Afloat's rowing coverage encompasses the widest range of activities undertaken on Irish lakes, rivers and coastal waters. We aim to bring jargon free reports separated in to popular categories to promote the sport in Ireland.

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Rowing is one of the oldest of all sports, and FISA (Federation des Societes d'Aviron) the governing body of the sport, which was founded in 1892, is the oldest international sports federation in the Olympic movement. FISA has 128 member federations worldwide, organises World and Olympic Championships and World Cups and promotes all forms of rowing – including the non-Olympic event of Coastal Rowing.

The Irish Amateur Rowing Union, a federation of rowing clubs, has a history almost as long as the international body: it was founded in Dublin in 1899. Now reconstituted as Rowing Ireland, in 2010 the union had 69 affiliated clubs spread throughout the island of Ireland and 2,500 registered athletes. The National Rowing Centre is based at Farran Wood on Inniscarra Lake in County Cork. The domestic season traditionally culminates in the National Championships in mid-July.

Rowing is divided into sweep rowing and sculling. Sweep rowing involves the participant using both hands on one oar; in sculling the participant holds one oar in each hand. Boats may include a cox (coxwain), who generally steers the boat by means of wires, and guides and rallies the crew. In the shorthand of the sport, coxless crews are denominated by a minus (e.g. a men's coxless four is M4-). Senior sculling crews generally do not include a cox. The set distance for competition in regattas is 2,000 metres. Six-lane racing is standard.

The Olympic Games are the highest level at which rowers compete: there are 14 Olympic rowing classes, eight for men and six for women. Only three of these are in the lightweight classification, the most successful one for Irish rowers: men's fours (LM4-) and double sculls (LM2x) and women's double sculls (LW2x).

Individual oarsmen in lightweight crews cannot exceed 72.5 kilograms, and the average weight of a lightweight crew, excluding the cox, cannot be over 70 kgs. A single sculler cannot be above 72.5 kgs. The equivalent for women are 59 kgs (highest weight) and 57 kgs (average for oarswomen in a crew).

Ireland's best results at the Olympic Games came in 1996 and 1976. At Lake Lanier in the 1996 Games the men's lightweight coxless four crew of Tony O'Connor, Neville Maxwell, Sam Lynch and Derek Holland were beaten by less than a second for the bronze medal. In 1976 in Montreal Sean Drea finished fourth in the men's single sculls. In 2004 the Ireland lightweight four finished sixth in Athens.

The annual World Rowing Championships feature the 14 Olympic events and eight others for able-bodied athletes along with four adaptive events. The Championships have been a much happier hunting ground for the Irish, especially in the non-Olympic events. Niall O'Toole won gold in the lightweight single scull in 1991 and in 2001 Ireland won three World Championship golds: Sam Lynch (lightweight single scull); Sinead Jennings (women's lightweight single) and Tony O'Connor and Gearoid Towey (lightweight pair). Lynch sucessfully defended his title in 2002.

After the Olympics and the World Championships, the third big rowing competition is the World Cup series, usually three regattas in Europe. The World Under-23 Championships, the World Junior Championships, and, for countries in these islands, the Home Internationals, are also big international events. The European Championships were revived in 2006 after a three-decade break and Ireland took part in 2010.

Henley Royal Regatta, with the finals in July each year in the English town, has a special place in the calendar due to its history and its social aspect.

Our coverage though is not restricted to the Republic of Ireland but encompass Northern Ireland Scotland, Wales and the Irish Sea area too.

We're always aiming to build on our rowing content. We're keen to build on areas such as online guides on rowing. If you have ideas for our pages we'd love to hear from you. Please email us at [email protected]

Queen’s Unversity’s rowing elite four of Colin Williamson, Rory O’Connor, Abdulrahman Mohamed and Jonathan Mitchell finished fifth at the Fuller’s Fours Head of the River in London today.

At the Bann Head of the River on Saturday, the host club’s junior 18 eight were the fastest crew.

Fuller’s Fours Head of the River, London, Sunday (Provisional Results; Irish interest):

1 Leander III (elite lightweight quadruple) 18 minutes 18.24  seconds; 5 Queen’s University elite quadruple 18:20.88; 39 UCD/Three Castles elite four 19:16.1; 45  UCD/Skibbereen/NUIG elite four 19:18.17; 58 Queen’s II elite four, coxed 19:26.28; 152 Trinity/UCD/Queen’s/City of Derry women’s elite quadruple 20:18:05; 160 Cork elite quadruple 20:20.03; 189 Tribesmen/Killorglin/Limerick women’s elite quadruple 20:31.12; 314 Queen’s women’s elite four 21:27.12.

Bann Head of the River, Coleraine, Saturday –

First Head - Overall: 1 Bann junior 18A four 14:08.74, 2 RBAI quadruple, coxed 15:08.15, 3 CAI four, coxed 15:39.59.

Men, Four - Novice, coxed: Carrick-on-Shannon 17:11.50. Junior 18A: Bann 14:08.74. Masters, coxed: Belfast BC 17:29.05.

Sculling, Quadruple, coxed: RBAI 15:08.15.

Single – Junior 18A: Carrick-on-Shannon (Cox) 17:37.50. Junior 16: CAI (Gibson) 18:31.47. Masters: Lady Elizabeth (Smyth) 18:07.39.

Women, Intermediate four, coxed: Queen’s 17:33.45.

Sculling, Quadruple – Junior 16, coxed: Bann 17:55.59. Single – Junior 18: Portadown (Lindsay) 25:15.85. Junior 16: Portadown (McKavanagh) 23:28.23.

Second Head – Overall: 1 Bann junior 18A eight 13:22.84, 2 CAI junior 18A eight 14:46.70, 3 Carrick-on-Shannon junior 18A quadruple 14:47.49.

Men, Eight – Novice: Queen’s 16:31.32. Junior 18: Bann 13:22.84, 2 CAI 14:46.70, 3 RBAI 14:48.70. Junior 16: Bann 14:56.92. Masters: Belfast RC A 16:17.43

Sculling, Quadruple – Senior: Portadown 17:12.88. Junior 18A: Carrick-on-Shannon 14:47.49.

Double – Intermediate: Carrick-on-Shannon 17:26.51. Junior 18A: RBAI 21:35.79. Masters: Lady Elizabeth 16:28.83.

Women, Eight - Novice: Carrick-on-Shannon 17:11.03. Masters: Belfast 18:24.02

Sculling, Double – Junior 18A: Portadown 21:35.79.

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Sean O’Neill had to settle for fifth place in the A Final at the World Rowing Championships in New Zealand today. The Limerickman rowed in the six seat of the New Zealand eight which put up a good fight in a race won by Germany.

Peter Chambers, the Bann oarsman who represents Britain, was sixth in the A Final of the men’s lightweight single scull.

World Championships, Lake Karapiro, New Zealand (Selected Results; Irish interest):

Saturday

Men, Lightweight Four – A Final: 1 Britain (R Chambers, P Mattick, R Williams, C Bartley) 6:10.71, 2 Australia 6:10.78, 3 China 6:10.79.

Single Scull – A Final: 1 Czech Republic (O Synek) 6:47.49, 2 New Zealand (M Drysdale) 6:49.42, 3 Britain (A Campbell) 6:49.83.

Sunday

Men, Eight – A Final: 1 Germany 5:33.84, 2 Britain 5:34.46, 3 Australia 5:35.96; 5 New Zealand (A Tripp, T Williams, I Seymour, T Wehr-Candler, M Arms, S O’Neill, C Harris, B Hammond; cox: I Pavich) 5:38.46.

Lightweight Single Scull – A Final: 1 Italy (M Miani) 7:05.82, 2 Slovakia (L Babac) 7:08.19, 3 Hungary (P Galambos) 7:09.86; 6 Britain (P Chambers) 7:22.0.

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UCD’s men’s senior eight were by far the fastest crew at the Neptune Head of the River at Blessington, with 25 seconds to spare over their nearest rivals in the eight, University of Limerick. The UCD women’s eight also topped the rankings, while Cork Boat Club’s Dan Murphy, an intermediate, was the fastest single sculler. The weather held fair for the event. 

Neptune Head of the River, Blessington, Saturday (two time trials)

Overall: 1 UCD senior eight 11 minutes 37 seconds (Head One), 2 University of Limerick sen eight (hd 1) 12:02, 3 Neptune intermediate eight  (hd 2) 12:27, 4 UCD senior four (hd 2) 12:30, 5 UCD intermediate eight (hd 1) 12:41, 6 UCD inter eight (hd 2) 12:44.

Men

Eight – Senior: 1 UCD (head one) (G Murphy, T Hughes, S O’Neill, R Murray, C Pierce, S Jacob, G Duane, P Grogan; cox: J Lynch) 11:37, 2 University of Limerick (hd 1) 12:02, 3 University of Limerick (hd 2) 13:10.

Intermediate: 1 Neptune (hd 2) 12:27, 2 UCD B (hd 1) 12:41, 3 UCD (hd 2) 12:44. Junior 16: 1 Commercial (Keenan, hd 1) 14:07, 2 Carlow (Whelan, hd 1) 14:09, 3 Carlow (Williamson, hd 2) 14:14. Novice: 1 Trinity (hd 2) 12:50, 2 Graiguenamanagh (hd 1) 14:24, 3 Neptune (hd 2) 15:35. Junior 18: 1 Carlow (Chubb, hd 1) 13:36, 2 Carlow (Domaracki, hd 2) 14:42, 3 Castleconnell (Corbett, hd 1) 15:39.

Four – Senior: 1 UCD (hd 2) 12:30, 2 Commercial (hd 2) 12:54, 3 Commercial (hd 1) 13:06.

Intermediate: Neptune (hd 1) 14:05. Novice: Commercial (hd 1) 14:49.

Masters: City of Derry (hd 1) 14:29.

Sculling, Double – Senior: 1 Garda (hd 1) 14:10, 2 Lady Elizabeth (hd 1) 14:41, 3 Lady Elizabeth (hd 2) 15:10.

Intermediate: 1 Trinity (Dunphy, hd 2) 14:08, 2 Neptune (hd 1) 14:53, 3 Trinity (Ryan, hd 2) 15:10. Junior 18: 1 Commercial (hd 1) 14:35, 2 Commercial (hd 2) 14:41, 3 Neptune (Noone) 15:09.

Single – Senior: 1 Lady Elizabeth (C Lewis, hd 1) 15:13, 2 Lewis (hd 2) 15:29, 3 Castleconnell (Pidgeon, hd 2) 15:30. Intermediate: 1 Cork (D Murphy, hd 1) 14:59, 2 Three Castles (Folan, hd 1) 15:01, 3 Cork (D Murphy, hd 2) 15:13. Junior 18: 1 Castleconnell (Sheehan, hd 2) 15:07, 2 Castleconnell (Quigley, hd 2) 15:24, 3 Castleconnell (O’Connor, hd 2) 15:44.

Women

Eight – Senior: 1 UCD (hd 1) 13:41, 2 Trinity (hd 1) 13:44, 3 Trinity (hd 2) 14:08. Intermediate: UCD (hd 2) 14:26. Junior 16: 1 Neptune (hd 2) 15:56, 2 Commercial (hd 1) 16:06, 3 Graiguenamanagh (hd 1) 17:01. Novice: 1 Trinity (hd 1) 14:58, 2 Trinity (hd 2) 15:23, 3 Garda (hd 2) 15:55.

Four – Senior: UCD (hd 2) 15:40. Intermediate: UCD (hd 1) 16:04. Novice: Garda (hd 1) 17:26.

Sculling

Double – Intermediate: City of Derry (hd 1) 16:41. Junior 18: 1 Neptune (hd 1) 14:35, 2 Commercial (hd 1) 14:46, 3 Commercial (hd 2) 16:58.

Single – Senior: 1 Old Collegians (S Puspure, hd 1) 15:39. Intermediate: 1 Trinity (S Dolan, hd 2) 17:11, 2 Trinity (Finn, hd 2) 17:34, 3 City of Derry (Hughes, hd 2) 17:50. Junior 18: 1 Neputne B (hd 2) 17:53, 2 Neptune A (hd 2) 18:06, 3 Neptune C (hd 2) 18:24.

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Richard Chambers from Coleraine took gold at the World Rowing Championships in New Zealand today as the Britain lightweight four won an extremely close race.

Another Coleraine man, Alan Campbell, made the podium in the men’s single scull, where he took the bronze medal. Ondrej Synek of the Czech Republic took gold, dethroning defending champion Mahe Drysdale, who took silver.

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Ireland’s adaptive coxed four took fifth place in the A Final of the World Rowing Championships in New Zealand this morning. The crew of Anne Marie McDaid, Sarah Caffrey, Shane Ryan, Kevin Du Toit and cox Helen Arbuthnot found themselves off the pace in a race won by Canada, from Britain and Germany. The Irish crew consigned the United States to sixth and last place.

Karol Doherty’s outstanding season in the Arms and Shoulders single scull almost ended with a win in B Final.  The Donegal man led coming into the last 200 metres was deprived of victory (and seventh overall) by a late push by Benjamin Houlison of Australia.  

New Zealand, with Irishman Sean O’Neill in the six seat, made it through to the final of the men’s eight by finishing second in a very exciting repechage. Northern Ireland’s Richard Chambers, in the lightweight four, and Alan Campbell in the single scull, both representing Britain, booked places in their A Finals with good semi-final wins.

World Rowing Championships, Lake Karapiro, New Zealand, Day Five (Irish interest)

Men’s Eight – Repechage One (First Two to A Final): 1 United States 5:38.48, 2 New Zealand (A Tripp, T Williams, I Seymour, T Wehr-Candler, M Arms, S O’Neill, C Harris, B Hammond; cox: I Pavich) 5:39.08.

Lightweight Men’s Four – Semi-Final Two (Three to A Final): 1 Britain (R Chambers, P Mattick, R Williams, C Bartley) 6:20.48, 2 Germany 6:22.10, 3 Italy 6:23.03.

Men’s Single Scull – Semi-Final Two (Three to A Final): 1  Britain (A Campbell) 7:10.07, 2 Norway (O Tufte) 7:12.32, 3 Slovenia (L Spik) 7:12.83.

Men’s Arms and Shoulders Single Scull – B Final (places 7-11): 1 Australia (B Houlison) 5:36.95, 2 Ireland (K Doherty) 5:37.48, 3 Poland (R Studzizba) 5:39.93, 4 United States 5:39.93, 5 Spain 5:42.58, 6

Legs, Trunk and Arms Mixed Coxed Four – A Final:  1 Canada 3:36.53, 2 Britain 3:37.08, 3 Germany 3:39.65, 4 Ukraine 3:45.90, 5 Ireland (AM McDaid, S Caffrey, S Ryan, K Du Toit; cox: H Arbuthnot) 3:49.95, 6 United States 3:52.26.

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Ireland will have an A Finalist at the World Rowing Championships in New Zealand. The Legs Trunk and Arms Mixed Coxed Four won their repechage today to qualify for Thursday’s final. Ireland were second at halfway to Poland, who caught a crab near the finish and lost out on the top two finish which would have given them an A Final place.

Karol Doherty finished third in his repechage of the Arms and Shoulders single scull. He also needed to finish in the top two to make the A Final, and the Donegal man is set for a B Final on Thursday.

World Rowing Championships, New Zealand, Day Three (Irish interest)

Arms and Shoulders Men’s Single Scull – Repechage (First Two to A Final; rest to B Final): 1 Brazil (L Luna de Oliveira) 4:57.77, 2 Ukraine (A Kryvchun) 5:01.17; 3 Ireland (K Doherty) 5:02.66, 4 United States (R Harvey) 5:06.35, 5 Poland (R Studzizba) 5:10.31.

Legs, Trunk and Arms Mixed Coxed Four – Repechage (First Two to A Final): 1 Ireland (AM McDaid, S Caffrey, S Ryan, K Du Toit; cox: H Arbuthnot) 3:33.98, 2 United States 3:34.10; 3 Italy 3:35.51, 4 Russia 3:38.13, 5 Poland 3:49.65.

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Ireland’s two adaptive crews must negotiate their way through  repechages tomorrow if they are to make  A Finals at the World Rowing Championships in New Zealand. In their first outings, The Legs, Trunk and Arms mixed coxed four finished fourth in their heat, while Karol Doherty in the Arms and Shoulders single scull had a similar placing.

Most of the first day of the event was postponed because of winds, but when competition began in earnest, three Coleraine men competing for Britain all made it through their heats. Single sculler Alan Campbell and Richard Chambers in the lightweight four will be joined in the semi-finals by Peter Chambers, who was second in his heat of the the lightweight single sculls.

World Rowing Championships, Lake Karapiro, New Zealand, Day Two (Irish interest)

Lightweight Men’s Four – Heat Two (First Two Directly to A/B Semi-Finals): 1 Britain (R Chambers, P Mattick, R Williams, C Bartley) 5:56.40, 2 Netherlands 5:57.07.

Men’s Single Scull – Heat Two (First Directly to A/B Semi-Finals): 1 Britain (A Campbell) 6:48.49.

Lightweight Men’s Single Scull – Heat Two (First Three Directly to A/B Semi-Finals): 1 New Zealand (D Grant) 7:09.12, 2 Britain (P Chambers) 7:13.08, 3 Netherlands (J Schouten) 7:18.78.

Arms and Shoulders Men’s Single Scull – Heat Two (First Directly to A Final): 1 New Zealand (D McBride) 4:57.58; 4 Ireland (K Doherty) 5:09.57.

Legs, Trunk and Arms Mixed Coxed Four – Heat Two (First Two Directly to A Final): 1 Britain 3:23.58, 2 Ukraine 3:28.16; 3 Italy 3:32.59, 4 Ireland (A-M McDaid, S Caffrey, S Ryan, K Du Toit; cox: H Arbuthnot) 3:33.14.

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The Afloat Rower of the Month for October is John Keohane of Kilmacsimon coastal rowing club, who won the single sculls title at the World Coastal Rowing Championships in Istanbul. The 31-year-old also competes for Lee Valley Rowing Club and won the Intermediate Single Sculls title at the National Rowing Championships in September. He is a worthy winner of the Afloat Rower of the Month award.

Rower of the Month awards: The judging panel is made up of Liam Gorman, rowing correspondent of The Irish Times, President of Rowing Ireland Anthony Dooley and David O'Brien, Editor of Afloat magazine. Monthly awards for achievements during the year will appear on afloat.ie and the overall national award will be presented to the person or crew who, in the judges' opinion, achieved the most notable results in, or made the most significant contribution to rowing during 2010. Keep a monthly eye on progress and watch our 2010 champions list grow.

HEAR THE INSIDE STORY OF KEOHANE’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WIN BY ACCESSING THE PODCAST BELOW

John Keohane of the Kilmacsimon Club in Co Cork took the single sculls' title at the World Coastal Rowing Championships in Istanbul. The tall Corkman finished well ahead of Alberto Exarte of the San Pedro club in Spain, with Guiseppe Alberti of Italy third.

 Keohane rows with Lee Valley in Olympic-class rowing and won the intermediate single sculls title at the National Championships. 

World Coastal Rowing Championhsips, Istanbul

Men’s Single Scull – A Final:  1 Kilmacsimon (J Keohane) 37:13.45, 2 San Pedro, Spain (A Exarte) 37:33.77, 3 Gavirate, Italy (G Alberti) 37:43.15.

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