# ROWING WORLD CUP: Paul O’Donovan gave Ireland lift-off at the World Cup Regatta at Dorney Lake this morning. The 19-year-old UCD student, making his World Cup debut, won his heat of the lightweight single sculls to qualify directly for the Semi-Finals. Duncan Grant of New Zealand, the red-hot favourite, took the second qualification place.
Claire Lambe will have to travel the repechage route after a third-place finish in her heat of the lightweight single sculls. With Fabiane Beltrame of Brazil winning well, direct qualification for the A Final rested on taking the second place. Ruth Walczak of Britain grabbed her chance.
Tom Kelly finished fourth in the heat of the Arms and Shoulders single sculls.
World Cup Regatta, Dorney Lake, Day One (Irish interest)
Men
Lightweight Single Sculls - Heat Two (First Two Directly to A/B Semi-Final; rest to Repechage): 1 Ireland (P O’Donovan) 7:13.89, 2 New Zealand (D Grant) 7:17.37; 3 Hong Kong 7:27.67, 4 Korea 7:28.71, 5 Brazil Two 7:30.92, 6 Japan 7:32.49.
Arms and Shoulders Single Sculls – Heat One (First Directly to Final; rest to Repechage): 4 Ireland (T Kelly) 6:31.23.
Women
Lightweight Single Sculls – Heat Two (First Two Directly to A Final; rest to Repechage): 1 Brazil (F Beltrame) 7:54.85, 2 Britain (R Walczak) 7:59.13; 3 Ireland (C Lambe) 8:07.80, 4 Paraguay 8:29.68, 5 Hong Kong 8:34.62.
