The biggest ever Irish Rowing Championships to take place on the island of Ireland got off to a fantastic start on day one of the three-day regatta at the National Rowing Centre in Farran Wood, Cork.
Athletes from more than 60 clubs from all four provinces raced down championship course on Inniscarra Lake where the standard of competition was impressively high across each category.
Outstanding performances came from University College Cork who won the men’s coxed Club 8s in an incredible race, beating UCD into second place by less than one second, leaving Neptune A crew in third.
UCD also impressed, winning the men’s senior coxless four with three members of the Irish under 23 team – David O’Malley, Shane Mulvaney and Andrew Goff - in the boat. They beat Commercial A into second place and NUIG took third.
Skibbereen RC brothers Jake and Fintan McCarthy, who will also represent Ireland at the U23 World Championships at the end of this month, won the men’s senior doubles andFionn Crowley of Castleconnell Boat Club won the men’s senior single sculls. He beat KealanMannix of Skibbereen RC by two seconds, leaving Aodhan Burns, also of Skibbereen in third.
At junior level, Shandon Boat Club rowed a phenomenal race winning the men’s junior 8 for the first time in the history of their club, beating Enniskillen Royal Boat Club into second place, while Brian Spelman of St. Michael’s RC won the men’s junior single sculls.
Among the women, Castleconnell Boat Club rowed a nail biting race with ColaisteIognaid, who led for the majority of the race in the women’s junior coxless fours, until Castleconnell pushed through to cross the finish line two seconds ahead.
NUIG gave a strong performance in the Women’s intermediate 8, winning by six seconds ahead of Cork Boat Club who were almost 15 seconds ahead of the DULBC A crew.
And Fermoy Rowing Club gave an impressive display in the women’s novice coxed quad, winning by more than 20 seconds ahead of QULBC who were 15 seconds ahead of Neptune.
Irish international rowers Denise Walsh and Aoife Casey of Skibbereen Rowing drew the day to a close with an outstanding performance winning the women’s senior double sculls ahead of Neptune, Skibbereen B and Bann RC respectively.
Race commentator, Gerry Murphy, said all the winning crews deserved credit for their performances. “The standard of racing was very high for all the grades and all the winning crews were deserving winners. They showed their class, coming through to win and it’s a credit to their clubs and coaches, showing that if you put in the work you will reap the rewards of success,” he said.
