Commercial's senior four cruised into Friday's quarter-finals at Henley Royal Regatta, but Clonmel's junior quadruple were beaten in one of the races of the regatta so far.
The race seemed over for the Tipperary men in the Fawley Cup when Tideway Scullers’ took a length out of them early on. Foot by foot, Clonmel fought back and drew level as the crews passed the cheering crowds in the enclosures. In the last few strokes, Tideway Scullers’ pushed again. After one mile and 550 yards, the verdict was four feet.
The Trinity Temple Cup eight were beaten well by the University of California, Berkeley. The heavier crew prevailed, too, in the Diamond Sculls, where Jonathan Stimpson (98 kg) beat Niall Kenny (75 kg).
Commercial’s Wyfold Cup crew can face Thames on Friday in reasonably confident mood. They won as they liked against Curlew, who veered off to their right at the start.
Matthew Dundon, the stroke of the Clonmel quadruple, will be part of the Ireland quad which will compete in the Coupe de la Jeunesse, a European junior tournament, in July.
