Paul O’Donovan flying as Farran gears up for nationals

If last weekend’s Cork Regatta is a reliable barometer, the National Championships next month (July 14-16) will draw unprecedented entries to the National Rowing Centre at Farran, Cork.

The regatta entry in Cork was just 180 crews less than last year’s Rowing Championships – the pinnacle of the Irish calendar - and every current member of the Irish senior High Performance (HP) team was present and accounted for with their respective clubs.

Rio Olympic star Paul O’Donovan underlined his standing as the fastest sculler in the country, covering the 2000m distance in six minutes 50.819 seconds, more than 13 seconds faster than his brother and usual crewmate Gary. St Michael’s’ Declan O’Connor took third.