World Rowing Championship final spot secured by Limerick teenager in Lithuania

LIMERICK teenage rower Jack Rafferty has secured a final spot at the U19 World Rowing Championships.

In Trakai, Lithuania, the St Michael's Rowing Club member teamed up with Jonah Kirby (Kenmare RC) to reach Sunday's final of the Junior Men’s Double Sculls.

This Friday morning, the duo produced a dominant row to win their semi-final in a time of 6:42.36. Leading from start to finish, the crew controlled the race and comfortably advanced to Sunday’s A Final. The final will be off at 10.41am on Sunday, August 10 with the Irish crew in lane 4.

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Elsewhere at the championship this Fruday morning, the Junior Women’s Double Sculls crew of Aoife Hendy and Sophia Young were the first Rowing Ireland crew on the water this morning and delivered a composed and determined performance in their semi-final. Finishing 3rd with a time of 7:45.13, they secured their place in the A Final, joining the top six junior women’s double sculls crews in the world ahead of Sunday's final.

Before Sunday’s finals, the three other Irish crews will contest semi-finals on Saturday, August 9.

St Michael's Rowing Club's Clóda Phillips will be part of the Junior Women’s Four, who are in the water at 12:01pm - she joins Sarah Rockett (Athlone BC), Isabella Wright (Enniskillen Royal BC) and Anna O’Grady (Athlone BC).

The third St Michael's Rowing Club member at the championships will be in the water on Saturday at 12.55pm in the Junior Men’s Quadruple Sculls semi-final.

In this crew Evan O’Byrne (St Michael’s RC) joins Harry McCartney (Methodist College RC), Bill Murphy (Cappoquin RC) and Mattias Cogan (Skibbereen RC).