Mixed fortunes for Irish rowers in Switzerland

IRISH rowers enjoyed mixed success at the World Cup Series in Lucerne, Switzerland, yesterday with three of the six crews edging closer to tomorrow’s finals.

Olympic-bound Sam Lynch and Gearóid Towey finished second to world champions Italy in the second repechage of the Lightweight Double Sculls. They will compete in the semi-final this afternoon on the Rotsee Lake, 3.44pm.

The Lightweight Men’s Four of Paul Griffin, Eugene Coakley, Richard Archibald and Neil O’Toole finished second to Denmark, the world champions and will also be in semi-final action at 4pm.

Ireland’s Lightweight Quadruple Scullers Brian Young, Diarmud McColgan, Herbie Griffin and Ken McDonald compete in this morning’s repechage, 11.12am and are favourites.

Tullamore native Niamh Ní Chealleachair marginally missed out on qualification for the Lightweight Single Sculls semi-final after finishing third while in the Men’s Lightweight Single Sculls Timmy Harnedy was desperately unlucky to miss out on the semis.

Harnedy finished fourth with an agonising seven tenths of a second between him and the race winner with only the top three qualifying. The Skibbereen club man will contest the ‘C’ final at 9.20am.

Lightweight Men’s Pair Neil Casey and Derek Holland withdrew from their heats.