Ireland qualified for the A Final of the lightweight quadruple sculls at the World Under-23 Championships in Plovdiv in a hot race – in every sense.
The race took place in 32 degrees of heat and was the fastest ever in this competition – Austria won in a new best time for the Championships of five minutes 47.86 seconds. Conditions were good and the time would be bettered by six tenths of a second in the next semi-final.
The Austrians had led early on, with Italy, Germany and Denmark pushing for the two other A Final places.
Ireland were in fifth early on but had a very good middle thousand, and took over from Denmark in the top four. In a scramble for the line, Italy took second, Ireland third, with Germany missing out.
The Ireland lightweight pair have already qualified for their A Final on Saturday, and the lightweight double could make it three A Finals from three if they make it through their semi-final on Saturday.
Ireland will also be hoping to perform well at the Home International on Saturday in Strathclyde, Scotland.
The men's senior sweep group could take some titles: it includes a selection from NUIG, the top club at the recent Irish Championships. The men's sculling group includes Clonmel's Daire Lynch and UCC's Ronan Byrne, who represented Ireland at the World Junior Championships last year. Emily Hegarty of the senior women's sculling group also competed in those championships.
Amongst the junior group, Rory Quinn and Oisín Clune of Three Castles have a point to prove: they just missed out on a place at the Coupe de la Jeunesse, and were excellent at the Irish Championships.
