Latest news with #WorldRowing
Irish Independent
29-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Lightweight Olympic gold medallist Fintan McCarthy makes mark at Europeans after switch to heavyweight
Fiona Murtagh, also an Olympic medallist, won her heat in her new discipline of single sculling in what was generally a good day for day for Ireland crews. McCarthy and Pazzaia took second in their heat, 1.46 seconds behind Poland. On Friday, the semi-final for McCarthy's new crew will be another big test, as they face Romania, who set the fastest time in the heats. Pazzaia, a Swiss who has an Irish mother, has competed successfully for Ireland at underage level. Lightweight rowing is no longer an Olympic discipline, and McCarthy and Paul O'Donovan, who is not competing in Plovdiv, have chosen to compete as heavyweights. Murtagh's initial venture into the world of single sculling was certainly not without dangers. The Galway woman (29) took bronze at Tokyo 2020 in a four and was eighth in a pair at Paris 2024. However, out on her own for the first time, she was up against two talented 'Independent Neutral Athletes' – a Russian and a Belarussian – along with the German Alexandra Foester. Just two would qualify directly for the semi-finals. Foester led early on, but the tall Murtagh powered into the lead coming up to 900 metres and did not relinquish it. It proved a wise move, as Tatisana Klimovich (formerly Belarussia) and Kira Iunchenko (who has competed for Russia), moved past Foester to finish second and third. Dominic Casey, the interim head of Irish international rowing, has experimented across the board with forming new crews. He warned that instant success was unlikely in this first year of the Olympiad. For all that, just one crew – the new women's quadruple – does not remain in the medal hunt in Plovdiv after the first day. Mags Cremen, who, like McCarthy, was stepping up from lightweight rowing, and Zoe Hyde also took a solid second in their heat of the women's double and go directly to Saturday's A Final. The men's pair had to wait on the result of other heats to see whether they had qualified. The new combination of Ross Corrigan and Daire Lynch, a bronze medallist in Paris in the double, finished fourth in the first of three heats. Only the top two from each of three heats qualified directly for semi-finals. Since repechages have been dispensed with by World Rowing, the Irish crew faced dropping into the C Final if they were not amongst the six fastest losers – but they made it. Austria and Turkey missed out. It was a similar story for the Ireland men's quadruple. The combination of Andrew Sheehan, Adam Murphy, Ronan Byrne and Olympic medallist Philip Doyle is novel. Two crews, in this case the Netherlands and Croatia, set the pace, and Ireland could not match it. They finished fourth, but made it through to the semi-finals as one of the fastest which did not qualify directly. However, the new Ireland women's quadruple found the going too tough in their heat. France and Britain fought it out at the head of the field and qualified directly for the A Final. The Ireland crew of Claire Feerick, Natalie Long, Aisling Hayes and Alison Bergin took fifth and will compete in the B Final. The morning had started very well for the Ireland team, with good results in non-Olympic events. Izzy Clements, who comes from Scotland but qualifies for Ireland through her mother, had a fine Ireland debut, taking second in a preliminary race in the lightweight single. Jake McCarthy then matched that placing in the men's lightweight single heat, qualifying directly for the final. Like his twin, Fintan, he can be pleased with his day.
Dubai Eye
27-03-2025
- Sport
- Dubai Eye
Crocodiles no issue, river current could halt Brisbane rowing plans
The crocodiles that inhabit the Fitzroy River appear not to be too much of an issue but the water current could scupper plans to stage the rowing at the 2032 Olympics in Rockhampton, some 600 kilometres north of Brisbane. The proposal to hold the rowing events in the city on the central Queensland coast were announced on Tuesday along with the final venue plan for Australia's third Olympics. Rowing Australia appear to have been blindsided by the announcement, having submitted plans for a "2000m, 8-10 lane venue in Queensland" to the state government's review of Games infrastructure. While the Fitzroy River is home to crocodiles, the waterway is used for rowing by schools, a local club as well as for elite training and Rowing Australia's cautious response to the announcement was focused on more technical issues. "While the facility has been suitable in a training capacity, it has not undergone any technical feasibility study that would confirm its ability to host national or international level racing," the body said in a statement. "Fairness and safety are paramount to any venue hosting a regatta of this magnitude and importance, with any river current that could impact results or favour certain lanes not permissible under the rules. "Water quality and weed management are also factors to be considered by the International Federation." World Rowing, which must approve the venue, also released a statement noting the potential issues. "World Rowing will continue to work with all key stakeholders, to ensure a satisfactory solution is found with the integrity of the competition and safety of all athletes and officials as utmost priority," it read. Canoe sprint events are also slated for the river and the International Canoe Federation (ICF) was less than effusive in its response to the decision. "It has come as a surprise to both the ICF and Paddle Australia that Rockhampton has been chosen considering the extensive examinations that had been conducted on other potential venues," it said in a statement. "The ICF will continue to work with Paddle Australia, the Queensland Government and other stakeholders to assess the venue options, ensuring that the best solution is found to host sprint races at the Games in 2032."
Khaleej Times
27-03-2025
- Sport
- Khaleej Times
Crocodiles no issue but river current could scupper Brisbane rowing plans
The crocodiles that inhabit the Fitzroy River appear not to be too much of an issue but the water current could scupper plans to stage the rowing at the 2032 Olympics in Rockhampton, some 600 kilometres north of Brisbane. The proposal to hold the rowing events in the city on the central Queensland coast were announced on Tuesday along with the final venue plan for Australia's third Olympics. Rowing Australia appear to have been blindsided by the announcement, having submitted plans for a "2000m, 8-10 lane venue in Queensland" to the state government's review of Games infrastructure. While the Fitzroy River is home to crocodiles, the waterway is used for rowing by schools, a local club as well as for elite training and Rowing Australia's cautious response to the announcement was focused on more technical issues. "While the facility has been suitable in a training capacity, it has not undergone any technical feasibility study that would confirm its ability to host national or international level racing," the body said in a statement. "Fairness and safety are paramount to any venue hosting a regatta of this magnitude and importance, with any river current that could impact results or favour certain lanes not permissible under the rules. "Water quality and weed management are also factors to be considered by the International Federation." World Rowing, which must approve the venue, also released a statement noting the potential issues. "World Rowing will continue to work with all key stakeholders ... to ensure a satisfactory solution is found with the integrity of the competition and safety of all athletes and officials as utmost priority," it read. Canoe sprint events are also slated for the river and the International Canoe Federation (ICF) was less than effusive in its response to the decision. "It has come as a surprise to both the ICF and Paddle Australia that Rockhampton has been chosen considering the extensive examinations that had been conducted on other potential venues," it said in a statement. "The ICF will continue to work with Paddle Australia, the Queensland Government and other stakeholders to assess the venue options, ensuring that the best solution is found to host sprint races at the Games in 2032."
Reuters
27-03-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Crocodiles no issue but river current could scupper Brisbane rowing plans
SYDNEY, March 27 (Reuters) - The crocodiles that inhabit the Fitzroy River appear not to be too much of an issue but the water current could scupper plans to stage the rowing at the 2032 Olympics in Rockhampton, some 600 kilometres north of Brisbane. The proposal to hold the rowing events in the city on the central Queensland coast were announced on Tuesday along with the final venue plan for Australia's third Olympics. Rowing Australia appear to have been blindsided by the announcement, having submitted plans for a "2000m, 8-10 lane venue in Queensland" to the state government's review of Games infrastructure. While the Fitzroy River is home to crocodiles, the waterway is used for rowing by schools, a local club as well as for elite training and Rowing Australia's cautious response to the announcement was focused on more technical issues. "While the facility has been suitable in a training capacity, it has not undergone any technical feasibility study that would confirm its ability to host national or international level racing," the body said in a statement. "Fairness and safety are paramount to any venue hosting a regatta of this magnitude and importance, with any river current that could impact results or favour certain lanes not permissible under the rules. "Water quality and weed management are also factors to be considered by the International Federation." World Rowing, which must approve the venue, also released a statement noting the potential issues. "World Rowing will continue to work with all key stakeholders ... to ensure a satisfactory solution is found with the integrity of the competition and safety of all athletes and officials as utmost priority," it read. Canoe sprint events are also slated for the river and the International Canoe Federation (ICF) was less than effusive in its response to the decision. "It has come as a surprise to both the ICF and Paddle Australia that Rockhampton has been chosen considering the extensive examinations that had been conducted on other potential venues," it said in a statement. "The ICF will continue to work with Paddle Australia, the Queensland Government and other stakeholders to assess the venue options, ensuring that the best solution is found to host sprint races at the Games in 2032."
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Brisbane to hold 2032 Olympic rowing events in crocodile-infested waters
Well, this is one way to ensure that you see a few records set at your Olympic Games. David Crisafulli, premier of the Australian state of Queensland, confirmed on Tuesday that the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic rowing events will take place in Rockhampton's Fitzroy River — which is very much in Australia's crocodile country. Organizers were quick to dismiss any crocodile fears, however, with Brisbane Olympic chief Andrew Liveris joking about any potential creature dangers. 'There are sharks in the ocean and we still do surfing,' Liveris said. 'Creatures below the water … that's a bit kind of Hollywoodish, we'll leave L.A. to worry about that.' Crisafulli was fully behind the plan, touting the benefits of bringing the events to Rockhampton. 'It's the opportunity that an urban renewal of a dormant part of that city can come to life. And anyone who's tried to get accommodation for Beef Week knows that a few extra dwellings there might also be useful,' the premier said. 'We're having it there and we'll do everything we can to make sure that it works to the highest possible standard.' However, it wasn't just outsiders who were shocked by the fact Olympic athletes will be asked to compete on water that even the local rowing club president acknowledges is natural crocodile habitat. Hours before the plan was unveiled, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was asked during a radio appearance what he thought about the then unofficial reports of Rockhampton as an Olympic rowing venue, and if he himself would swim the Fitzroy. 'I'm not sure how sensible a proposition that is,' Albanese told Brisbane's B105. 'My understanding is it was sort of listed eight out of eight as options, and if there were 15 options, it would have been 15.' Albanese also said that Rockhampton was a 'fantastic place' and the Fitzroy a 'great river … walk along.' 'But I'm not sure that having rowing there, although I've got to say, people might break world records,' he joked. 'They'd want to go pretty quickly wouldn't they?' Brother of viral Olympic breakdancer Raygun facing prison time over alleged crypto scheme Olympic skier opens up about 'unbearable' pain of suffering from 'frozen penis' Rockhampton is roughly 500 km north of Brisbane, the host city of the 2032 Summer Games, and the Australian rowing team trained there before the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and plan to do so again before the Los Angeles Games. The river also hosts multiple amateur rowing clubs. The venue has raised concerns that the course may not meet international standards. 'The issue for us at this point is that we know that World Rowing and the (International Olympic Committee) have not yet been consulted in relation to that venue,' Rowing Australia chief executive Sarah Cook said. She added that a 'key criteria … is that on a standard international course there should be no stream.'
