of the rowing World Cup at Lucerne this weekend.

The all-Commercial lightweight quadruple scull, which won silver and bronze in the last two World Cup regattas, looks like Ireland's best medal hope - they compete for the first time at 2.35 Swiss time this afternoon - but young Fermoy and Leander lightweight sculler Gearoid Towey also has a chance.

The regatta will be a particularly big challenge for the Commercial women's quad which has paid its own way, and for lightweight single scullers Sam Lynch and Ruth Doyle, who are also gambling their own funds on landing a World Championship place. The double scull of Donal McGuinness and John Armstrong completes the Irish entry at for Lucerne.