#ROWING: The Ireland lightweight pair of Niall Kenny and Mark O’Donovan caused a major upset on the second day of the World Rowing Championships in Amsterdam today. The new crew at international level won their heat, beating World and European champions Switzerland. The Swiss set a blistering early pace and drew well clear, but the Irish had by far the better second 1,000 metres. They caught and passed the Swiss, who could not meet the challenge and actually stopped before getting going again, allowing China to take the second qualification spot.

World Rowing Championships, Amsterdam, Day Two (Selected Results, Irish interest)

Men

Lightweight Pair – Heat Two (First Two to A/B Semi-Finals; rest to Repechage): 1 Ireland (M O’Donovan, N Kenny) 6:53.54, 2 China (Zhenwei Hou, Fanbing Zhang) 6:54.57; 3 Switzerland 7:03.74, 4 Australia 7:10.31, 5 Bulgaria 7:13.05, 6 Austria 7:19.39.

#ROWING: Claire Lambe and Denise Walsh finished third in their heat of the lightweight double sculls at the World Rowing Championships in Amsterdam today. Just one crew qualified directly for the semi-finals and Lambe and Walsh were competitive and did not let early leaders Germany break away from them. However, Australia finished faster than both and won the race.

World Rowing Championships, Amsterdam (Selected Results; Irish interest)

Men
Lightweight Single Sculls – Heat Two (First Four Directly to Quarter-Finals; rest to Repechage): 1 Portugal (P Fraga) 6:53.62, Australia (P Ward) 6:54.96, 3 Ireland (P O’Donovan) 6:57.65,

4 China (Jingbin Zhao) 7:03.13; 5 Slovakia 7:04.81, 6 Quatar 9:52.93.

Women

Pair – Heat Two (First Three Directly to A/B Semi-Finals; rest to Repechage): 1 Britain (H Glover, H Stanning) 7:04.64, 2 Ireland (L Kennedy, L Dilleen) 7:15.29, 3 Canada (J Martins, K Bauder) 7:04.64; 4 Serbia 7:21.06, 5 Russia 7:24.48.

Lightweight Double Sculls – Heat One (Winner to A/B Semi-Final; rest to Repechage): 1 Australia (A McNamara, E Flecker) 6:57.15; 2 Germany 7:00.24, 3 Ireland (C Lambe, D Walsh) 7:01.23, 4 Russia 7:02.71, 5 Denmark 7:07.89.

#ROWING: Paul O’Donovan gave Ireland a good start to the World Rowing Championships in Amsterdam today. The UCD lightweight single sculler qualified directly for the quarter-finals by finishing third in a heat, with four going through. China’s Zhao Jingbin set the early pace and O’Donovan was in fifth to halfway. But the Chinese faded while O’Donovan grew stronger: the Irishman passed him and Lukas Babac of Slovakia in the second half of the race. Pedro Fraga of Portugal won, with Perry Ward of Australia second.

World Rowing Championships, Amsterdam (Selected Results; Irish interest)

Men

Lightweight Single Sculls – Heat Two (First Four Directly to Quarter-Finals; rest to Repechage): 1 Portugal (P Fraga) 6:53.62, Australia (P Ward) 6:54.96, 3 Ireland (P O’Donovan) 6:57.65,4 China (Jingbin Zhao) 7:03.13; 5 Slovakia 7:04.81, 6 Quatar 9:52.93.

#ROWING: The Ireland team for the World Rowing Championships has been named. A team of 14 athletes in seven boats have been selected for the event, which will be held in Amsterdam from August 24th to 31st.

Crews have been based at the National Rowing Centre, where they have been on training and undergoing extensive testing since the World Cup regattas at Aiguebelette in France and Lucerne in Switzerland.

Ireland Team for World Rowing Championships, Amsterdam, August 24th to 31st

Men:

Lightweight Pair: Niall Kenny (UCD BC), Mark O’Donovan (UCD BC)

Lightweight Single Scull (ML1x): Paul O’Donovan (UCD BC)

Women

Four: Barbara O’Brien (NUIG BC), Aifric Keogh (NUIG BC), Emily Tormey (NUIG BC) and Marie O’Neill (Cork BC)

Pair: Lisa Dilleen (Gráinne Mhaol RC) and Leonora Kennedy (Portora BC)

Double Scull: Monika Dukarska (Killorglin RC) and Helen Walshe (Three Castles RC)

Lightweight Double Scull: Denise Walsh (Skibbereen RC) and Claire Lambe (Old Collegians BC)

Single Scull: Sanita Puspure (Old Collegians BC)