The Ireland team gave themselves three more chances to impress in A Finals after a very successful first session of the second day of the World Cup Regatta in Lucerne, Switzerland.
Natalie Long and Tara Hanlon are a new crew and they found themselves in a three-way battle for two places in their semi-final of the women’s pair. Australia’s Jessica Morrison and Annabelle McIntyre had stamped their authority on the race from 300 metres in and shot away to win from there. Greece, Croatia and Ireland fought for the other two spots. Greece and then Long and Hanlon showed the determination and the speed to take places two and three.
The Ireland pair of Ross Corrigan and Nathan Timoney may be just 24 and 22 respectively but they have a good record – and World Championship medals – at under-23 level and have been showing no inhibitions at the fabled venue of Lucerne.
They matched the home favourites, Switzerland, in the first half of their semi-final. Roman Roeoesli and Andrin Gulich gained the upper hand from there, but Corrigan and Timoney did not yield second and go into the final in good form.
In the men’s double semi-final, Ireland’s Philip Doyle and Daire Lynch (pic) took on a field of classy crews. France are the Olympic champions, with Hugo Boucheron now teamed with a new crewmate. But standing above them all were the Sinkovic brothers of Croatia, Martin and Valent, strong contenders for the greatest crew of all time.
Doyle and Lynch showed no excess humility: they raced Croatia down the course – the only crew to do so – and will be disappointed that Romania’s late charge forced them into second, just .44 seconds ahead of Ireland. Australia’s Harley Moore and Jack Cleary took fourth and Boucheron and Valentin Onfroy of France fifth.
Hugh Moore finished 16th overall in the lightweight single sculls. The Ulster man took fourth in a C Final which was won by just .29 of a second by Finlay Hamill of New Zealand from Marlon Colpaert of Belgium.