Silver for O'Donovan and McCarthy at World Cup III

Ireland’s Paul O’Donovan and Fintan McCarthy

Olympic Champions Paul O’Donovan and Fintan McCarthy were pipped by the French crew in the final of the Lightweight Men's Double at World Cup III in Lucerne on Sunday. But the Skibbereen duo brought home one of three Irish medals from the event.

O’Donovan and McCarthy started from behind and confidently moved up the field until they were bow ball to bow ball with the early race leaders, the Swiss and French doubles. 

The Irish and the French crews battled all the way to the line, with the French double claiming the victory over the Irish pair by only 0.09 seconds, with the Irish taking silver.

The Men's Heavyweight double of Philip Doyle and Daire Lynch claimed bronze, fighting back in the last 750 meters to overtake the Romanian double in the closing stages. It improves on their finish in the European Rowing Championships in May, where they finished just outside of the medals in fourth.

Siobhán McCrohan won the third Irish medal on Saturday, taking home a silver medal in the Lightweight Women’s Single Scull.

In the women's pair A final on Sunday, Tara Hanlon and Natalie Long finished sixth. Fermanagh's Ross Corrigan and Nathan Timoney also missed out on the medals in the Men's Pair A final, crossing the line in sixth place.  

The Lightweight Women's Double of Margaret Cremen and Aoife Casey came fifth in their A final. While the Women’s Four of Eimear Lambe, Imogen Magner, Fiona Murtagh and Aifric Keogh also finished fifth.

All eyes are now on September's World Championships in Belgrade, Serbia where Paris Olympic spots are up for grabs.