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#Rowing: The Skibbereen/UCC composite won the women’s eights with the final few strokes at the Cork Grand League Regatta today. NUIG led them coming up to the line, but the winners finished faster to win by three tenths of a second. Cork were the best junior 18 eight.

UCD won the men’s eights by holding off NUIG. The finish was close, but UCD had led down the course and refused to yield. Neptune took the junior 18 honours by holding off St Joseph’s of Galway in the B Final.

Cork Regatta, National Rowing Centre, Cork, Day Two (Selected Results)

Men

Eight – Division One – A Final: 1 UCD (N Farrell, R Thompson, E O’Connor, C O’Riada, E Gleeson, A Griffin, T Doherty, M Murphy; cox: O Reid; senior) 5:51.05, 2 NUIG (sen) 5:51.91, 3 UCD (inter) 6:05.098; 4 Cork (club one) 6:05.46. B Final: 4 Neptune (Jun 18A) 6:13.69.

Four – Div One – A Final: 1 NUIG (sen) 6:16.41. Four, coxed – Div Two – A Final: 1 Queen’s B (club two) 6:53.69, 2 St Michael’s (jun 18B) 6:56.53; 6 Presentation, Cork (jun 16) 7:33.61.

Sculling,

Quadruple, Div Two, coxed – A Final: 1 Carlow (jun 18B) 6:43.70; 3 Castleconnell (jun 16) 6:53.53; 4 Shandon (club two) 6:54.67.

Double – A Final: 1 Skibbereen (G O’Donovan, P O’Donovan; sen) 6:25.51, 2 Commercial, UCD (N Beggan, A Goff; sen) 6:27.62, 3 Skibbereen (M O’Donovan, S O’Driscoll; sen) 6:37.997; 5 Three Castles A (jun 18A) 6:49.76. B Final: St Michael’s (inter) 6:51.20.

Single – Div Two – A Final: 1 Three Castles (A Keogh; jun 16) 7:29.64, 2 Cappoquin (S Landers; club two) 7:35.39; 6 Killorglin (J McCarthy; Jun 18B) 7:52.86.

Women

Eight – Div One – A Final: 1 Skibbereen/UCC (O Hayes, F O’Keeffe, A Casey, E McCarthy A Keogh, E Hegarty, N Casey, D Walsh; cox C O’Connell; senior) 6:37.94, 2 NUIG (sen) 6:38.30; 5 NUIG (club one) 6:58.38. B Final: 1 Cork (jun 18A) 7:00.93; 2 Shandon (inter) 7:02.79.

Four – Div One – A Final: 1 Skibbereen, UCC (N Casey, E Hegarty, A Keogh, D Walsh; sen) 6:59.0. B Final: Col Iognaid (jun 18A) 7:39.68. Div Two, coxed – A Final: Trinity (club two) 7:41.79.

Sculling, Double – Div One – A Final: 1 Cork (inter) 7:19.591, 2 Lee (jun 18A) 7:23.45. B Final: 2 Carlow (club one) 7:40.31. Div Two – A Final: 1 Neptune (J Poh; club two) 8:40.47, 2 Kenmare (E Crowley; jun 18B) 8:42.76; 3 Neptune (N Clarke; jun 16) 8:46.62.

 

Published in Rowing

#Rowing: Coillte and Rowing Ireland have announced that Coillte will sponsor the Grand League regatta series. Coillte is a forestry management company which owns about seven per cent of the land cover of Ireland. It is also involved in renewable energy and panel products.

 The first leg of this year’s Coillte Grand League series is Skibbereen Regatta which is set for this weekend at the National Rowing Centre in Cork. Around 700 crews and 2,000 athletes compete at Skibbereen Grand League Regatta every year, with a six-lane race running every four minutes over two days – if the unpredictable Irish weather permits. It is a mammoth event and takes up to 100 volunteers to run successfully each year.

 Ciarán Fallon, Director of Stewardship and Public Goods at Coillte said: “Coillte is delighted to be supporting Rowing Ireland with this year’s Grand League series ahead of the Rio Olympics in August. Two of the three regattas in this year’s series are taking place at the National Rowing Centre,  located in Coillte’s Farran Forest Park in County Cork, one of our flagship parks, so we are encouraging people to turnout in large numbers to support this fantastic event. We are pleased to be able to extend our existing relationship with Rowing Ireland to be the title sponsor for this exciting series as the athletes prepares for Rio.”

 Hamish Adams, the chief executive of Rowing Ireland, said: “We have a long established and close relationship with Coillte through our location of the National Rowing Centre in Farran Forest Park. The development of further support from Coillte for the Grand League series further endorses our relationship and we welcome all to attend the upcoming events to experience a day of competitive racing in the majestic setting of Farran Forest Park.”

 The 2016 Coillte Grand League will include three regatta events that will each attract up to two thousand rowing competitors as well as five thousand plus spectators each day.

 The Coillte Grand League will take place at the following dates and venues:

9th and 10th April: Skibbereen Regatta, National Rowing Centre, Farran Forest Park, Co. Cork.

28th May: Metropolitan Regatta, Blessington Lake, Co. Wicklow.

25th and 26th June: Cork Regatta, National Rowing Centre,  Farran Forest Park, Co. Cork.

 The Grand League regatta series was established by Rowing Ireland in 2010 and has since become the premier domestic rowing league in Ireland, contributing to the development of numerous athletes at both junior and senior level. The series provides rowers at all levels with the opportunity to perform and develop their racing prowess in a fair and competitive environment.

Published in Rowing

#ROWING: Gráinne Mhaol/NUIG were pushed hard by UCD, but came away with the Division One eights title at Cork Grand League Regatta at the National Rowing Centre. NUIG came in third, despite having to do without the services of Kevin Neville, who had fallen ill during the heats. The experienced Gráinne Mhaol crew of Dave Mannion, Alan Martin, Cormac Folan and James Wall won the Division One four, while Skibbereen won the women’s four.

Andy Harrington of UCC won the Division One single sculls from Eimantas Grigalius of Three Castles and Fergus Fauvel, a New Zealander studying in Galway. Fauvel also rowed at number four for the winning eight.

Catríona Jennings of Commercial, who only took up rowing in the past two years after competing as a runner at the Olympic Games, won the Division One single sculls.

The timing system at the regatta, a bugbear at a number of Grand League events, caused some difficulties.  

Published in Rowing

ROWING: Queen’s Regatta has been cancelled. The Grand League Regatta was scheduled for May 17th at Castlewellan Forest Park in Co Down but redevelopment work at the venue has forced the abandonment of the event. The board meeting of Rowing Ireland this Saturday will consider whether the Grand League slot now left open could be filled by another regatta.

The Irish University Championships, originally scheduled for Blessington in June, have been switched to the National Rowing Centre in Cork and will be held on April 11th. Skibbereen’s two-day Grand League Regatta will be held on April 12th and 13th at the NRC.

Published in Rowing

# ROWING: SKIBBEREEN REGATTA: Skibbereen’s young stars burned brightly in the second finals session of their own eFlow Grand League regatta the National Rowing Centre in Cork today. A gusting tailwind may have caused the abandonment of junior 14 and junior 15 races, but the Skibbereen quadruple scull of Padraig Murphy, Aodhan Burns, Shane O’Driscoll and Gary O’Donovan mastered the conditions to set a good time of 5 minutes 56.31. O’Driscoll and O’Donovan, who will compete for Ireland at the World Under-23 Championships in three weeks’ time, also won the double impressively.

St Michael’s also continued their good run. They added wins in the women’s four and men’s pair to their earlier win in the women’s eight, and Sinead Jennings was by an impressive margin the fastest women’s single sculler home, though she will not be credited as winner: she had entered as a lightweight but then chose not to weigh in as one.

The women’s pairs title went to Cork Boat Club. The last race of the day, the men’s Division One eights, was won by NUIG’s intermediate crew, though their one rival in the race, UCC, did not finish.

Skibbereen eFlow Grand League Regatta, National Rowing Centre, Cork (Selected Results)

Men

Eight – Division One – A Final: 1 NUIG (inter) 5:52.01, UCC did not finish. Division Two – A Final: 1 UCC (nov) 6:12.96, 2 UCD (nov) 6:15.12, 3 Cork (jun 18B) 6:20.05;

Four, coxed – Divsion One – A Final: 1 UCC (inter) 6:29.66, 2 NUIG (inter) 6:32.9, 3 Trinity (inter) 6:33.60; 4 St Michael’s (jun 18A) 6:45.78. B Final: NUIG (inter) 6:42.18. Division Two – A Final: 1 Athlunkard (jun 18B) 6:54.06, 2 UCC (nov) 6:56.06, 3 NUIG (nov) 6:56.65.

Pair – Division One – A Final: 1 St Michael’s B (K O’Connor, M O’Brien; sen) 6:52.69, 2 St Michael’s C (sen) 6:55.62, 3 Clonmel (jun 18A) 6:55.97. B Final: St Joseph’s (jun 18A) 7:14.02; 4 Commercial (inter) 7:35.29. C Final: Blackrock College (jun 18A) 7:39.55.

Sculling, Quadruple – Division One – A Final: 1 Skibbereen (sen) 5:56.31, 2 Skibbereen (sen) 6:06.99, 3 Carlow (sen) 6:08.43; 4 Lee (jun 18) 6:13.32. B Final: Carlow/Three Castles (sen) 6:27.75. Division Two, coxed – A Final: Cork (jun 16) 6:50.15, 2 Killorglin (jun 16) 7:02.41, 3 UCD (nov) 7:10.71; 5 Shandon (jun 18B) 7:19.98. B Final: Cappoquin (nov) 7:10.77.

Double, Division One – A Final: 1 Skibbereen (S O’Driscoll, G O’Donovan; sen) 6:35.67, 2 Three Castles (sen) 6:40.66, 3 Shandon (jun 18A) 6:51.27; 5 Skibbereen (inter) 6:59.08. B Final: Garda (inter) 6:58.12. C Final: Athlone (jun 18A) 7:08.38. Division Two: Waterford (jun 18B) 7:14.89, 2 Shandon (jun 16) 7:17.91, 3 Lee (jun 18B) 7:24.85. B Final: Skibbereen (jun 16) 7:59.45.

Single – Division One – A Final: 1 Lee Valley (J Keohane, sen) 7:12.18, 2 Three Castles (Grigalius, sen) 7:20.89, 3 Skibbereen (Ryan, jun 18A) 7:21.59; 4 Skibbereen (Burns, u23) 7:22.59; 6 Clonmel (Prendergast, inter) 7:23.44. B Final: Portadown (McKeown, inter) 7:31.83. C Final: 1 Three Castles (Corcoran, inter) 7:42.87; 2 Clonmel (Channon, lwt) 7:45.65. D Final: Skibbereen (Barry, inter) 7:57.57. Division Two – A Final: 1 Castleconnell (E Whittle, jun 16) 7:38.19, 2 Lee (White, jun 18B) 7:40.50, 3 Shandon (Begley, jun 18B) 7:43.82; 5 Univ of Limerick (Koyayashi; nov) 7:39.35. B Final: Waterford (Goff, jun 16) 7:41.25. C Final: Skibbereen (McCarthy, nov) 7:53.80. D Final: UCD (Toland, nov) 8:05.52.

Women

Eights – Division One – A Final: 1 St Michael’s (sen) 6:32.25, 2 UCD (sen) 6:34.32, 3 Skibbereen (sen) 6:38.68. B Final: 1 Cork (jun 18B) 6:51.83, 2 Commercial (inter) 6:52.26. Division Two – A Final: 1 Trinity (nov) 7:04.35, 2 Shannon (nov) 7:16.68, 3 Garda (nov) 7:40.33; 4 Shandon (jun 18B) 7:55.26.

Four, coxed – Division One – A Final: 1 St Michael’s (sen) 7:16.4, 2 UCC (inter) 7:26.04, 3 UCD (inter) 7:37.30.

Four – Division One – A Final: 1 St Michael’s (u23) 7:02.51 UCD 7:07.05, 3 Cork BC (jun 18A) 7:12.39 B Final: Skibbereen (sen) 7:17.44. Division Two – A Final: 1 Shannon (nov) 7:39.91, 2 Trinity (nov) 7:46.61, 3 Commercial (nov) 7:48.44; 4 Shandon (jun 16) 8:22.77.

Pairs – Division One – A Final: 1 Cork (sen) 7:49.94, 2 NUIG (inter) 8:01.08, 3 St Michael’s (jun 18A) 8:24.34. B Final: Trinity (u23) 8:12.81.

Sculling

Quadruple – Division One – A Final: 1 Skibbereen (Jun 18A) 7:01.73, 2 Skibbereen (sen) 7:05.47, 3 St Michael’s (jun 18A) 7:20.57. Division Two (coxed) – A Final: 1 Skibbereen (nov) 7:39.92, 2 Killorglin (jun 16) 7:53.61, 3 St Michael’s (jun 16) 8:07.04.

Double – Division One – A Final: 1 Three Castles (H Walshe, E Moran, sen) 7:13.57, 2 St Michaels (sen) 7:27.81, 3 NUIG (inter) 7:38.38; 4 Castleconnell (jun 18A) 8:02.90. Division Two – A Final: 1 Carlow (jun 18B) 8:04.89, 2 Lee (jun 18B) 8:13.12, 3 Lee (jun 16) 8:17.70. B Final: Graiguenamanagh (jun 18B) 8:29.09. C Final: Tralee (jun 18B) 8:47.99.

Single, Division One – A Final: S Jennings (timing only) 7:50.11; 1 St Michael’s (S Clavin; lwt) 7:59.46, 2 Three Castles (B Quinn; lwt) 8:04.89, 3 Cork (M O’Neill, sen) 8:07.75. B Final: 1 Shandon (Horgan, lwt) 8:17.53, 2 Lee Valley (Corcoran-O’Hare; inter) 8:20.80. C Final: 1 UCC (O’Mahony, inter) 8:30.14; 2 Fermoy (Sohun, jun 18A) 8:31.03. Division Two – A Final: 1 Skibbereen (Hegarty; nov) 8:25.21, 2 St Michael’s (Murphy, jun 16) 8:29.40, 3 Killorglin (Ryan, nov) 8:50.30; 4 Lee (McGrath; jun 18B) 8:57.62. B Final: Cappoquin (Laughlin; jun 16) 9:00.90. C Final: Fermoy (Bouanane; jun 18B) 9:25.66.

Published in Rowing

# ROWING CORK REGATTA: Timing problems gave the organizers difficulties on Friday, the first day of the Cork City Regatta at the National Rowing Centre, but races ran to schedule today and there were some very competitive times in good conditions. There was general agreement that the  complexity of the timing system at the Grand League regattas will have to be looked at as the series progresses.

Cork eFlow Grand League Regatta, Selected Results

Men

Eight – Division One – A Final: 1 Grainne Mhaol/NUIG (sen) 5:46.5, 2 NUIG (inter) 5:51.4, 3 St Michael’s 5:54.8; 5 St Joseph’s Col (jun 18A) 5:58.4. B Final: Trinity (inter) 6:12.8.

Division Two – A Final: 1 UCC (nov) 6:05.2, 2 Trinity (nov) 6:06.4, 3 UCD (nov) 6:06.9; 4 Col Iognaid (jun 16) 6:21.8. B Final: Neptune (jun 18B) 6:53.6.  

Four – Division One – A Final: 1 Grainne Mhaol (sen) 6:03.6, 2 Grainne Mhaol/NUIG (sen) 6:08.9, 3 St Michael’s (sen) 6:09.7; 4 Presentation, Cork/St Joseph’s (sen – trialling) 6:25.3.

Four, coxed – Division One - A Final: 1 Trinity (sen) 6:21.2, 2 NUIG (inter) 6:21.8, 3 Skibbereen (sen) 6:32.2; 4 St Joseph’s (jun 18A) 6:40.0. Division Two – A Final: 1 Univ of Limerick (nov) 6:43.1, 2 UCD (nov) 6:44.8, 3 Athlunkard (jun 18B) 6:55.2. B Final: 1 Col Iognaid (jun 16) 6:55.1. C Final: Trinity (nov) 7:05.1.

Sculling

Quadruple – Division One – A Final: 1 Skibbereen (sen) 6:07.7, 2 Shandon (jun 18A) 6:12.0, 3 UCC (sen) 6:12.7. B Final: Neptune (jun 18A) 6:22.6.

Double – Division Two – A Final: 1 Lee (jun 18B) 6:54.4, 2 Cork (jun 18B) 7:01.3, 3 Skibbereen (nov) 7:03.7; 5 Shandon (jun 16) 7:40.6. B Final: Trinity (nov) 7:20.6, 2 Clonmel (jun 16) 7:27.1. C Final: Col Chiarain (jun 16) 7:35.3. D Final: Blackrock Col (jun 18B) 7:53.4.

Single – Division Two – A Final: 1 Cork (Higgins) 7:29.8, 2 Sligo (Patterson) 7:37.3, 3 University of Limerick (Kobayashi) 7:40.8. B Final: Cork (Higgins) 7:47.8. C Final: Lee (Turner) 7:56.0. D Final: Skibbereen (McCarthy) 8:05.1

Women

Eight – Division One – A Final: 1 Trinity (sen) 6:39.1, 2 UCD (under-23) 6:40.7, 3 Shannon (jun 18) 7:05.7; 4 Queen’s (inter) 7:06.3. Division Two – A Final: 1 Trinity (nov) 7:05.8, 2 Commercial (nov) 7:08.3, 3 Athlunkard (nov) 7:19.3; 4 Shannon (jun 16) 7:31.6. B Final: NUIG (nov) 7:24.3.

Four – Division One – A Final: 1 NUIG/St Michael’s (u23) 6:45.3, 2 St Michael’s (u23) 7:00.4, 3 UCD (sen) 7:02.0. B Final: Skibbereen (jun 18A) 7:13.8.

Four, coxed – Division One – A Final: 1 UCD (inter) 7:22.3, 2 NUIG (inter) 7:24.0, 3 UCD (inter) 7:29.5. B Final: Trinity (inter) 7:38.0. Division Two – B Final: 1 Shannon (nov) 7:38.3, 2 Galway (nov) 7:38.5, 3 NUIG (nov) 7:46.9. B Final: Shandon (jun 16) 7:55.4.

Sculling, Quadruple – Division One – A Final: 1 Skibbereen (sen) 6:59.0, 2 Cork (jun 18A) 7:04.8, 3 St Michael’s (jun 18A) 7:07.1. B Final: Col Iognaid (jun 18A) 7:33.3. Division Two, coxed – A Final: 1 Skibbereen (nov) 7:34.6, 2 Killorglin (jun 16) 7:38.7, 3 Neptune (jun 16) 7:43.8; 4 Commercial (jun 18B) 7:54.1. B Final: Carrick-0n-Shannon 8:20.8.  

Double – Division One – A Final: 1 S Jennings/C Lambe (timing only) 7:02.1, 2 Three Castles (sen) 7:12.6, 3 Skibbereen (sen) 7:27.3; 4 UCC (inter) 7:44.1. B Final: 1 St Michael’s (u23) 7:40.9, 2 Castleconnell (jun 18A) 7:56.1; 4 Col Iognaid (jun 18A) 8:50.9.

Division Two – A Final: 1 Carlow (jun 18B) 7:46.3, 2 Skibbereen (jun 16) 7:59.6, 3 Lee (jun 18B) 8:04.6; 4 Skibbereen (nov) 8:05.2. B Final: St Michael’s (jun 18B) 8:21.8. C Final: Cork (nov) 8:33.9.

Published in Rowing

# ROWING CORK REGATTA: Grainne Mhaol/NUIG dominated the final race of the day, the A Final of the men’s eight at Cork Regatta today, with NUIG’s intermediate eight second. Grainne Mhaol had also won the men’s four.

Trinity also had a good day, winning the women’s eight and shading the men’s coxed four – they had .6 of a second to spare over NUIG. Skibbereen were strong in the sculling events, with wins in the men’s and women’s quadruple sculls and the men’s double – the Ireland under-23 crew of Gary O’Donovan and Shane O’Driscoll.

The men’s junior four which was trialling for a place at the Coupe de la Jeunesse (Kevin Fallon and Jack Smyth of St Joseph’s, and twin brothers David and Brian Keohane of Presentation, Cork) landed their places. The women’s four which hopes to represent Ireland at the World Under-23 Championships (Lisa Dilleen, Aifric Keogh, Ailish Sheehan and Emily Tormey) also won their final.

Sinead Jennings and Claire Lambe impressed when they teamed up in a double scull, winning well and setting a good time of seven minutes 2.1 seconds.

Published in Rowing

# ROWING: Young crews took full advantage of the absence of some of the big guns at Queen’s Regatta at Castlewellan today. The women’s Division One eights of the first eFlow Grand League regatta of the season gave Galway Rowing Club the chance to showcase their ambitious tyros – all but cox Aifric O’Regan are juniors – and they won from UCD’s intermediates and Portora’s junior eight. The men’s Division One single sculls was won by 18 year old Andy Harrington from clubmate Jack Casey, who is just 17. The two later teamed up to win the Division One double sculls’ title.

The top prize on the day, the Division One men’s eights, was taken by the Queen’s University senior crew, but they got quite a battle from the junior eight from St Joseph’s of Galway.   

Queen’s Regatta, Castlewellan, Co Down (1500 m), Saturday (Selected Results: Division One comprises senior (open, under-23 and lightweight), intermediate and junior 18A grades; Division Two comprises novice, junior 18 B and junior 16 grades.

Men

Eight, Division One – A Final: 1 Queen’s (sen) 4:54.68, 2 St Joseph’s (jun 18) 4:58.83, 3 Portora (jun 18) 5:11.50; 5 Queen’s (u23) 5:29.67. Division Two – A Final: 1 UCC (nov) 4:46.02, 2 Queen’s (nov) 4:47.92, 3 Belfast (nov) 4:53.10; 4 Portora (jun 16) 4:54.56; 6 Coleraine AI (jun 18B) 5:10.46. B Final: RBAI (jun 18B) 5:00.66.

Four, coxed, Division One – A Final: 1 Queen’s (sen) 5:01.13, 2 UCC (inter) 5:06.40, 3 Galway (jun) 5:10.30. B Final: Commercial (inter) 5:23.13. Masters: 1 Belfast BC/Belfast RC 5:48.15, 2 Bann 5:54.23, 3 Portadown 6:33.67. Division Two – A Final: 1 UCC (nov) 5:47.67, 2 Queen’s (nov) 5:57.21, 3 Blackrock (jun 18B) 6:01.14; 4 Methodist (jun 16) 6:06.18. B Final: Queen’s (nov) 6:03.00. C Final: Belfast RC (nov) 6:02.89.

Pair, Division One – A Final: 1 Queen’s (u23) 5:24.30, 2 Queen’s (sen) 5:27.59, 3 Queen’s (sen) 5:31.41. B Final: 1 Commercial (sen) 5:38.89; 2 Shandon (jun 18) 5:40.43; 5 Neptune (inter) 5:57.68. C Final: Portora (inter) 5:44.35. D Final: Commercial (sen) 5:47.30.

Sculling,

Quadruple, Division One – A Final: 1 Commercial (sen) 5:09.64, 2 Lee (jun 18) 5:14.69, 3 Garda (inter) 5:23.44. B Final: Neptune (jun 18) 5:27.68.

Division Two, coxed – A Final: 1 Cork (jun 16) 5:30.30, 2 Commercial (jun 18B) 5:33.79, 3 Lee (jun 18B) 5:34.68. B Final: RBAI (jun 18B) 5:53.44. C Final: 1 Portadown (jun 18B) 6:20.67; 2 Sliog (nov) 6:25.96.

Double, Division One – A Final: 1 Shandon (jun 18) 5:28.89, 2 UCC (sen) 5:39.42, 3 Queen’s/Skibbereen (sen) 5:40.43; 4 Garda (inter) 5:50.04. B Final: Commercial (inter) 5:55.04. Division Two – A Final: 1 Skibbereen (nov) 6:00.22, 2 Cork (jun 18B) 6:00.81, 3 Lee (jun 18B) 6:05.43. B Final: UCD (nov) 6:02.19; 5 Galway (jun 16) 6:55.56. C Final: Commercial (jun 16) 6:31.34. D Final: Belfast RC (jun 18B) 6:55.86.

Single, Division One – A Final: 1 Shandon (A Harrington, jun 18) 5:39.79, 2 Shandon (Casey, jun 18) 5:41.78, 3 Lee (Mitchell, jun 18) 5:43.58; 5 Skibbereen (Murphy, sen) 5:45.40. B Final: Lee (Buckley, jun 18) 5:45.19; 3 Commercial (McKenna, inter) 5:52.13. C Final: Commercial (Dowling, sen) 5:40.29; 6 UCC (Griffin, lwt) 6:05.03. D Final UCC (O’Leary, lwt) 5:56.23. E Final: Carrick-on-Shannon (Cox, inter) 6:01.09.

Division Two – A Final: 1 Sligo (Patterson, nov) 5:50.62, 2 UCC (Stanton, nov) 5:51.69, 3 Lee (White, jun 18B) 5:58.15; 5 Cork (O’Connell, jun 16) 6:01.16. B Final: Cork (Dennehy, jun 18B) 5:56.0. C Final: Portadown (McKeown, nov) 5:50.70. D Final: Skibbereen (McCarthy, jun 16) 6:00.19. E Final: Lee (Larkin, nov) 6:02.12. F Final: Commercial (Meade, nov) 6:18.68. G Final: Cappoquin (Buckley, jun 16) 6:09.72.  

Women

Eight, Division One – A Final: 1 Galway (u23) 5:16.95, 2 UCD (inter) 5:18.53, 3 Portora (jun 18) 5:19.02; 5 Queen’s (inter) 5:31.06. Division Two – A Final: 1 Queen’s (nov) 5:50.98, 2 Portora (jun 16) 5:55.82, 3 UCD (nov) 6:01.23. B Final: Commercial (jun 18B) 6:21.01.

Four, Division One – A Final: 1 Portora (jun 18) 6:18.20, 2 Methodist Col (jun 18) 6:35.28.

Four, coxed, Division One – A Final: 1 UCD (inter) 5:44.98, 2 Commercial (inter) 5:50.63, 3 Commercial B (inter) 5:51.29. B Final: Queen’s B (inter) 5:56.77.

Pair, Division One – A Final: Bann (inter) 6:32.44, 2 Skibbereen (u23) 6:34.73, 3 Shandon (jun 18) 6:40.69; 4 Commercial (inter) 6:41.64. B Final: Cork (sen) 7:00.21.

Sculling, Quadruple, Division One – A Final: 1 Galway (jun 18) 5:31.91, 2 Shandon (inter) 5:34.77, 3 UCD (inter) 5:49.23.

Division Two, coxed – A Final: 1 Galway (jun 18B) 5:52.76, 2 Lee (nov) 6:00.32, 3 Bann (jun 18B) 6:02.19; 4 Methody (jun 16) 6:03.27. B Final: Cork (nov) 6:01.03. C Final: Athlunkard (nov) 6:18.70. D Final: Portadown (jun 16) 6:33.53.

Double, Division Two – A Final: 1 Muckross (jun 18B) 6:02.82, 2 Skibbereen (jun 16) 6:09.52, 3 Lee (jun 18B) 6:20.55; 5 Skibbereen (nov) 6:34.51. B Final: Methody (jun 18B) 6:25.72. C Final: Portadown (jun 16) 7:06.44.

Single, Division One – A Final: 1 Skibbereen (O Hayes, lwt) 6:49.79, 2 Commercial (Dolan, lwt) 6:59.90, 3 Skibbereen (Dinneen, u23) 7:05.76; 5 Skibbereen (Hegarty, jun 18) 7:13.89; 6 Lee Valley (Corcoran-O’Hare, inter) 7:26.55. B Final: Shandon (Horgan, inter) 7:09.86.

Division Two – A Final: 1 Bann (E Barry, jun 16) 6:46.61, 2 Commercial (Foley, nov) 6:48.65, 3 Commercial (Lambe, jun 16) 6:57.22. B Final: Offaly (Mooney, jun 16) 7:04.65. C Final: Belfast BC (Cameron, nov) 7:29.49.

Published in Rowing

UCD stand on top of the Grand League points table after the first regatta of the season. Skibbereen, the hosts of last month's regatta are in second. Trinity, who won the Irish University Championships, have good showing for both their women's club, DULBC, and the men's club.  

Below is the  Grand League Rowing points table. Next up for the Grand League series: Queens Regatta, May 14th, Metro Regatta, May 28th and Cork & Monkstown Regatta, July 2nd.

  
Overall Club Points After Skibbereen Regatta  
1 U.C.D. BC 187
2 Skibbereen RC 119
3 Shandon BC 107
4 St. Michaels Rowing Club 103
5 Dublin University Ladies BC 94
6 Cork BC 92
7 NUI Galway BC 82
8 Commercial RC 72
9 Neptune RC 71
10 Dublin University BC 55
11 Muckross RC 53
12 U.C.C. RC 49
13 University of Limerick RC 47.5
14 Carlow RC 46
15 St. Josephs College RC 43
16 Shannon RC 41
17 Fermoy RC 40
18 Clonmel RC 32
19 Athlunkard BC 29
20 Lee RC 29
21 Galway RC 20
22 Killorglin RC 18.5
23 Cappoquin 17
24 Tralee RC 17
25 Three Castles Rowing Club 15
26 Garda Siochana BC 14
27 Colaiste Chiarain RC 12
28 Lee Valley RC 12
29 Workmens RC 12
30 Old Collegians BC (Walshe) 10
31 Presentation College RC 10
32 Graiguenamanagh BC 9
33 Fossa RC 7
34 Grainne Mhaol RC 4
35 Castleconnell BC 1
 
 
Mens Division 1 After Skibbereen Regatta  
1 U.C.D. BC 74
2 Skibbereen RC 65
3 Neptune RC 39
4 Dublin University BC 30
5 Carlow RC 28
6 Commercial RC 28
7 Lee RC 24
8 Cork BC 22
9 NUI Galway BC 22
10 Muckross RC 21
11 St. Josephs College RC 17
12 University of Limerick RC 17
13 St. Michaels Rowing Club 15
14 Lee Valley RC 12
15 Shandon BC 12
16 Presentation College RC 10
17 Fossa RC 7
18 Garda Siochana BC 6
19 U.C.C. RC 6
20 Workmens RC 5
21 Grainne Mhaol RC 4
22 Three Castles Rowing Club 3
23 Clonmel RC 1
 
 
Mens Division 2 After Skibbereen Regatta
1 St. Michaels Rowing Club 38
2 Cork BC 33
3 Neptune RC 32
4 U.C.D. BC A 27
5 St. Josephs College RC 26
6 Dublin University BC 25
7 Shannon RC 24
8 Shandon BC 23
9 U.C.C. RC 23
10 Fermoy RC 21
11 Athlunkard BC 17
12 Carlow RC 12
13 Cappoquin RC 11
14 University of Limerick RC 11
15 Commercial RC 9
16 Skibbereen RC 9
17 Tralee RC 9
18 Workmens RC 7
19 Clonmel RC 6
20 Graiguenamanagh BC 6
21 NUI Galway BC 6
22 Lee RC 5
23 Colaiste Chiarain RC 4
24 Muckross RC 1
 
 
Womens Division 1 After Skibbereen Regatta  
1 U.C.D. BC 61
2 Dublin University Ladies BC 47
3 Skibbereen RC 45
4 Shandon BC 40
5 St. Michaels Rowing Club 38
6 NUI Galway BC 29
7 Muckross RC 23
8 Killorglin RC 14.5
9 Three Castles Rowing Club 12
10 Old Collegians BC 10
11 University of Limerick RC 9.5
12 Clonmel RC 9
13 Cork BC 9
14 U.C.C. RC 9
15 Athlunkard BC 1
 
 
Womens Division 2 After Skibbereen Regatta  
1 Dublin University Ladies BC 47
2 Commercial 35
3 Shandon BC 33
4 Cork BC 28
5 NUI Galway BC 25
6 U.C.D. BC 25
7 Galway RC 20
8 Fermoy RC 19
9 Shannon RC 17
10 Clonmel RC 16
11 St. Michaels Rowing Club 12
12 Athlunkard BC 11
13 U.C.C. RC 11
14 University of Limerick RC 10
15 Colaiste Chiarain 8
16 Garda Siochana BC 8
17 Muckross RC 8
18 Tralee RC 8
19 Cappoquin 6
20 Carlow RC 6
21 Killorglin RC 4
22 Graiguenamanagh 3
23 Castleconnell BC 1
Published in Rowing

The first Grand League rowing regatta of the season, hosted by Skibbereen at the National Rowing Centre in Cork, came successfully through a bout of fog. The fastest crew on the day were the University of Limerick/Garda senior eight, while John Keohane of Lee Valley and Becky Quinn of Three Castles were the fastest single scullers.

 Skibbereen Regatta, National Rowing Centre, Cork, Sunday

Men

Eight – Divison One – A Final: 1 University of Limerick/Garda (senior) 6:01.02, 2 Trinity (under-23/senior) 6:03.05, 3 Neptune (intermediate) 6:04.69; 5 St Joseph’s (junior 18A) 6:12.15. 

Division Two – A Final: 1 Trinity A (novice) 6:29.64, 2 UCC (nov) 6:35.37, 3 Trinity B (nov) 6:45.81; 4 St Michael’s (jun 16) 7:19.31. B Final: 1 UCD B (nov) 6:58.60, 2 St Joseph’s (jun 16) 7:01.38, 3 NUIG (nov) 7:07.41.

Four – Division One – A Final: 1 UCD A (senior) 6:22.39, 2 UCD B (sen) 6:29.47, 3 Commercial (sen) 6:34.00.

Four, coxed – Division One - A Final: Trinity (intermediate) 6:39.28, 2 Univ of Limerick (senior) 6:39.96, 3 UCD  B (inter) 6:45.00.  B Final: 1 Neptune (intermediate) 6:57.16, 2 Fossa (inter) 6:58.80, 3 NUIG (inter) 6:59.36); 5 Presentation (jun 18A) 7:21.80. Division Two – A Final: 1 UCC (novice) 6:55.61, 2 Cappoquin (nov) 6:59.11, 3 UCD A (nov) 7:02.33; 5 St Joseph’s A (jun 16) 7:23.49. B Final: 1 Workmen’s (novice) 7:10.14, 2 Clonmel (jun 16) 7:20.88, 3 St Michael’s (jun 16) 7:29.93.

Pair – Division One – A Final: 1 UCD B (senior) 7:07.81, 2 UCD A (sen) 7:11.76, 3 Commercial (sen) 7:19.40; 4 NUIG (inter) 7:25.25; 6 St Joseph’s (jun 18) 7:36.35. B Final: 1 Presentation (jun 18) 7:25.43, 2 St Michael’s (senior) 7:32.99, 3 Lee (jun) 7:33.60. C Final: Commercial/Carlow (u23/sen) 7:33.31.

Sculling, Quadruple – Division One – A Final: 1 Skibbereen (senior) 6:24.80, 2 Skibbereen (jun 18A) 6:27.50, 3 Carlow (jun 18A) 6:27.92. Division Two (coxed) – A Final: 1 Carlow (jun 18B) 7:09.09, 2 Neptune (jun 18B) 7:10.97, 3 Cork (jun 16) 7:11.23. B Final: 1 Neptune (jun 16) 7:23.32, 2 Col Chiarain (jun 16) 7:45.88, 3 Fermoy (jun 16) 7:55.38.

Double – Division One – A Final: 1 Muckross (senior) 6:46.41, 2 Skibbereen (sen) 6:55.41, 3 Cork/Neptune 7:04.47; 4 Lee (intermediate one) 7:06.39; 5 Skibbereen (jun 18A) 7:16.16. B Final: 1 UCC (intermediate) 7:09.84, 2 Neptune (jun 18A) 7:11.74, 3 Lee (jun 18A) 7:21.59. Division Two – A Final: 1 Cork (jun 16) 7:18.41, 2 Univ of Limerick (novice) 7:19.23, 3 Shannon (jun 16) 7:22.42; 5 Athlunkard (jun 18B) 7:40.98. B Final: 1 Graiguenamanagh (jun 18B) 7:41.55, 2 Lee (jun 16) 7:43.06, 3 Tralee (jun 18B) 7:48.74.

Single – Division One – A Final: 1 Lee Valley (Keohane; senior) 7:16.01, 2 Carlow (Brady; inter) 7:27.80, 3 Skibbereen (Murphy; sen) 7:29.58. B Final: 1 Skibbereen (O’Donovan; jun 18A) 7:25.42, 2 Grainne Mhaol (Mannion; senior) 7:32.01, 3 Three Castles (Folan; inter) 7:36.08. C Final: Clonmel (Prendergast; inter) 7:42.81. D Final: Univ of Limerick (Sheehan; inter) 8:00.00. E Final: Skibbereen (Murphy; inter) 8:18.69.

Division Two – A Final: 1 Neptune (Griffin; novice) 7:56.42, 2 Shandon (Casey; jun 16) 8:13.04, 3 Shannon (Radic; jun 18) 8:18.06. B Final: 1 Shandon (Harrington; jun 16) 8:16.11, 2 Shandon (Coffey; jun 18) 8:27.98, 3 Shannon (O’Carroll; novice) 8:28.98. 

Women

Eight – Division One – A Final: 1 St Michael’s (jun 18A) 6:50.43, 2 Trinity (senior) 6:54.23, 3 NUIG (intermediate) 6:57.04; 5 Trinity (u23/senior) 7:06.39. Division Two – A Final: 1 NUIG (novice) 7:13.61, 2 UCC (nov) 7:14.07, 3 UCD (nov) 7:16.71; 5 Cork (jun 16) 7:23.04; 6 Commercial (jun 18B) 7:25.69. B Final: 1 Trinity C (novice) 7:22.23, 2 Killorglin (jun 16) 7:33.24, 3 Trinity B (nov) 7:34.28; 7 Athlone (jun 16) 10:00.83.

Four – Division One – A Final: 1 Muckross (senior) 7:23.62, 2 UCD (senior) 7:29.41, 3 Trinity (senior) 7:31.83; 4 Clonmel (junior 18A) 7:59.65.

Four, coxed – Division One – A Final: 1 Trinity (inter) 7:45.79, 2 NUIG (inter)  7:50.28, 3 UCD (inter) 8:01.89. Division Two – A Final: 1 Trinity (novice) 7:51.33, 2 NUIG (nov) 7:57.33, 3 Galway (jun 16) 8:01.52; 6 Clonmel (jun 18B) 8:18.28. B Final: 1 UCD B (nov) 8:06.59, 2 Trinity B (nov) 8:15.39, 3 Fermony (jun 18B) 8:30.62.

Pair – Division One – A Final: 1 St Michael’s (jun 18A) 8:13.64, 2 UCD (u23/senior) 8:18.20.

Sculling

Quadruple – Division One – A Final: 1 Skibbereen (u23/sen) 7:23.48, 2 UCD (senior) 7:33.75, 3 Shandon (junior) 7:46.03. Division Two – A Final: 1 Cork (jun 16) 8:01.23, 2 Commercial (jun 16) 8:12.81, 3 Galway (jun 16) 8:21.32. B Final: 1 Cappoquin (jun 16) 8:40.69; 3 Commercial (nov) 8:59.23. C Final: Cork (novice) 8:39.28.

Double – Division One – A Final: 1 Skibbereen (u23/sen) 7:48.93, 2 Univ of Limerick/Killorglin (senior) 8:01.02, 3 Skibbereen (jun 18) 8:06.83. B Final: 1 Shandon (jun 18A) 8:25.22, 2 St Michael’s (inter) 8:27.17, 3 UCC (inter) 8:52.65.  Division Two – A Final: 1 Fermoy (jun 16) 8:17.80, 2 Shannon (novice) 8:22.14, 3 Univ of Limerick (nov) 8:26.38; 7 Carlow (jun 18B) 9:04.96. B Final: 1 St Michael’s (jun 16) 8:39.32, 2 Commercial (jun 16) 8:41.44, 3 Shandon (jun 18B) 8:59.64.

Single – Division One – A Final: 1 Three Castles (Quinn; lightweight) 8:17.41, 2 Skibbereen (Fitzgerald; inter one) 8:21.39, 3 Old Collegians (Walshe; senior) 8:27.23. B Final: 1 Trinity (Dolan; u23/senior) 8:21.16, 2 St Michael’s (O’Brien; jun 18A) 8:33.33, 3 Univ of Limerick (O’Sullivan; senior) 8:38.31.

Division Two – A Final: 1 Shandon (Mertz; jun 18B) 8:52.83, 2 Athlunkard (Green; jun 18B) 9:00.19, 3 Trinity (Dowling; novice) 9:16.15; 5 Tralee (Deady; jun 16) 9:46.58.

Published in Rowing
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Ireland's Offshore Renewable Energy

Because of Ireland's location at the Atlantic edge of the EU, it has more offshore energy potential than most other countries in Europe. The conditions are suitable for the development of the full range of current offshore renewable energy technologies.

Offshore Renewable Energy FAQs

Offshore renewable energy draws on the natural energy provided by wind, wave and tide to convert it into electricity for industry and domestic consumption.

Offshore wind is the most advanced technology, using fixed wind turbines in coastal areas, while floating wind is a developing technology more suited to deeper water. In 2018, offshore wind provided a tiny fraction of global electricity supply, but it is set to expand strongly in the coming decades into a USD 1 trillion business, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). It says that turbines are growing in size and in power capacity, which in turn is "delivering major performance and cost improvements for offshore wind farms".

The global offshore wind market grew nearly 30% per year between 2010 and 2018, according to the IEA, due to rapid technology improvements, It calculated that about 150 new offshore wind projects are in active development around the world. Europe in particular has fostered the technology's development, led by Britain, Germany and Denmark, but China added more capacity than any other country in 2018.

A report for the Irish Wind Energy Assocation (IWEA) by the Carbon Trust – a British government-backed limited company established to accelerate Britain's move to a low carbon economy - says there are currently 14 fixed-bottom wind energy projects, four floating wind projects and one project that has yet to choose a technology at some stage of development in Irish waters. Some of these projects are aiming to build before 2030 to contribute to the 5GW target set by the Irish government, and others are expected to build after 2030. These projects have to secure planning permission, obtain a grid connection and also be successful in a competitive auction in the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS).

The electricity generated by each turbine is collected by an offshore electricity substation located within the wind farm. Seabed cables connect the offshore substation to an onshore substation on the coast. These cables transport the electricity to land from where it will be used to power homes, farms and businesses around Ireland. The offshore developer works with EirGrid, which operates the national grid, to identify how best to do this and where exactly on the grid the project should connect.

The new Marine Planning and Development Management Bill will create a new streamlined system for planning permission for activity or infrastructure in Irish waters or on the seabed, including offshore wind farms. It is due to be published before the end of 2020 and enacted in 2021.

There are a number of companies aiming to develop offshore wind energy off the Irish coast and some of the larger ones would be ESB, SSE Renewables, Energia, Statkraft and RWE.

There are a number of companies aiming to develop offshore wind energy off the Irish coast and some of the larger ones would be ESB, SSE Renewables, Energia, Statkraft and RWE. Is there scope for community involvement in offshore wind? The IWEA says that from the early stages of a project, the wind farm developer "should be engaging with the local community to inform them about the project, answer their questions and listen to their concerns". It says this provides the community with "the opportunity to work with the developer to help shape the final layout and design of the project". Listening to fishing industry concerns, and how fishermen may be affected by survey works, construction and eventual operation of a project is "of particular concern to developers", the IWEA says. It says there will also be a community benefit fund put in place for each project. It says the final details of this will be addressed in the design of the RESS (see below) for offshore wind but it has the potential to be "tens of millions of euro over the 15 years of the RESS contract". The Government is also considering the possibility that communities will be enabled to invest in offshore wind farms though there is "no clarity yet on how this would work", the IWEA says.

Based on current plans, it would amount to around 12 GW of offshore wind energy. However, the IWEA points out that is unlikely that all of the projects planned will be completed. The industry says there is even more significant potential for floating offshore wind off Ireland's west coast and the Programme for Government contains a commitment to develop a long-term plan for at least 30 GW of floating offshore wind in our deeper waters.

There are many different models of turbines. The larger a turbine, the more efficient it is in producing electricity at a good price. In choosing a turbine model the developer will be conscious of this ,but also has to be aware the impact of the turbine on the environment, marine life, biodiversity and visual impact. As a broad rule an offshore wind turbine will have a tip-height of between 165m and 215m tall. However, turbine technology is evolving at a rapid rate with larger more efficient turbines anticipated on the market in the coming years.

 

The Renewable Electricity Support Scheme is designed to support the development of renewable energy projects in Ireland. Under the scheme wind farms and solar farms compete against each other in an auction with the projects which offer power at the lowest price awarded contracts. These contracts provide them with a guaranteed price for their power for 15 years. If they obtain a better price for their electricity on the wholesale market they must return the difference to the consumer.

Yes. The first auction for offshore renewable energy projects is expected to take place in late 2021.

Cost is one difference, and technology is another. Floating wind farm technology is relatively new, but allows use of deeper water. Ireland's 50-metre contour line is the limit for traditional bottom-fixed wind farms, and it is also very close to population centres, which makes visibility of large turbines an issue - hence the attraction of floating structures Do offshore wind farms pose a navigational hazard to shipping? Inshore fishermen do have valid concerns. One of the first steps in identifying a site as a potential location for an offshore wind farm is to identify and assess the level of existing marine activity in the area and this particularly includes shipping. The National Marine Planning Framework aims to create, for the first time, a plan to balance the various kinds of offshore activity with the protection of the Irish marine environment. This is expected to be published before the end of 2020, and will set out clearly where is suitable for offshore renewable energy development and where it is not - due, for example, to shipping movements and safe navigation.

YEnvironmental organisations are concerned about the impact of turbines on bird populations, particularly migrating birds. A Danish scientific study published in 2019 found evidence that larger birds were tending to avoid turbine blades, but said it didn't have sufficient evidence for smaller birds – and cautioned that the cumulative effect of farms could still have an impact on bird movements. A full environmental impact assessment has to be carried out before a developer can apply for planning permission to develop an offshore wind farm. This would include desk-based studies as well as extensive surveys of the population and movements of birds and marine mammals, as well as fish and seabed habitats. If a potential environmental impact is identified the developer must, as part of the planning application, show how the project will be designed in such a way as to avoid the impact or to mitigate against it.

A typical 500 MW offshore wind farm would require an operations and maintenance base which would be on the nearby coast. Such a project would generally create between 80-100 fulltime jobs, according to the IWEA. There would also be a substantial increase to in-direct employment and associated socio-economic benefit to the surrounding area where the operation and maintenance hub is located.

The recent Carbon Trust report for the IWEA, entitled Harnessing our potential, identified significant skills shortages for offshore wind in Ireland across the areas of engineering financial services and logistics. The IWEA says that as Ireland is a relatively new entrant to the offshore wind market, there are "opportunities to develop and implement strategies to address the skills shortages for delivering offshore wind and for Ireland to be a net exporter of human capital and skills to the highly competitive global offshore wind supply chain". Offshore wind requires a diverse workforce with jobs in both transferable (for example from the oil and gas sector) and specialist disciplines across apprenticeships and higher education. IWEA have a training network called the Green Tech Skillnet that facilitates training and networking opportunities in the renewable energy sector.

It is expected that developing the 3.5 GW of offshore wind energy identified in the Government's Climate Action Plan would create around 2,500 jobs in construction and development and around 700 permanent operations and maintenance jobs. The Programme for Government published in 2020 has an enhanced target of 5 GW of offshore wind which would create even more employment. The industry says that in the initial stages, the development of offshore wind energy would create employment in conducting environmental surveys, community engagement and development applications for planning. As a site moves to construction, people with backgrounds in various types of engineering, marine construction and marine transport would be recruited. Once the site is up and running , a project requires a team of turbine technicians, engineers and administrators to ensure the wind farm is fully and properly maintained, as well as crew for the crew transfer vessels transporting workers from shore to the turbines.

The IEA says that today's offshore wind market "doesn't even come close to tapping the full potential – with high-quality resources available in most major markets". It estimates that offshore wind has the potential to generate more than 420 000 Terawatt hours per year (TWh/yr) worldwide – as in more than 18 times the current global electricity demand. One Terawatt is 114 megawatts, and to put it in context, Scotland it has a population a little over 5 million and requires 25 TWh/yr of electrical energy.

Not as advanced as wind, with anchoring a big challenge – given that the most effective wave energy has to be in the most energetic locations, such as the Irish west coast. Britain, Ireland and Portugal are regarded as most advanced in developing wave energy technology. The prize is significant, the industry says, as there are forecasts that varying between 4000TWh/yr to 29500TWh/yr. Europe consumes around 3000TWh/year.

The industry has two main umbrella organisations – the Irish Wind Energy Association, which represents both onshore and offshore wind, and the Marine Renewables Industry Association, which focuses on all types of renewable in the marine environment.

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