Silver medal for Murtagh while McCarthy and Pazzaia earn bronze at World Rowing Cup
The final day of racing saw strong performances from Irish crews across both A and B Finals. Highlights included Fiona Murtagh's silver in the Women's Single Sculls and a bronze for Fintan McCarthy and Konan Pazzaia in the Men's Double Sculls, adding to the bronze medal won by Sadhbh Ní Laoighre and Tiarnán O'Donnell in Saturday's PR3 Mixed Double Sculls.
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Fiona Murtagh (University of Galway Boat Club) claimed the silver medal in the Women's Single Sculls with a time of 07:18.63. Murtagh held second place throughout the race, consistently pushing the pace. At the 1000 metre mark, she trailed race favourite Lauren Henry of Great Britain by just 0.3 seconds and kept the pressure on to the finish.
Olympic gold medallist Fintan McCarthy (Skibbereen Rowing Club) and Konan Pazzaia (Queen's University Belfast Boat Club) secured a bronze medal in the Men's Double Sculls, finishing third with a time of 06:11.65. Just one second separated the top three crews in a thrilling A Final.
The Irish double set a strong pace from the start and led the race up until the final 250 metres. Powerful sprint finishes from New Zealand and Serbia saw them take first and second place.
Paul O'Donovan (Skibbereen Rowing Club) and Daire Lynch (UCD Boat Club) finished fifth in the Men's Double Sculls with a time of 06:16.18. The crew were in sixth place with 500 metres to go in a very tight race. A strong sprint finish in the final stretch saw them overtake the Individual Neutral Athletes crew to claim fifth overall.
Mags Cremen (UCC Boat Club) and Zoe Hyde (Tralee RC) finished sixth in the B Final of the Women's Double Sculls with a time of 07:01.76. It was a closely contested race from the start, with less than two seconds separating Ireland from the leading crew at the 1500-metre mark. Switzerland, the home favourites, went on to take the win in the B Final.
The Women's Four of Claire Feerick (Neptune Rowing Club / Oxford Brookes), Natalie Long (Lee Valley Rowing Club), Aisling Hayes (Skibbereen Rowing Club), and Imogen Magner (Lee Valley Rowing Club) finished third in the B Final with a time of 06:41.23. In the final 200 metres, the crew made a strong push, closing the gap on Canada to less than a second at the line.
The Men's Quadruple Sculls crew of Andrew Sheehan (UCC Rowing Club), Adam Murphy (UCC Rowing Club), Ronan Byrne (Shandon Boat Club), and Brian Colsh (University of Galway Boat Club) finished second in the B Final with a time of 05:50.78. Ireland sat in third at the 1000-metre mark but moved past home favourites Switzerland by 1500 metres to take second place. A sprint finish brought them within just 0.3 seconds of the winning crew from Czechia.
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