Irish fours impress to advance to championship quarter-finals in Germany

IRELAND’S Olympic class lightweight men’s four has progressed to the quarter-finals of the World Rowing Championships in Germany.

And the Olympic class lightweight women’s double finished fourth to progress to tomorrow’s repechages.

The men’s four (LM4-) of Paul Griffin, Richard Archibald, Eugene Coakley and Cathal Moynihan finishing second in their heat to advance to tomorrow’s quarter-finals. The Irish crew crossed the line half a boat length down on Australia but ahead of Italy.

They must be one of the first three crews over the line to advance to the semi-finals which would see them race for Olympic qualification. Team manager Mick O’Callaghan said: “I expect further progress from this crew.”

The women’s double (LW2x) of Sinéad Jennings and Niamh Ní Cheilleachair finished fourth in their heat to progress to tomorrow’s repechages.

The top 11 crews at the end of the week will qualify for Beijing 2008.

The lightweight women’s double (LW2x) of Jennings in stroke seat and Ní Cheilleachair in bow had a disappointing row finishing behind Greece, Denmark and Canada. They race in the repechages tomorrow where they must finish in the top three to reach the semi-finals and keep their dream of Olympic qualification alive. Today Ireland’s heavyweights and non-Olympic boats return to the water. The men’s heavyweight four (M4-) of Alan Martin, Sean Casey, Cormac Folan and Sean O’Neill will contest their repechage at 11.54am Irish time. They need to be in the top two to reach the semi-finals. The top 11 again qualify for Beijing. In the men’s heavyweight single scull (M1x) Sean Jacob will need to finish in the top three to reach the semi-finals.

In non-Olympic class boats Ireland have two representatives; Orlagh Duddy and Liam Molloy in the lightweight single sculls both needing top-two finishes in their repechages to advance.