Fiona Murtagh claims silver, Fintan McCarthy and Konan Pazzaia bronze at World Rowing Cup

Ireland won three medals in all at the regatta in Switzerland. 

Fiona Murtagh celebrates after finishing second in the women's single sculls. Pic: Benedict Tufnell/Sportsfile

Fiona Murtagh claimed silver for Ireland in the women's single sculls at the World Rowing Cup in Lucerne on Sunday while Fintan McCarthy and Konan Pazzaia took bronze in the men's double sculls. It took Ireland's medal haul from the regatta to three, adding to the bronze which Tiarnán O’Donnell and Sadhbh Ní Laoighre won on Saturday. 

Galway rower Murtagh finished in 7:18.63, just over three seconds behind winner and favourite, Lauren Henry of Great Britain. It was a close race throughout. Henry was slow out at the start with Canadian Katie Clark taking the lead. As they reached halfway, Henry started to move, taking the advantage, though Murtagh was following closely. With 500m to go, Henry had extended her lead over Murtagh to 1.57 seconds. Denmark's Frida Sanggaard Nielsen claimed bronze in 7:20.19.

The men's double sculls final was a tight finish with just 1.17 seconds separating first from third. McCarthy and Pazzaia - who also claimed bronze in the heavyweight event at the European Championships last month - finished in 6:11.65, just 0.12 behind silver medallists New Zealand. Serbia took the gold in 6:10.48. 

McCarthy's fellow Olympic lightweight double sculls gold medal winner Paul O'Donovan finished fifth, rowing 6:16.18 in a boat which also featured Olympic double sculls bronze medallist Daire Lynch. 

McCarthy and Pazzaia went out fast, leading at 500m, halfway, and with 500m to go. However, the surging Serbian boat of Martin Mackovic and Nikolaj Pimenov seized the win in the final 200m by 0.05 seconds from New Zealanders Finlay Hamill and Benjamin Mason. O'Donovan and Lynch were in sixth with 500m to row but a strong sprint finish in the final stretch saw them overtake the Individual Neutral Athletes crew to claim fifth.

O’Donnell and Ní Laoighre took bronze in the PR3 mixed double sculls final. They finished third in 8:48.89, behind silver medallists Australia (7:11.87) and winners Germany (7:09.41).