Ireland’s Gill McGirr and Eliza O’Reilly doubled their country’s representation in the semi-finals of the World Junior Championships in Racice in the Czech Republic on Friday morning.
The junior women’s pair from Fermoy took the third and final qualification place in an engaging repechage raced in fairly rough water. A fast start for Slovenia proved a fleeting blessing - they caught a crab and fell back as France took over the lead, followed by Hungary. O’Reilly and McGirr booted into second coming up to half way. Hungary tried to push up on France in the final quarter, but O’Reilly and McGirr held their place ahead of Slovenia and Serbia, and qualified for the top 12.
The Ireland junior men’s coxed four booked their semi-final place on Thursday.
Two Ireland crews missed out on A/B semi-final places on Friday - by fine margins. The Ireland junior men’s quadruple had the tough task of taking a top-two place in their repechage. Denmark won in a Championship record and Ireland took third, a length behind Chile.
The Ireland junior women's double of Ciara Moynihan and Ciara Browne had a similar task. This time it was Britain who won, with Japan fighting off an Ireland charge. The girls from the Workmen's club in Kerry fell short by less than a second.
World Junior Rowing Championships, Racice, Czech Republic (Selected Results)
Men
Quadruple - Repechage Two (First Two to A/B Semi-Finals; rest to C/D Semi-Finals): 1 Denmark 5:52.45, 2 Chile 5:56.25, 3 Ireland (L Hayes Nally, A Byrne, J Dorney, J Keating) 5:58.73.
Women
Pair - Repechage (First Three to A/B Semi-Final; rest to C Final): 1 France 7:25.97, 2 Hungary 7:29.32, 3 Ireland (E O'Reilly, G McGirr) 7:31.49.
Double - Repechage Four (First Two to A/B Semi-Finals; rest to C/D Semi-Finals): 1 Britain 7:12.35, 2 Japan 7:13.36; 3 Ireland (C Moynihan, C Browne) 7:15.23.
