Illness might have taken two crews out, but Ireland rowers remain very much on track at the European Championships in Munich.
The bad news overnight was that a number of the Irish party were unwell with stomach upsets. Sanita Puspure could not keep food down and had to withdraw. This forced out the women’s double of Puspure and Zoe Hyde and also saw the eight taken out of its repechage – which was then cancelled, as just six crews remained and could go straight into a final.
In the immediate wake of this news, the women’s pair showed great compousure. Fiona Murtagh and Emily Hegarty went into their repechage knowing only a top-two placing would send them to the final. They took over in the second half and won.
The women’s lightweight double and Aoife Casey in the lightweight single also won.
Casey came from third at half way and passed Italy’s Stefania Buttignon in the final quarter to win.
Margaret Cremen and Lydia Heaphy (pic, worldrowing) controlled their race. They hit 53 strokes per minute and then 55 as they shot off the start. They led by a length in the middle stages. Spain and Swizerland battled it out in second and third – again, only the top two were destined for the final – with Switzerland finishing well to take a close-up second behind Ireland.
Six Ireland crews will contest finals: the lightweight men’s double and women’s four, the PR2 mixed double and the three which qualified today.