Murtagh wins silver while McCarthy and Pazzaia claim bronze at the European Rowing Championships

Irish Examiner

01-06-2025

Fiona Murtagh has won silver in the Women's Single Sculls at the European Rowing Championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria with Fintan McCarthy and Konan Pazzaia claiming bronze in the A final of the Men's Double Sculls.
Murtagh claimed silver in a time of 7:21.11 in mixed conditions with a headwind at the start and a tailwind over the final 600 metres. She showed composure and consistency to almost match her heat time exactly.
McCarthy and Pazzaia won Ireland's first medal of the regatta when the duo secured broze in the Men's Double Sculls. The pair were in medal contention throughout the race holding off a strong challenge in what was a tightly contested race. This marks McCarthy's first international medal in an openweight boat and it is a first senior championship medal for Pazzaia.
Jake McCarthy finished fourth in the A final of the Lightweight Men's Single Sculls and closed with the fastest 500m of the race in a time of 7:01.45.
In the A final of the Lightweight Women's Single Sculls Izzy Clements finished fourth on her senior debut which was an excellent result after holding a top three position for much of the race.
Mags Cremin and Zoe Hyde finished fourth in their A final of the Women's Double Sculls posting a time of 6:55.73 which was just 3.77 seconds off a podium finish in what was a fast and competitive race.
The newly formed crew of Claire Feerick, Natalie Long, Aisling Hayes and Alison Bergin finished fourth in the B final of the Women's Quadruple Sculls with a time of 6:28.50 weehich was a significant improvement from their heat.
The Men's Quadruple Sculls of Andrew Sheehan, Adam Murphy, Ronan Byrne and Philip Doyle finished fifth in their B final delivering an assured and consistent campaign.
Ross Corrigan and Daire Lynch finished third in their B final in the Men's pair with a time of 6:26.50.
Michelle Carpenter, CEO of Rowing Ireland, was delighted with the team's performance.
"It was an honour to be on the ground in Plovdiv supporting our athletes at the 2025 European Rowing Championships. Across the board, we saw determination, resilience, and world-class performances from our crews. Fiona Murtagh's silver medal today in the Women's Single Sculls was a standout moment, as was the superb bronze from Fintan McCarthy and Konan Pazzaia in the Men's Double Sculls yesterday."
"To come away from the European Championships with two medals, five A Final appearances, and encouraging performances from newly formed crews and systems, under the guidance of world-renowned coach Dominic Casey, is a testament to the strength and depth of our High Performance Programme. I'm immensely proud of our athletes, coaches, and support staff. These results reflect the hard work and commitment that takes place every day behind the scenes. A sincere thank you to our clubs, partners, and supporters who continue to play such an important role in our journey."