| |
|---|
| | | |
| |
| | | | 56th ERNE HEAD OF THE RIVER |
|---|
| | | | | Saturday 2nd March 2013 |
| | | | | Timed |
| | | | | Finishing Crew Mins:Secs |
| | | | | Position No. Crew Identity Class Rowing Time |
| | | | | 1 1 GM/NUIG/St.JoesMS 8 19:30 |
| | | | | 2 3 U.C.D. BC MS 8 19:33 |
| | | | | 3 2 QUBBC MS 8 19:49 |
| | | | | 4 4 DUBC MS 8 19:52 |
| | | | | 5 8 DUBC MI 8 20:08 |
| | | | | 5 = 9 U.C.D. BC A MI 8 20:08 |
| | | | | 7 6 NUIG BC MI 8 20:09 |
| | | | | 8 5 St Michaels RC MS 8 20:30 |
| | | | | 9 13 Neptune RC MJ18 8 20:55 |
| | | | | 10 12 UCD BC B MI 8 21:03 |
| | | | | 11 20 U.C.D. BC A MN 8 21:10 |
| | | | | 12 25 DUBC B MN 8 21:11 |
| | | | | 12 = 14 Portora BC MJ18 8 21:11 |
| | | | | 14 19 QUBBC A MN 8 21:23 |
| | | | | 15 21 NUIG BC MN 8 21:37 |
| | | | | 16 10 St Michaels RC MI 8 21:46 |
| | | | | 17 15 MCB BC MJ18 8 22:09 |
| | | | | 18 30 Garda BC MI 4x 22:11 |
| | | | | 19 18 DUBC A MN 8 22:17 |
| | | | | 19 = 22 Portora/BBC/CAIBC MS 4x 22:17 |
| | | | | 21 33 Bann RC MJ16 8 22:18 |
| | | | | 22 24 U.C.D.L B.C A WS 8 22:24 |
| | | | | 23 16 RBAI BC MJ18 8 22:26 |
| | | | | 24 11 CAIBC MI 8 22:35 |
| | | | | 25 27 QUBBC B MN 8 22:36 |
| | | | | 26 35 MCB BC MJ16 8 22:47 |
| | | | | 27 40 Portora BC MI 4+ 22:57 |
| | | | | 28 23 LSC MS 4x 23:06 |
| | | | | 29 28 DUBC C MN 8 23:08 |
| | | | | 30 17 Blackrock BC MJ18 8 23:19 |
| | | | | 31 41 BBC MM 8 E 23:22 |
| | | | | 32 32 Portora BC MJ16 8 23:36 |
| | | | | 33 42 BRC A MM 8 C 23:38 |
| | | | | 34 43 BRC/BBC B MM 8 E 23:39 |
| | | | | 35 29 U.C.D. BC MI 4x 23:41 |
| | | | | 36 47 Bann RC WI 8 23:44 |
| | | | | 37 45 QULBC WI 8 23:51 |
| | | | | 38 31 U.C.D.L.B.C B WS 8 23:58 |
| | | | | 39 34 CAIBC MJ16 8 24:08 |
| | | | | 40 63 CAIBC MJ18 4+ 24:09 |
| | | | | 41 38 BBC MS 4+ 24:10 |
| | | | | 42 48 Portora BC WJ18 8 24:13 |
| | | | | 43 50 Bann RC MM 8 C 24:31 |
| | | | | 44 49 LVBC MM 8 E 24:42 |
| | | | | 45 44 OCBC/TCBC MM 8 F 24:47 |
| | | | | 46 60 St Michaels BC WS 4+ 24:52 |
| | | | | 47 53 QULBC A WN 8 25:11 |
| | | | | 48 57 BBC WM 8 D 25:13 |
| | | | | 49 59 Portora BC WS 4x 25:19 |
| | | | | 50 62 Bann RC MJ18 4+ 25:42 |
| | | | | 51 52 Molesey B C MM 8 G 25:56 |
| | | | | 52 37 MCB BC B MJ16 8 26:14 |
| | | | | 53 54 BRC WN 8 26:33 |
| | | | | 54 55 QULBC B WN 8 26:48 |
| | | | | 55 58 Neptune BC WS 4x 27:04 |
| | | | | 56 51 Portadown BC MM 8 D 27:09 |
| | | | | 57 66 Portora BC A WJ16 8 27:16 |
| | | | | 58 36 Portora BC B MJ16 8 27:22 |
| | | | | 59 61 BRC WS 4+ 27:29 |
| | | | | 60 65 CAIBC MJ16 4x 27:53 |
| | | | | 61 67 Portora BC B WJ16 8 28:52 |
| | | | | 62 56 QULBC C WN8 29:55 |
| | | | | 63 = 7 QUBBC MI 8 Did Not Row |
| | | | | 63 = 26 U.C.D BC B MN 8 Did Not Row |
| | | | | 63 = 39 DUBC MI 4+ Did Not Row |
| | | | | 63 = 46 NUIG BC WI 8 Did Not Row |
| | | | | 63 = 64 Blackrock BC MJ18 4x Did Not Row |
| | | | | The positions given are those relative to all crews participating. |
| | | | | Positions within a Class are to be determined by inspection. |
| |
# ROWING: A collision before the start between the Queen’s University senior eight and the Portadown intermediate four took both crews out of the reckoning at the second head of the day at Lagan Head of the River in Belfast on Saturday. One of the Portadown crew had to be treated in hospital. In the absence of Queen’s, Neptune’s junior 18 eight ruled the waters: they took pennants as fastest crew; fastest junior crew and fastest junior 18 eight. The Belfast Boat Club/RBAI senior crew was the fastest four and Trinity's top women’s senior eight placed well.
| Lagan Head of the River 2013 - Race 2 – 4200m Saturday 16th February at 1500 |
|---|
| RESULTS by Time – Masters handicap not applied |
| POSITION |
| CREW |
| NUMBER Club Class Cox/Steerer Time % of winning |
| time Comments |
| 1 6 Neptune RC MJ18A 8+ H. Thompson 15:59.2 100.00 |
| 2 5 Portora BC MJ18A 8+ E. McClean 16:02.9 100.39 |
| 3 2 CAIBC MJ18A 8+ M. Bucklee 16:03.7 100.48 |
| 4 8 BBC/RBAIRC MS 4- A. Boreham 16:12.1 101.35 |
| 5 21 QUBBC A MN 8+ P. Ramsey 16:36.1 103.85 |
| 6 11 DULBC A WS 8+ G. Nic Fhionnain 16:43.1 104.58 |
| 7 20 BRC MN 8+ K. McCullagh 16:48.2 105.11 |
| 8 13 BBC MM E 8+ A. Scott 17:06.2 106.99 |
| 9 7 LSC MS 4X- P. Cross 17:10.8 107.46 |
| 10 31 Bann RC MJ16 8+ D. Tang 17:11.1 107.50 |
| 11 12 DULBC B WS 8+ N. Williams 17:12.4 107.63 |
| 12 4 RBAIRC MJ18A 8+ R. Hulatt 17:15.8 107.99 |
| 13 22 QUBBC B MN 8+ S. McGaughey 17:27.6 109.21 |
| 14 10 CAIBC/Portora BC MS 4- S. Archibald 17:32.3 109.71 |
| 15 14 BRC/BBC MM E 8+ S. Mairs 17:38.8 110.38 |
| 16 25 BRC MM C 8+ U. Smart 17:54.7 112.05 |
| 17 15 OCBC/Three Castles RC MM F 8+ J. Henry 18:05.4 113.16 |
| 18 27 QUBLBC WI 1 8+ C. Moorehead 18:09.1 113.54 |
| 19 28 Bann RC WI 1 8+ L. Ferguson 18:24.4 115.15 |
| 20 17 CAIBC MI 1 4+ A. Stewart 18:47.7 117.56 |
| 21 23 LVBC MM F 8+ M. Warnock 18:53.3 118.15 |
| 22 40 QULBC A WN 8+ C. Campbell 19:00.2 118.87 |
| 23 37 Portora BC A WJ18A 8+ Z. Donaldson 19:00.5 118.91 |
| 24 24 Bann RC MM C 8+ E. Earl 19:20.1 120.94 |
| 25 42 DULBC A WN 8+ K. Paterson 19:20.9 121.03 |
| 26 32 CAIBC MJ16 8+ A. Stewart 19:26.5 121.61 |
| 27 29 BRC WI 1 8+ E. Catterall 19:42.1 123.24 |
| 28 30 BBC WM D 8+ H. Wilson 19:46.9 123.74 |
| 29 45 DULBC B WN 8+ N. O'Sullivan 20:34.0 128.66 |
| 30 26 BBC/LSC WS 4X- S. Herron 20:54.1 130.75 |
| 31 46 QULBC C WN 8+ M. Toner 20:55.4 130.89 |
| 32 33 Portora BC MJ16 8+ J. Foster 20:57.0 131.05 |
| 33 44 QULBC B WN 8+ A. Espona-McCartney 21:17.2 133.16 |
| 34 36 Portadown BC MM D 8+ R. Walker 22:01.4 137.76 |
| 35 43 Portora BC WN 8+ C. McClean 22:05.7 138.21 |
| 36 35 QUBLBC WS 4- A. Aitken 22:07.6 138.41 |
| 37 39 BRC WM E 8+ S. Smith 22:38.2 141.60 |
| 38 38 Portora BC B WJ18A 8+ E. Reynolds 22:41.3 141.92 |
| 1 QUBBC MS 8+ A. Margret |
| 9 BRC MS 4- C. Coyle |
| 16 QUBBC MI 1 4+ R. Crowley |
| 18 Portadown BC MI 1 4+ L. Chambers |
| 19 BBC WS 4X- L. Cameron |
| 41 UCDBC WN 8+ V. Turner |
| Lagan Head of the River is organised by Belfast Rowing Club |
| with assistance from Queens University Boat Club, Lagan Scullers Club, RBAI |
| Rowing Club and Belfast Boat Club |
| and the following organisations – |
| Belfast Harbour Commissioners |
| Belfast City Centre Regeneration Directorate |
| Odyssey Arena |
| Police Service of Northern Ireland |
| Powerhouse Sport |
# ROWING: Neptune Rowing Club had a good day at the Lagan Head of the River in Belfast on Saturday. Men’s junior quadruple sculls from the Dublin club placed first and second in Head One. Rory O’Connor of Queen’s University was the fastest senior single sculler.
| Lagan Head of the River 2013 - Race 1 – 2700m Saturday 16th February 1130 |
|---|
| RESULTS by Time – Masters handicap not applied |
| POSITION |
| CREW |
| NUMBER Club Class Cox/Steerer Time % of winning |
| time Comments |
| 1 102 Neptune RC MJ18A 4X- W. Doyle 10:59.0 100.00 |
| 2 103 Portora BC MJ18A 4X- K. Anderson 11:21.1 103.35 |
| 3 112 QUBBC A MS 2- C. Beck 11:35.7 105.57 |
| 4 101 RBAIRC A MJ18A 4X- J. Hoy 11:53.7 108.30 |
| 5 155 Portora BC MJ15 8+ E. McClean 11:54.8 108.46 |
| 6 116 QUBBC C MS 2- K. Coughlan 12:01.6 109.51 |
| 7 121 QUBBC D MS 2- J. Cook 12:22.7 112.70 |
| 8 106 RBAIRC B MJ18A 4X- A. George 12:23.8 112.87 |
| 9 110 QUBBC MS 1X R. O'Connor 12:26.6 113.29 |
| 10 147 CAIBC MN 4+ J. Taggart 12:28.7 113.61 |
| 11 119 BRC B MS 2- K. McCracken 12:32.0 114.10 |
| 12 124 BBC B MM E 4+ J. Malloy 12:32.4 114.17 |
| 13 115 Neptune RC MS 2- L. Hawkes 12:32.9 114.24 |
| 14 118 Bann RC MS 2- C. Logan 12:35.3 114.62 |
| 15 150 Portora BC A WJ16 8+ C. McCLean 12:40.0 115.32 |
| 16 108 Bann RC MJ18A 4- M. Curran 12:40.1 115.34 |
| 17 111 LSC MS 1X N. Darby 12:43.7 115.89 |
| 18 135 Portadown BC MN 1X S. McKeown 12:49.1 116.71 |
| 19 156 Bann RC MJ15 4X+ F. Stinson 12:51.0 117.00 |
| 20 140 Commercial RC WI 1 4+ R. Keogh 13:06.1 119.28 |
| 21 123 QUBBC E MS 2- G. Doran 13:10.1 119.90 |
| 22 114 BRC A MS 2- G. Meek 13:11.6 120.12 |
| 23 148 CAIBC MJ18A 2X A. Meenagh 13:11.7 120.13 |
| 24 141 Bann RC WI 1 4+ L. Ferguson 13:16.5 120.86 |
| 25 122 Portora BC MS 2- R. Magwood 13:17.2 120.96 |
| 26 130 SABC MI 1 1X B. O'Carroll 13:18.2 121.12 |
| 27 120 Commercial RC MS 2- S. Connolly 13:21.0 121.55 |
| 28 139 QUBLBC WI 1 4+ C. Moorehead 13:22.4 121.75 |
| 29 145 Portora BC MJ16 4X+ M. Woodhouse 13:24.1 122.01 |
| 30 173 QUBLBC WN 4+ C. Campbell 13:29.6 122.85 |
| 31 161 BRC MN 4X+ S. Smith 13:29.9 122.89 |
| 32 143 Llandaff BC MM D 2- O. Zeigler 13:30.9 123.04 |
| 33 133 Bann RC B MJ18A 1X J. Gordon 13:38.9 124.26 |
| 34 138 DULBC WI 1 4+ N. Williams 13:41.0 124.58 |
| 35 126 Bann RC MI 1 1X D. Whoriskey 13:41.5 124.66 |
| 36 184 Portora BC MM D 1X G. Murphy 13:49.8 125.91 |
| 37 177 DULBC B WN 4+ K. Paterson 13:51.8 126.22 |
| 38 125 BBC A MM E 4+ D. Trainor 13:54.2 126.58 |
| 39 146 RBAIRC MJ16 4X+ D. Taylor 13:54.9 126.69 |
| 40 169 BBC/LSC WM 4X- S. Herron 13:58.5 127.23 |
| 41 178 BRC B WN 4+ K. McCullagh 14:03.7 128.02 |
| 42 136 Neptune RC WJ18A 4X- A. Byrne 14:05.8 128.34 |
| 43 175 BRC A WN 4+ S. Mairs 14:06.1 128.39 |
| 44 160 CAIBC MJ16 2X J. Gregg 14:08.1 128.69 |
| 45 162 Portora BC A WJ15 8+ Z. Donaldson 14:17.2 130.08 |
| 46 181 LSC A MN 1X J. McAllister 14:19.5 130.42 |
| 47 172 DULBC A WN 4+ G. Nic Fhionnain 14:20.4 130.56 |
| 48 105 Portadown BC MJ18A 4X- M. Dowdeswell 14:21.0 130.65 |
| 49 128 CAIBC MI 1 1X C. McDowell 14:22.0 130.81 |
| 50 166 Portora BC WJ18A 1X P. Mulligan 14:22.6 130.89 |
| 51 164 QUBLBC WI 1 1X A. Leahy 14:41.1 133.69 |
| 52 188 BBC MM F 1X S. Lockwood 14:42.4 133.89 |
| 53 185 Neptune RC MM E 1X E. Dolan 14:50.0 135.05 |
| 54 154 QUBLBC B WS 2- A. Aitken 14:57.0 136.12 |
| 55 144 CAIBC MJ16 4X+ A. Moore 15:00.3 136.62 |
| POSITION CREW |
| NUMBER Club Class Cox/Steerer Time % of winning |
| time Comments |
| 56 131 Bann RC A MJ18A 1X M. Curran 15:03.5 137.10 |
| 57 153 QUBLBC A WS 2- H. Douglas 15:19.5 139.53 |
| 58 157 CAIBC MJ15 4X+ R. O'Neill 15:36.9 142.17 |
| 59 193 Portora BC A MJ14 4X+ E. Daly 15:39.9 142.62 |
| 60 191 LSC MM G 2X P. Griffith 15:40.5 142.71 |
| 61 176 BBC WN 4+ A. Scott 15:54.3 144.81 |
| 62 159 Neptune RC WJ18A 2X V. Connolly 16:02.9 146.12 |
| 63 197 BBC WM F 1X A. Lockwood 16:28.9 150.06 |
| 64 151 Portora BC B WJ16 8+ E. Reynolds 16:46.4 152.71 |
| 65 170 BRC WJ16 4X+ M. Taylor 16:47.0 152.81 |
| 66 183 BRC MN 2X T. McAughtrey 16:58.6 154.57 |
| 67 180 Portadown BC MM D 4+ R. Walker 17:06.6 155.79 |
| 68 187 LSC B MM E 1X D. O'Hara 17:24.1 158.43 |
| 69 190 BRC B WN 2X C. Coulter 17:41.6 161.10 |
| 70 198 LSC WN 1X T. Florence 18:05.0 164.64 |
| 71 196 Neptune RC WM B 1X L. Feldman 19:00.8 173.11 |
| 72 195 Portora BC WJ14 4X+ E. Keane 21:13.3 193.21 |
| 73 194 Portora BC B MJ14 4X+ A. Beacom 23:13.6 211.47 |
| p 113 BBC MS 2- A. Boreham |
| 117 BBC/RBAIRC MS 2- J. Mitchell |
| 127 BRC MI 1 1X J. Baird |
| 129 Neptune RC MI 1 1X D. Brett |
| 132 Belfast BC MJ18A 1X Murray |
| 134 De Mass MM C 1X R. Shirley |
| 142 BBC WI 1 4+ A. Clayton |
| 149 Portadown BC MJ18A 2X L. Chambers |
| 163 Portora BC B WJ15 8+ C. Blackwell |
| 165 BBC A WJ18A 1X K. Turner |
| 167 BBC B WJ18A 1X H. McKeever |
| 174 Neptune RC WN 4+ A. Hall |
| 179 BRC C WN 4+ P. Griffith |
| 182 LSC B MN 1X T. McGivern |
| 186 LSC A MM F 1X G. Fettis |
| 189 BRC A WN 2X K. Flack |
| Lagan Head of the River is organised by Belfast Rowing Club |
| with assistance from Queens University Boat Club, Lagan Scullers Club, RBAI |
| Rowing Club and Belfast Boat Club |
| and the following organisations – |
| Belfast Harbour Commissioners |
| Belfast City Centre Regeneration Directorate |
| Odyssey Arena |
| Powerhouse Sport |
# ROWING: The Neptune Head of the River at Blessington gave Niall Kenny and some other top Galway rowers a chance to blow off the cobwebs in the run-up to the National Assessment in two weeks’ time in Newry. Kenny, a lightweight, won the single sculls well with his effort in the better conditions of the second head.
The honour of being the fastest eight was taken with ease by Trinity – St Michael’s damaged the fin on their boat in the first head and did not do as well as they would have liked in a borrowed boat in the second. Trinity were the women’s eight winners and Marie O’Neill of Cork the fastest women’s single sculler.
Neptune Head of the River, Blessington, Saturday (Selected Results)
Men
Eight – Senior: 1 Trinity (head one) 12 minutes 13 seconds, 2 St Michael’s (head 2) 12:24, 3 St Michael’s (head 1) 13:13. Intermediate: Trinity (2) 12:23, 2 Neptune (1) 13:24, 3 Trinity (2) 16:17. Novice: 1 Trinity (2) 13:31, 2 NUIG (2) 13:40, 3 Trinity (1) 13:42. Junior 18: Neptune (2) 12:39, 2 Neptune (1) 13:39, 3 Cork BC (1) 13:41. Junior 16: 1 Portora (1) 13:26, 2 Neptune (2) 14:03, 3 Commercial (2) 14:24. Masters: Old Collegians (1) 14:17.
Four – Senior: 1 St Michael's 12:51, 2 NUIG A/Grainne Mhaol/UCC (head 1) 13:07, 3 NUIG/St Joseph’s (1) 13:08. Intermediate: 1 NUIG B (2) 13:18, 2 NUIG (2) 13:33, 3 Trinity (1) 13:38. Junior 18: 1 Neptune (1) 14:11. Masters: Old Collegians (1) 14:49.
Sculling,
Double – Senior: 1 Trinity (Flaherty, Hughes) (Head 2) 13:57, 2 Commercial (1) 14:11, 3 Graiguenamanagh (2) 15:24. Single: 1 UCC (N Kenny) (2) 14:48, 2 NUIG (Mullarkey) (2) 15:03, 3 NUIG (S O’Connor) (2) 15:23, 4 Commercial (A Maher) (1) 15:26, 5 University of Limerick (Brinn) (1) 15:42, 6 Commercial (Gleeson) (1) 15:50. Intermediate: 1 NUIG (Egan) (2) 15:34, 2 Neptune (O’Connor) (1) 15:35, 3 St Michael’s (Stundon) (1) 15:45.
Women
Eight – Senior: 1 Trinity (2) 14:09, 2 Trinity (1) 14:26, 3 Trinity B (2) 14:26. Intermediate: Trinity (1) 14:36. Novice: 1 Trinity (1) 16:10, 2 Trinity (2) 16:32, 3 Commercial (2) 16:46Junior: 1 Carrick-on-Shannon (2) 15:25, 2 Portora (2) 15:34, 3 Graiguenamanagh (1) 16:10. Junior 16: 1 Portora (1) 15:32, 2 Carlow (2) 17:02, 3 Portora (2) 17:15.
Four – Senior: 1 Cork BC (2) 14:38, 2 St Michael’s (1) 15:30, 3 Commercial (2) 15:30. Intermediate: 1 NUIG (2) 15:58, 2 NUIG (1) 16:53, 3 NUIG B (1) 16:59.
Sculling
Double – Senior: 1 NUIG (1) 15:42, 2 Three Castles (2) 15:43, 3 St Michael’s (2) 16:05.
Single – Senior: 1 Cork (M O’Neill) (1) 16:45, 2 Three Castles (Quinn) (1) 16:53, 3 Trinity (Cooney) (2) 17:00. Intermediate: 1 Trinity (Dolan) (1) 16:53, 2 Trinity (O’Brien) (1) 17:02, 3 NUIG (Hurst) (2) 17:18.
Last year's Grand League winners, Skibbereen Rowing Club, will host the first of four Rowing Ireland Grand League regattas at the National Rowing Centre in Cork this weekend (April 9)
Other challengers this season will be runners up Neptune along with St. Michael's, Limerick, Commercial and UCD who all finished in the top five last season. Skibbereen Regatta sees a number of impressive crews start their challenge to become Grand League winners. With the absence of an NUIG entry, UCD's Senior 4 - stand out as the crew to watch. Muckross Olympians Sean Casey and Cathal Moynihan race together for the first time in the Senior 2x. As has been the trend, the men's Intermediate 1x has a large entry, as do all junior events. The Novice 8+ and 4+ Grand League titles look set to be fought for, mainly by the University clubs.
This is the second year the new Grand League will run at selected Irish regattas. The new format is designed to give competitive rowers more race time and allows all rowers to compete on speed as opposed to competing in strictly age-related or wins-related categories. The new system remains virtually unchanged from the 2010 season with all boats racing off in a series of heats which are timed, with the fastest six going into the A final and the next six into the B final.
Regatta hosts, Skibbereen RC, celebrated their 40th anniversary last year in impressive style, winning the Grand League and taking 14 national titles to bring the clubs' overall total to 123. They also hosted one of the country's best attended regattas last year with 456 crews racing. At international level, the club were well represented on national teams winning medals at the under 23 Worlds, the Coupe de la Jeunesse and Home Internationals.
The club capped off the year by opening a new boathouse, one of the largest ever built in Ireland. While the club's main emphasis is competitive rowing, they also take in 180 students for their annual schools rowing programme – an annual eight week course involving nine local schools.
The second Grand League regatta will be hosted by Queen's University in Castlewellan, Co. Down on May 14th.
The last in the series of Rowing Ireland's National Blade Heads takes place in Belfast this Saturday with the Lagan Head of the River hosted by Belfast Rowing Club.
There are 148 crews over the three races starting with pairs and sculls, then doubles and fours and finishing in the afternoon with eights and quads. The third race features 35 eights and 26 quads.
The big race of the day, the men's senior eights, which starts at 3.45 pm, will feature a high intensity race between the two Queen's University eights. The A Queen's crew, with new strokeman, Mike Ewing, have been relatively the same crew for the last three years. This is the crew which mounted serious challenges to the victorious NUIG team at the Irish Rowing Championships, narrowly missing out on a national senior eight by a mere few feet on two occasions. The A team's Ewing won a Wyfold cup (men's coxless four) at Henley last year.
The women's intermediate eights should prove interesting with a crew entered from St Andrews in Scotland who will be up against Queen's University Ladies and St Michael's, Limerick.
The men's junior 16 eights sees all the Ulster crews up against each other whilst the men's junior 18 quads sees Blackrock College, Dublin, Shandon ,Limerick and Offaly Rowing Club take on the Ulster schools.
Eight crews will contest the men's Master's pennant (over 28s) with Galway, Bann and Athlone pushing the Belfast-based masters crews, Belfast Boat Club, Belfast Rowing Club and the Lady Victoria Boat Club, all the way. The former Queen's ladies rower ,Frenchwoman Solange Garrais is bringing a men's Masters and a women's Masters quad from Aviron Grenoblois, France to compete.
The 10.45 am and 13.15 pm races start at the Albert Bridge in Belfast and finish at Queen's boathouse at Stranmillis. The 15.45 pm race starts at the Odyssey building in Belfast Harbour and finishes at Queen's boathouse at Stranmillis. There are viewing points along the full length of each race.
The official start to the regatta season takes place on Saturday 2nd April with the Neptune regatta at Islandbridge, Dublin.
Click this link for Irish Rowing details
Click this link for the Latest Rowing News
Neptune Rowing Club (Dublin) top the new Rowing Ireland Grand League table with two regattas under their oars but this could all change by next Saturday when the third regatta of the six series league takes place at the National Rowing Centre in Cork.
While Dubliners Neptune will be there in force with crews in most grades from under 14 to senior, they will be strongly challenged by the other big clubs, Skibbereen, UCD, Dublin Commercial and St. Michaels from Limerick. In particular, Skibbereen will compete strongly in mainly small boats. (Note: See current league standings below.)
Rowing Ireland spokesperson, Pat McInerney explained, “The overall entry for the regatta is well ahead of previous years which shows that clubs are embracing the new league format and enjoying the enhanced competition structure it offers.”
“From here on this season the top racing group of senior, intermediate and junior A will be collectively known as Division 1 while the novice, junior B and junior 16 group will be known as Division 2. With a massive entry of almost thirty junior 16 men’s single scullers, this is indicative of the health of sculling in the younger ranks and must augur well for the future.”
University of London, who are coached by former Irish lightweight rower, Brian Young, .are sending their men’s squad to challenge for senior eights, fours and pairs. They will line up in the eights against NUIG, Neptune, St Michaels, University of Limerick, Muckross and the top Junior eights of St Josephs and Presentation. This presents a very attractive prospect in store for the famed Leander trophy for eights which was first presented at Cork City regatta in 1904 when the world famous Leander club from London came to challenge for the trophy.
The Grand League offers an overall prize for top club based on all entries and this suits the bigger clubs. Smaller clubs can challenge for individual boat class or one of the four major categories of senior men, women, junior men and junior women
Current Grand League standings:
1 NEPTUNE ROWING CLUB 219
2 COMMERCIAL RC 206
3 SKIBBEREEN RC 192
4 UCD BOAT CLUB 171
5 ST MICHAEL'S ROWING CLUB 150
6 PORTORA BOAT CLUB 117
7 CARRICK-ON-SHANNON ROWING CLUB 102
8 BANN ROWING CLUB 93
9 LEE ROWING CLUB 86
10 GARDA SIOCHANA BOAT CLUB 83
Click this link for Irish Rowing details
Click this link for the Latest Rowing News
Aquaculture Information
Aquaculture is the farming of animals in the water and has been practised for centuries, with the monks farming fish in the middle ages. More recently the technology has progressed and the aquaculture sector is now producing in the region of 50 thousand tonnes annually and provides a valuable food product as well as much needed employment in many rural areas of Ireland.
A typical fish farm involves keeping fish in pens in the water column, caring for them and supplying them with food so they grow to market size. Or for shellfish, containing them in a specialised unit and allowing them to feed on natural plants and materials in the water column until they reach harvestable size. While farming fish has a lower carbon and water footprint to those of land animals, and a very efficient food fed to weight gain ratio compared to beef, pork or chicken, farming does require protein food sources and produces organic waste which is released into the surrounding waters. Finding sustainable food sources, and reducing the environmental impacts are key challenges facing the sector as it continues to grow.
Salmon is the most popular fish bought by Irish families. In Ireland, most of our salmon is farmed, and along with mussels and oysters, are the main farmed species in the country.
Aquaculture in Ireland
- Fish and shellfish are farmed in 14 Irish coastal counties.
- Irish SMEs and families grow salmon, oysters, mussels and other seafood
- The sector is worth €150m at the farm gate – 80% in export earnings.
- The industry sustains 1,833 direct jobs in remote rural areas – 80% in the west of Ireland
- Every full-time job in aquaculture creates 2.27 other jobs locally (Teagasc 2015)
- Ireland’s marine farms occupy 0.0004% of Ireland’s 17,500Km2 inshore area.
- 83% of people in coastal areas support the development of fish farming
- Aquaculture is a strong, sustainable and popular strategic asset for development and job creation (Foodwise 2025, National Strategic Plan, Seafood
- Operational Programme 2020, FAO, European Commission, European Investment Bank, Harvesting Our Ocean Wealth, Silicon Republic, CEDRA)
Ireland has led the world in organically certified farmed fish for over 30 years
- Fish farm workers include people who have spent over two decades in the business to school-leavers intent on becoming third-generation farmers on their family sites.
Irish Aquaculture FAQs
Aquaculture, also known as aquafarming, is the farming of aquatic organisms such as fish, crustaceans, molluscs and aquatic plants, and involves cultivating freshwater and saltwater populations under controlled conditions- in contrast to commercial fishing, which is the harvesting of wild fish. Mariculture refers to aquaculture practiced in marine environments and in underwater habitats. Particular kinds of aquaculture include fish farming, shrimp farming, oyster farming, mariculture, algaculture (such as seaweed farming), and the cultivation of ornamental fish. Particular methods include aquaponics and integrated multi-trophic aquaculture, both of which integrate fish farming and plant farming.
About 580 aquatic species are currently farmed all over the world, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), which says it is "practised by both some of the poorest farmers in developing countries and by multinational companies".
Increasing global demand for protein through seafood is driving increasing demand for aquaculture, particularly given the pressures on certain commercially caught wild stocks of fish. The FAO says that "eating fish is part of the cultural tradition of many people and in terms of health benefits, it has an excellent nutritional profile, and "is a good source of protein, fatty acids, vitamins, minerals and essential micronutrients".
Aquaculture now accounts for 50 per cent of the world's fish consumed for food, and is the fastest-growing good sector.
China provides over 60 per cent of the world's farmed fish. In Europe, Norway and Scotland are leading producers of finfish, principally farmed salmon.
For farmed salmon, the feed conversion ratio, which is the measurement of how much feed it takes to produce the protein, is 1.1, as in one pound of feed producing one pound of protein, compared to rates of between 2.2 and 10 for beef, pork and chicken. However, scientists have also pointed out that certain farmed fish and shrimp requiring higher levels of protein and calories in feed compared to chickens, pigs, and cattle.
Tilapia farming which originated in the Middle East and Africa has now become the most profitable business in most countries. Tilapia has become the second most popular seafood after crab, due to which its farming is flourishing. It has entered the list of best selling species like shrimp and salmon.
There are 278 aquaculture production units in Ireland, according to Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) *, producing 38,000 tonnes of finfish and shellfish in 2019 and with a total value of €172 million
There are currently almost 2,000 people directly employed in Irish aquaculture in the Republic, according to BIM.
BIM figures for 2019 recorded farmed salmon at almost 12,000 tonnes, valued at €110 million; rock oysters reached 10,300 tonnes at a value of €44 million; rope mussels at 10,600 tonnes were valued at €7 million; seabed cultured mussels at 4,600 tonnes were valued at €7 million; "other" finfish reached 600 tonnes, valued at €2 million and "other" shellfish reached 300 tonnes, valued at €2 million
Irish aquaculture products are exported to Europe, US and Asia, with salmon exported to France, Germany, Belgium and the US. Oysters are exported to France, with developing sales to markets in Hong Kong and China. France is Ireland's largest export for mussels, while there have been increased sales in the domestic and British markets.
The value of the Irish farmed finfish sector fell by five per cent in volume and seven per cent in value in 2019, mainly due to a fall on salmon production, but this was partially offset by a seven per cent increased in farmed shellfish to a value of 60 million euro. Delays in issuing State licenses have hampered further growth of the sector, according to industry representatives.
Fish and shellfish farmers must be licensed, and must comply with regulations and inspections conducted by the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority and the Marine Institute. Food labelling is a function of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland. There is a long backlog of license approvals in the finfish sector, while the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine says it is working to reduce the backlog in the shellfish sector.
The department says it is working through the backlog, but notes that an application for a marine finfish aquaculture licence must be accompanied by either an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) or an Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR). As of October 2020, over two-thirds of applications on hand had an EIS outstanding, it said.
The EU requires member states to have marine spatial plans by 2021, and Ireland has assigned responsibility to the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government for the National Marine Planning Framework (NMPF). Legislation has been drawn up to underpin this, and to provide a "one stop shop" for marine planning, ranging from fish farms to offshore energy – as in Marine Planning and Development Management Bill. However, the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine confirmed last year that it intends to retain responsibility for aquaculture and sea-fisheries related development – meaning fish and shellfish farmers won't be able to avail of the "one stop shop" for marine planning.
Fish and shellfish health is a challenge, with naturally occurring blooms, jellyfish and the risk of disease. There are also issues with a perception that the sector causes environmental problems.
The industry has been on a steep learning curve, particularly in finfish farming, since it was hailed as a new future for Irish coastal communities from the 1970s – with the State's Electricity Supply Board being an early pioneer, and tobacco company Carrolls also becoming involved for a time. Nutrient build up, which occurs when there is a high density of fish in one area, waste production and its impact on depleting oxygen in water, creating algal blooms and "dead zones", and farmers' use of antibiotics to prevent disease have all been concerns, and anglers have also been worried about the impact of escaped farmed salmon on wild fish populations. Sea lice from salmon farmers were also blamed for declines in sea trout and wild salmon in Irish estuaries and rivers.
BIM says over 95% of all salmon farmed in Ireland are certified organic. Organically grown salmon are only fed a diet of sustainable organic feed. They are also raised in more spacious pens than traditional farmed salmon. The need to site locations for fish farms further out to sea, using more robust cages for weather, has been recognised by regulatory agencies. There is a move towards land-based aquaculture in Norway to reduce impact on local ecosystems. The industry says that antibiotic use is declining, and it says that "safe and effective vaccinations have since been developed for farmed fish and are now widely used". Many countries are now adopting a more sustainable approach to removing sea lice from salmon, using feeder fish such as wrasse and lumpsucker fish. Ireland's first lumpsucker hatchery was opened in 2015.
BIM says over 95% of all salmon farmed in Ireland are certified organic. Organically grown salmon are only fed a diet of sustainable organic feed. They are also raised in more spacious pens than traditional farmed salmon. The need to site locations for fish farms further out to sea, using more robust cages for weather, has been recognised by regulatory agencies. There is a move towards land-based aquaculture in Norway to reduce impact on local ecosystems. The industry says that antibiotic use is declining, and it says that "safe and effective vaccinations have since been developed for farmed fish and are now widely used". Many countries are now adopting a more sustainable approach to removing sea lice from salmon, using feeder fish such as wrasse and lumpsucker fish. Ireland's first lumpsucker hatchery was opened in 2015.
Yes, as it is considered to have better potential for controlling environmental impacts, but it is expensive. As of October 2020, the department was handling over 20 land-based aquaculture applications.
The Irish Farmers' Association has represented fish and shellfish farmers for many years, with its chief executive Richie Flynn, who died in 2018, tirelessly championing the sector. His successor, Teresa Morrissey, is an equally forceful advocate, having worked previously in the Marine Institute in providing regulatory advice on fish health matters, scientific research on emerging aquatic diseases and management of the National Reference Laboratory for crustacean diseases.
BIM provides training in the national vocational certificate in aquaculture at its National Fisheries College, Castletownbere, Co Cork. It also trains divers to work in the industry. The Institute of Technology Carlow has also developed a higher diploma in aqua business at its campus in Wexford, in collaboration with BIM and IFA Aquaculture, the representative association for fish and shellfish farming.
© Afloat 2020
At A Glance - Irish Aquaculture
- Fish and shellfish are farmed in 14 Irish coastal counties
- Salmon is the most popular fish bought by Irish families.
- In Ireland, most of our salmon is farmed, and along with mussels and oysters, are the main farmed species in the country.
- The industry sustains 1,833 direct jobs in remote rural areas – 80% in the west of Ireland
- Every full-time job in aquaculture creates 2.27 other jobs locally (Teagasc 2015)
- Ireland’s marine farms occupy 0.0004% of Ireland’s 17,500Km2 inshore area.
- 83% of people in coastal areas support the development of fish farming
| |
