Niall Kenny, from NUIG, and Justin Ryan of UCC finished second to Germany in a very competitive under-23 lightweight double scull final at the Wedau International Regatta in Duisburg. The Irish were the only crew to stay in touch with Clemens Hubler and Matthias Arnold, who made up half of the German lightweight quadruple which took silver at the World Under-23 Championships last year. Italy’s Davide Babboni and Tommaso Sacchini, well back in third place, were the bronze medallists in the lightweight double scull at last year’s Under-23 World Championships.

Wedau International Regatta, Duisburg, Germany, Sunday (Selected Results)

Men, Eight – Final: 1 German Composite 5:47.84; 4 Queen’s 6:10.90.

Pair - Final: 1 Greece (I Tsilis, G Tziallas) 6:51.32; 5 Old Collegians/NUIG (Jacob, Folan) 7:02.49.

Under-23 Lightweight Pair – Heat One: 5 UCD/St Michael’s (English, Hanily) 7:20.75.

Under-23 Lightweight Double Scull – Heat Two: 3 NUIG/UCC (N Kenny, J Ryan) 7:07.11. Final: 1 German Composite (C Hubler, M Arnold) 7:00.83, 2 NUIG/UCC (Kenny, Ryan) 7:02.71, 3 Italy (D Babboni, T Sacchini) 7:09.83, 4 France 7:12.95, 5 Greece 7:16.33, 6 Strathclyde/Durham 7:17.30

Single Scull – Heat One: 3 Queen’s (Williamson) 7:39.69. Final: 1 Greece (I Christou) 7:39.57; 3 Queen’s (Williamson) 7:46.44.

Lightweight Single Scull – Heat One: 6 Commercial (Maher) 7:59.91. Heat Three: 4 Muckross (Moynihan) 7:43.15. B Final: 2 Muckross (Moynihan) 7:47.17.

Women

Quadruple (Straight Final): 1 Austria 7:04.56, 2 St Michael’s/Old Collegians/Carrick-on-Shannon/Tribesmen (Clavin, Jacob, Kelly, McCrohan) 7:06.59.

Single Scull – Heat Two: 2 Old Collegians (Puspure) 8:33.68. A Final: 1 Rostock (M-L Draeger) 8:14.89; 5 Old Collegians (Puspure) 8:31.97.

Lightweight Single Scull – Heat One: 4 Trinity (Dolan) 8:56.14. Heat Three: 4 UCD (Lambe) 8:40.21. B Final: 1 UCD (Lambe) 8:44.28, 2 Trinity (Dolan) 8:45.83.

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Irish crews recorded three third-place finishes on the second day of the Wedau International Regatta in Duisburg in Germany. For the Ireland team, the under-23 lightweight double scull of Niall Kenny and Michael Maher and Sanita Puspure in the women’s single scull were on the mark. The senior eight from Queen’s Unversity continued their good form, conceding only to the Poland and France under-23 squad crews. Poland won the under-23 world championships last year, and three of that crew and the cox were in the crew which finished 2.31 seconds ahead of Queen’s. Eton College, in fourth, were almost five seconds behind the Belfast crew.

Wedau International Regatta, Duisburg, Germany (Day Two, Selected Results)

Men,

Eight – A Final (Men/Women): 1 Polish Composite 6:14.70, 2 France 6:15.11, 3 Queen’s University 6:17.01; 4 Eton College 6:21.91, 5 German Under-23 Composite 6:40.52, 6 France (Women) 7:12.34.

Pair – Heat One: 1 Greece (I Tsilis, G Tziallas) 7:01.98, 2 Old Collegians/NUIG (S Jacob, C Folan) 7:05.81.

Under-23 Lightweight Pair – A Final: 1 France (C Breschet, E Jonville) 7:25.55; 6 UCD/St Michael’s (A English, P Hanily) 7:50.57.

Under-23 Lightweight Double Sculls – Heat Two: 1 Greece (P Magdanis, E Konsolas) 7:11.38, 2 NUIG/Commercial (N Kenny, M Maher) 7:12.57. A Final: 1 Greece 7:12.44, 2 France (A Pilat, C Fonta) 7:15.88, 3 NUIG/Commercial (Kenny, Maher) 7:15.90.

Single Scull – Heat Two: 1 Krakow (W Chabel) 7:36.77, 4 Queen’s University (C Williamson) 7:51.73.

Lightweight Single Scull – Semi-Final One: 1 Neptun eV Konstanz (I Voigt) 7:38.80, 6 Muckross (C Moynihan) 7:54.32. B Final: 1 Muckross (Moynihan) 8:02.18.

Women

Lightweight Double Sculls – Heat One: 1 Austria (M Taupe-Traer, S Borzacchini) 7:54.17, 5 Old Collegians/Tribesmen (S Jacob, S McCrohan) 8:06.92. Heat Two: 1 Zug/Thun (F Albrecht, D Birrer) 8:05.06; 3 Carrick-on-Shannon/St Michael’s (D Kelly, S Clavin) 8:13.38. A Final: 1 Treptower/Potsdamer (D Reimer, S Burmeister) 7:57.24; 5 Carrick/St Michael’s (Kelly, Clavin) 8:12.24. B Final:

Under-23 Lightweight Double Sculls – Heat Two: 1 France (C Mulot, R Jung) 8:2.06, 2 Trinity/UCD (S Dolan, C Lambe) 8:03.17. A Final: 1 Greece 8:08.19; 6 Trinity/UCD (Dolan, Lambe) 8:21.67

Single Sculls – Heat Two: 1 Rostocker (J Lepke) 8:18.78, 3 Old Collegians (S Puspure) 8:22.25. A Final: 1 Koninklijke Belgische (A DeDecker) 8:28.86, 2 Greece (A Tsiavou) 8:31.92, 3 Old Collegians (S Puspure) 8:34.31.

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Lightweight single sculler Cathal Moynihan and the the under-23 lightweight pair of Anthony English and Peter Hanily both advanced to today’s round of the Wedau Regatta in Duisburg in Germany yesterday. The men’s pair of Sean Jacob and Cormac Folan could only finish sixth in their heat and must wait until Sunday to compete again.

Wedau Regatta, Duisburg, Day One (Selected Results)

Men, Pair - Heat Three: 6 S Jacob, C Folan 7:06.77.

Under-23 Lightweight Pair – Heat Two: 2 A English, P Hanily 7:26.40.

Lightweight Single Scull: Heat One 3 C Moynihan 7:47.38.

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The first Irish man to row solo across the Atlantic Ocean has spoken of his fears that some one will be killed on the challenge which he says was "horrific". After spending 118 days at sea Limerick man Seán McGowan was honoured with a mayoral reception in his native city last night Kathryn Hayes has the full story on the Woodvale Ocean Rowing Race in the Irish Times. Click read more for the story link.

Sean McGowan reached land in Antigua May 1 to become the first Irish-based oarsman to row across an ocean. The 42-year-old from Shannon Rowing Club crossed the Atlantic in 118 days one hour and 14 minutes. He had rowed out of La Gomera in the Canary Islands on January 4th.

Solo rower warns against 'horrific' Atlantic challenge

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A new initiative to get schoolkids rowing will pit schools against each other online in virtual rowing competitions.

Rowing Ireland’s ‘Get Going, Get Rowing’ initiative is underway and has already brought several schools into contact with the sport. The first phase of the programme gets children rowing on machines and competing online, and hopes to assist them to make the transition onto the water.

Rowing Ireland’s Development Officer, Lisa Hayden explained that they hope to set up a schools league using the online rowpro software, where 16 'boats' can compete online.
She said the experience is 'like a Nintendo Wii, but it's not just giving the illusion of exercise, it's real exercise'.
“The 'Get Going...Get Rowing' initiative is about getting as many young people active as possible through the use of rowing machines, known as ergometers. There are different incentives and lesson plans devised to ensure that it never gets boring. The initiative gives students the opportunity to experience on of Ireland's most successful Olympic sports.
"It is important to the growth of the sport, and getting students, particularly girls, involved at this age is critical if they are to remain active for the rest of their lives.”

The programme will then join with clubs like the Dublin Municipal Rowing Centre, run by Dublin City Council, to transfer rowing enthusiasm into boats on the river.

GET GOING...GET ROWING ON FACEBOOK

DUBLIN MUNICIPAL ROWING CENTRE

ROWING IRELAND

Claire Cooney and Ruth Morris of Commercial led the way for Ireland at the KRSG regatta in Ghent, Belgium. They were the fastest junior women’s pair on both Saturday and Sunday. Cork’s Marie O’Neill took gold on Saturday and silver yesterday in the senior single scull. Adrian Sheehan of Castleconnell was an impressive second yesterday in the junior 18 single scull.

 KRSG Regatta, Ghent, Belgium (Selected Results)

Saturday

Men, Eight – Junior: 1 France 6:00.0, 2 Abingdon School (Britain)  6:01.50, 3 St Joseph’s 6:18.15.

Four – Junior: 4 St Joseph’s 6:44.60. Junior, coxed: 2 St Joseph’s 7:17.53.

Sculling, Single – Junior: 6 Castleconnell (A Sheehan) 7:44.76.

Women, Eight – Junior: 1 France 6:51.88, 2 Methody, Belfast 7:26.56.

Four – Senior: 3 Commercial 7:24.72. Junior: 2 Commercial 7:42.93, 3 Cork 7:54.81.

Pair – Junior: 1 Commercial (C Cooney, R Morris) 8:22.56.

Sculling, Single – Senior: 1 Cork (M O’Neill) 8:08.79,

Sunday

Men,

Eight – Junior 18: 3 St Joseph’s 6:24.28. Junior 16: 2 St Joseph’s 6:53.78.

Four – Junior: 5 St Joseph’s 7:06.88. Four, coxed: 1 France 6:42.94, 2 St Joseph’s 7:17.53.

Sculling, Double – Junior: 4 Castleconnell (A Sheehan, E O’Connor)  7:15.91.

Single – Junior 18: 1 France 7:38.22, 2 Castleconnell (Sheehan) 7:39.02

Women

Eight – Junior: 1 France 7:01.75, 2 Commercial 7:39.81, 3 Methody 7:44.56.

Four – Junior: 3 Commercial 7:45.53.

Pair – Junior: 1 Commercial (Cooney, Morris) 8:29.38; 4 Cork (Fehily, L Murphy) 8:40.04.

Sculling, Double – Senior: 3 Offaly (J Moran, E Moran) 7:46.03. Junior 18: 6 Cork (G Collins, N Fehilly) 8:18.44

Single – Senior: 2 Cork (M O’Neill) 8:24.44.

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Sean McGowan reached land in Antigua yesterday to become the first Irish-based oarsman to row across an ocean. The 42-year-old from Shannon Rowing Club crossed the Atlantic in 118 days one hour and 14 minutes. He had rowed out of La Gomera in the Canary Islands on January 4th.

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Queen’s University pulled off a spectacular double at the British University Championships (Bucs) at Nottingham. The college won the Championship eights and the intermediate eights on Saturday, with good margins over second-placed Oxford Brookes in both cases. Irish adaptive crews also had good results at the Gavirate International Regatta in Italy, with the mixed coxed four taking silver on both days.

British University Championships, Nottingham (Selected Results):

Championship Eight: 1 Queen’s University, Belfast 5 min 58.22 sec; 2 Oxford Brookes 6:01.77, 3 Bristol 6:16.03.

Intermediate Eight: 1 Queen’s 5:44.52, 2 Oxford Brookes 5:46.79, 3 Durham 5:49.85.
Portadown Regatta, Saturday (Finals):

Eight – Junior 18: Methody bt RBAI 1/3 l. Junior 16: Portora bt Coleraine AI ½ l. Masters: Belfast RC bt Bann ¼ l.

Four – Junior 18, coxed: RBAI bt Coleraine AI 1 ½ l.

Sculling, Quadruple – Novice, coxed: Carrick-on-Shannon bt Bann easily. Junior 18: Methody bt Portadown 3l. Junior 16, coxed: Bann A bt Bann B 2l.

Double – Novice: Carrick-on-Shannon B bt Carrick-on-Shannon A canvas. Junior 18: Carrick-on-Shannon bt RBAI 3l. Junior 16: Carrick-on-Shannon bt Bann 2l. Masters: Belfast BC (F) bt Bann RC (D) easily

Single – Senior: Portadown (McIlveen) bt Lagan Scullers (Rankin) easily. Intermediate: Portadown (Hanna) bt Lagan Scullers (Rankin) easily. Novice: Portadown (Hanna) bt Carrick-on-Shannon (Little) 1 ½ l. Junior 18:  RBAI (Beck) bt Carrick-on-Shannon (Cox) 3l. Junior 16: Carrick-on-Shannon (Aherne) bt Carrick-on-Shannon (Keaveney) 2 ½ l. Masters: Bann (Hamilton) bt Belfast BC (Gray) easily.

Women, Eight – Junior 18, Invitational: Portora bt Methody/Portadown 3l.

Four – Novice, coxed: Carrick-on-Shannon bt Queen’s easily.

Sculling, Quadruple – Novice, coxed: Carrick-on-Shannon bt Belfast RC easily. Junior 16, coxed: Portora bt Methody easily.

Double – Junior 18: Portadown A bt Portadown B ½ l. Junior 16: Portadown bt Carrick-on-Shannon 2 ½ l.

Single – Junior 18: Portadown (Toal) bt Portadown (Lindsay) easily.

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Dublin rowing clubs Neptune and Commercial sit at the top of the new Rowing Ireland Grand League table following the Queen’s regatta in County Down.

The leading clubs after the second regatta are:

Neptune 219 points, Commercial 206, Skibbereen 192 points, UCD 171 pts, St. Michaels 150, Portora 117, Carrick on Shannon 102.

St Michaels, Limerick lead the men's senior category on 87 points, just one point ahead of Commercial on 86 points with UCD a close third on 81 points.  UCD on 90 points now lead the women’s senior category ahead of Dublin University Ladies Boat Club on 56 points.

Skibbereen RC remain top of the junior men category closely followed by Dublin’s Neptune on 69 with Portora, Enniskillen and Neptune, Dublin topping the junior women on 63 and 62 points respectively.

Neptune, Dublin also lead in the overall best performing club category.

For full tables go to results at http://iaru.ie/main.php

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Brenda Ewing has been chosen as the Afloat Rower of the Month for April. In its two outings so far, at Skibbereen and Queen’s regattas, the Grand League series has been an outstanding success. Ewing, along with Pat McInerney and Mark Pattison, brought this radical idea to life and have worked tirelessly behind the scenes. She is honoured for this achievement.

Rower of the Month awards: The judging panel is made up of Liam Gorman, rowing correspondent of The Irish Times, President of Rowing Ireland Anthony Dooley and David O'Brien, Editor of Afloat magazine. Monthly awards for achievements during the year will appear on afloat.ie and the overall national award will be presented to the person who, in the judges' opinion, achieved the most notable results in, or made the most significant contribution to rowing during 2010. Keep a monthly eye on progress and watch our 2010 champions list grow.

Listen to the Podcast with Brenda Ewing below.