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Displaying items by tag: Neptune Head

#Rowing: The Neptune Head of the River, scheduled for Saturday, November 2nd, at Blessington Lakes, has been cancelled. The entry was low and the organisers decided not to go ahead. The Castleconnell Head, set for next Saturday, Ocober 2nd, has a huge entry and crews were unlikely to compete in both events.

 

Published in Rowing

#Rowing: The Neptune Head of the River was cancelled this morning. The event, which was due to be held at Blessington tomorrow, Saturday, fell due to a  deteriorating weather forecast. The organisers apologised for the late notice, especially to those who were involved in the preparation work and thanked all those who volunteered their time and services.

Published in Rowing
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#ROWING: The St Michael’s senior men’s eight were the fastest crew at the Neptune Head of the River at Blessington today, setting a time of 12 minutes and nine seconds in the first of the two heads. Lisa Dilleen was the outstanding woman competitor, winning the senior single sculls. The conditions were variable, with the second head going off in heavy rain and a headwind – only for the weather to clear as the head went on.

Neptune Head of the River, Blessington (Selected Results)

Overall: 1 St Michael’s senior eight 12 mins 9 secs (first head), 2 UCD/Neptune sen eight (1st hd) 12:10, 3 UCD, Lee, Neptune sen eight (1st) 12:16, 4 UCD, Neptune sen eight (2nd) 12:52, 5 Carlow sen four (1st) 12:56, 6 Old Collegians, UCD, Commercial sen eight (2nd) 12:56.

Men

Eight, Senior: 1 St Michael’s (first head) 12:09, 2 UCD, Neptune (1st) 12:10, 3 UCD, Lee, Neptune (1st) 12:16. Club Two: Commercial (1st) 13:24. Junior 16: Commercial (1st) 13:54. Junior 18: Portora A (2nd) 13:54. Masters: Commercial, Old Collegians (2nd) 14:17.

Four – Senior: 1 Carlow (1st) 12:56, 2 UCC (1st) 13:13, 3 NUIG, St Joseph’s (1st) 13:35. Intermediate: 1 Trinity A (1st) 13:07, 2 Trinity B (1st) 13:17, 3 Trinity B (2nd) 13:55, 4 Neptune (1st) 13:57. Club Two: NUIG (1st) 14:39. Junior 18: Portora (1st) 14:51.

Pair – Senior: 1 NUIG A (1st) 14:01, 2 NUIG, Lee (1st) 14:22, 3 NUIG B (1st) 14:36.

Sculling, Quadruple – Club Two: Offaly (2nd) 17:25. Junior 16: Three Castles (1st) 14:36.

Double – Senior: 1 UCC (2nd) 14:39, 2 Castleconnell (2nd) 14:39, 3 Garda (1st) 14:57.

Single – Senior: 1 Univ of Limerick (D Quinlan) (1st) 15:15, 2 Castleconnell (A Prendergast, 2nd) 15:22, 3 NUIG (L Keane, 1st) 15:23. Intermediate: 1 Garda (D Kelly, 1st) 15:36, 2 St Michael’s (D O’Connor, 2nd) 15:38, 3 Garda (Kelly, 2nd) 15:39, 4 Commercial (F Groome, 1st) 15:40. Junior 18: 1 Portora (E Murray, 1st) 15:54, 2 Belfast BC (A Murray, 1st) 16:08, 3 Carlow (O Nolan, 1st) 16:19.

Women

Eight – Senior: 1 Trinity (1st) 13:46, 2 Trinity (2nd) 14:07, 3 Commercial, Trinity (1st) 14:18. Intermediate: Trinity (1st) 14:11. Club Two: 1 Carlow (1st) 15:59, 2 Commercial (1st) 19:50, 3 Commercial (2nd) 21:29. Junior 18: 1 Portora A (1st) 14:36, 2 Neptune (1st) 14:56, 3 Carlow (1st) 15:14.

Four – Intermediate: 1 UCC (1st) 15:49, 2 NUIG A (1st) 15:53, 3 Trinity (2nd) 16:02. Club Two: Trinity (1st) 16:54. Junior 18: St Michael’s (2nd) 16:21.

Pair – Senior: 1 Portora A (2nd) 16:36, 2 Portora B (2nd) 17:17, 3 UCC (2nd) 18:13.

Sculling, Quadruple – Club Two: 1 Carlow (2nd) 16:40, 2 Garda (1st) 17:14, 3 Cork (1st) 17:46. Junior 16: Offaly (1st) 16:56.

Double – Senior: 1 Trinity (2nd) 15:55, 2 Belfast BC (2nd) 16:30, 3 Garda (2nd) 19:01.  

Single – Senior: 1 Gráinne Mhaol (L Dilleen, 1st) 15:55, 2 Gráinne Mhaol (Dilleen, 2nd) 16:01, 3 Trinity (R Morris, 1st) 16:39. Intermediate: 1 St Michael’s (H O’Sullivan, 1st) 17:33, 2 Belfast BC (S Quinn, 1st) 17:41, 3 Neptune (L Leahy-Bailey, 1st) 19:04. Junior 18: 1 St Michael’s (S Murphy, 1st) 17:39, 2 Carlow (A Byrne, 2nd) 18:04, 3 Belfast BC (O Blundell, 1st) 18:10.

Published in Rowing

Ferry & Car Ferry News The ferry industry on the Irish Sea, is just like any other sector of the shipping industry, in that it is made up of a myriad of ship operators, owners, managers, charterers all contributing to providing a network of routes carried out by a variety of ships designed for different albeit similar purposes.

All this ferry activity involves conventional ferry tonnage, 'ro-pax', where the vessel's primary design is to carry more freight capacity rather than passengers. This is in some cases though, is in complete variance to the fast ferry craft where they carry many more passengers and charging a premium.

In reporting the ferry scene, we examine the constantly changing trends of this sector, as rival ferry operators are competing in an intensive environment, battling out for market share following the fallout of the economic crisis. All this has consequences some immediately felt, while at times, the effects can be drawn out over time, leading to the expense of others, through reduced competition or takeover or even face complete removal from the marketplace, as witnessed in recent years.

Arising from these challenging times, there are of course winners and losers, as exemplified in the trend to run high-speed ferry craft only during the peak-season summer months and on shorter distance routes. In addition, where fastcraft had once dominated the ferry scene, during the heady days from the mid-90's onwards, they have been replaced by recent newcomers in the form of the 'fast ferry' and with increased levels of luxury, yet seeming to form as a cost-effective alternative.

Irish Sea Ferry Routes

Irrespective of the type of vessel deployed on Irish Sea routes (between 2-9 hours), it is the ferry companies that keep the wheels of industry moving as freight vehicles literally (roll-on and roll-off) ships coupled with motoring tourists and the humble 'foot' passenger transported 363 days a year.

As such the exclusive freight-only operators provide important trading routes between Ireland and the UK, where the freight haulage customer is 'king' to generating year-round revenue to the ferry operator. However, custom built tonnage entering service in recent years has exceeded the level of capacity of the Irish Sea in certain quarters of the freight market.

A prime example of the necessity for trade in which we consumers often expect daily, though arguably question how it reached our shores, is the delivery of just in time perishable products to fill our supermarket shelves.

A visual manifestation of this is the arrival every morning and evening into our main ports, where a combination of ferries, ro-pax vessels and fast-craft all descend at the same time. In essence this a marine version to our road-based rush hour traffic going in and out along the commuter belts.

Across the Celtic Sea, the ferry scene coverage is also about those overnight direct ferry routes from Ireland connecting the north-western French ports in Brittany and Normandy.

Due to the seasonality of these routes to Europe, the ferry scene may be in the majority running between February to November, however by no means does this lessen operator competition.

Noting there have been plans over the years to run a direct Irish –Iberian ferry service, which would open up existing and develop new freight markets. Should a direct service open, it would bring new opportunities also for holidaymakers, where Spain is the most visited country in the EU visited by Irish holidaymakers ... heading for the sun!