Today, the Ireland double won gold at the final World Cup regatta in Poznan with a powerful row. Combined with silver medals for the Ireland women’s pair, and for pararower Tiarnán O’Donnell, it made for a successful weekend for the small Irish team at the last big event before the Olympic Games.
The most impressive thing about Doyle and Lynch’s win was the way they judged the race and executed their plan. Poland’s young crew shot away early; Ireland steadily tracked Olympic champions France and then, just after half way in the race, they took over the lead and defended it to the end. France faded away and it was Germany and New Zealand who raced into second and third.
“It was different to the usual because we normally come from the back,” Lynch said. “So when we were up there at the 1k (1,000 metres) we were a bit shocked. It was good that we could keep going towards the end.”
He said that missing Lucerne allowed them to have a long block of training. “Maybe we’ve got a bit fitter. We’ve spent a lot of time on the (exercise) bikes too, so maybe the aerobic system’s got better. But maybe [the win was due to] tactics too.”
“You’re learning every race,” Doyle said. “Sometimes you get it right, sometimes you get it wrong. [You] try and hold on when you get the speed.”
Aifric Keogh and Fiona Murtagh, the Ireland women’s pair, got to the chance to test themselves against Australia in the run-up to the Olympic Games, and without the distraction of the current world champions, the Netherlands, this time.
While the Irish took the silver medal and got confirmation that they are next in line after the Aussies – they are, on the evidence of this final, a good bit behind Jessica Morrison and Annabelle McIntyre.
Keogh and Murtagh were not fast off the start – France were the best in that regard. Australia had taken the lead by 500 metres, but there was a lot still to play for. Morrison and McIntyre squeezed the life out of that possibility. With push after push they moved away from the field. And while the Irish took over second, they had to defend it – right to the line – against a racy Denmark crew.
Tiarnán O’Donnell had started the medal run with his silver in the PR2 single on Saturday. Single sculler Konan Pazzaia took fourth in the B Final on Sunday, 10th overall.
Pazzaia led for long stages, but was pushed out of the top three as the more experienced scullers charged for the line. Pieter van Veen of the Netherlands won the race.