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Displaying items by tag: Dukarska

#Rowing: Mark O’Donovan and Shane O’Driscoll won their test race of the lightweight pair at the World Cup Regatta in Poznan, Poland this morning. Britain tested them through three-quarters of the race, but held off when it was clear they would again have to give way to the men in green.

Sanita Puspure and Monika Dukarska finished third and fourth in their heat and missed out on direct qualification in the heats of the women’s single sculls. New Zealand’s Hannah Osborne won a battle with Puspure to take second behind the dominant Vicky Thornley of Britain.

The Ireland pair of Aifric Keogh and Aileen Crowley took fourth in their heat.

Published in Rowing

#Rowing: Monika Dukarksa of Killorglin won the women’s Championships Single at Metropolitan Regatta at Dorney Lake today. Ronan Byrne finished third in the men’s Championship singles final and teamed up with Dan Begley to take second in the men’s Championship Doubles. Myles Taylor of Queen’s took second in the lightweight single.

Cork finished second in the women’s Championship Pairs and the Ireland men’s lightweight quadruple were third in the Championship Quadruple.

In the men's Championship Coxed Four, NUIG placed second and Trinity third.

Published in Rowing

#Rowing: Commercial won the men’s senior eights at the Metropolitan Regatta at Blessington today. The champions of Ireland had eight seconds to spare over UCD’s senior eight. Killorglin’s Monika Dukarska, who will also compete at London Metropolitan Regatta, won the women’s single sculls with a big margin to spare.

 

Metropolitan Regatta, Blessington Lakes, Saturday

Men

Eight – Division One – A Final: 1 Commercial (sen) 5:44.371; 3 UCD (intermediate) 5:57.184; 5 Neptune (junior 18A) 6:12.357. Div Two – A Final: Neptune (club two) 5:32.007; 3 UCD (nov) 5:50.023; 5 Blackrock (jun 18B) 6:27.915. Masters – A Final: St Michael’s C.

Four – Div One – A Final: Commercial (sen) 5:28.2o7.

Four, coxed – Div One – A Final: UCD (sen) 5:52.904; 2 Commercial (inter) 6:00.904; 3 St Michael’s (club one) 6:04.576; 4 Methodist (jun 18A) 6:07.373. Div Two, coxed – A Final: Methodist (jun 18B) 7:02.318; 2 Univ of Limerick (club two) 7:14.084. Masters, coxed – A Final: Galway (d)

Pair – Div One – A Final: Castleconnell (sen) 7:01.158, 2 Three Castles (jun 18A) 7:02.83; 3 Portadown (Club One) 7:03.236. B Final: Offaly (inter) 7:19.0. Div Two: Commercial (sen) 6:15.667; 5 Neptune (inter) 6:34.371; 6 Clonmel (club one) 6:43.012.

Sculling, Quadruple – Div One – A Final: Three Castles (jun 18A) 6:32.051. Div Two, coxed: Castleconnell (jun 16) 7:00.976; 2 Carlow (jun 18B) 7:04.32; 3 Shandon (club two) 7:04.913. B Final: Neptune (nov) 7:58.889.

Double – Div Two – A Final: Three Castles (jun 16) 7:09.056; 2 Carlow (jun 18B) 7:18.963; 4 Shandon (club two) 7:37.214.

Single – Div One – A Final: Castleconnell (F Crowley; sen) 6:43.47; 2 Carlow (J Keating; jun 18A) 6:49.642; 3 Castleconnell (S Haugh; inter) 6:52.799. C Final: 6 Clonmel (O McGrath; club one) 7:11.017.

Div Two: Carlow (A O’Toole; Jun 18B) 6:52.709; 3 Cappoquin (S Landers; Club Two) 6:56.991; 4 Castleconnell (R O’Neill; jun 16) 7:04.710. Masters – A Final: Carlow (N O’Brien).

Women

Eight – Div One – A Final: Commercial (sen) 6:05.32; 2 Commercial (jun 18A) 6:28.524. Div Two – A Final: Shandon (club two) 7:33.916; 2 St Michael’s (jun 16) 7:41.478; 3 Neptune (nov) 7:52.245.

Four – A Final: 1 UCD B (sen) 7:33.677; 4 Commercial (jun 18A) 7:55.24. Div One, coxed: Shandon (Club One) 7:28.331; 3 Commercial (inter) 7:40.237. Div Two, coxed– A Final: UCD (Club Two) 7:07.281.

Pair – Div One – A Final: UCD A (sen) 8:26.503; 4 UCD (inter) 8:54.035; 5 Lee (jun 18A) 8:55.394. B Final: 2 Commercial (club one) 9:33.839.

Sculling, Quadruple – Div One: New Ross (jun 18A) 6:44.305. Div Two, coxed - A Final: Lee (club two) 6:56.124, 2 Castleconnell (jun 16) 6:59.39; 5 Commercial (nov) 7:27.266. B Final: 2 Graiguenamanagh (jun 18B) 7:34.306.

Double – Div One – A Final: Neptune (inter) 6:57.084, 2 Carlow (Club one) 6:58.85. Div Two – A Final: New Ross A (jun 18B) 7:10.012; 3 Garda (club two) 7:36.044; 4 Neptune (jun 16) 7:36.7.

Single – Div One – A Final: Killorglin (M Dukarska; sen) 8:52.378; 2 Carlow (A Byrne; inter) 9:37.974; 3 Carlow (C Nolan; jun 18A) 9:43.755.

Div Two – A Final: Neptune (E Power; club two) 9:48.198; 2 Castleconnell (L O’Brien; jun 16) 9:51.167.

– Masters – A Final: Graiguenamanagh (M Cummins).

Published in Rowing

#Rowing: Lukas Babac won the Dirty Dozen Challenge run by Castleconnell Boat Club, with Declan O’Connor of St Michael’s second. The Slovakian was a bronze medallist in the lightweight single sculls at the World Championships this year. Monika Dukarska of Killorglin was the top woman sculler, with Ruth Kilkenny of Castleconnell second. The final was run over six kilometres. Jim Quinlan and Clara O’Brien of Castleconnell won the junior 18 competition.  

Published in Rowing

#Rowing: Monika Dukarska is the Afloat Rower of the Month for October. The Killorglin woman became the world champion in the solo (single) at the Fisa World Coastal Rowing Championships in Monaco. She won the final by 26 seconds, leaving the Olympic medallist from London 2012, Alexandra Tsiavou of Greece, in her wake. Tsiavou had won her own battle with Edwig Alfred, the champion of France.

 Dukarska, who is 26, won this title first in 2009 while still a teenager.

Rower of the Month awards: The judging panel is made up of Liam Gorman, rowing correspondent of The Irish Times, 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 2016. Keep a monthly eye on progress and watch our 2016 champions list grow.

Published in Rower of Month

#Rowing: Monika Dukarska took her second World title today. The Killorglin oarswoman won the women’s solo final at the World Coastal Rowing Championships in Monaco. She had over 26 seconds to spare over Greek international Alexandra Tsiavou (31) who finished second. Tsiavou took bronze in the lightweight double sculls at the Olympic Games in 2012.

 Dukarska won this title for the first time in 2009 when the Championships were held in Britain. Earlier this year she took bronze at the World University Championships in the women's single sculls.

World Coastal Rowing Championships, Monaco, Day Two

(Irish interest; selected results)

Men

Quadruple – B Final: 10 Galley Flash 18:09.04. Solo – B Final: 7 B Hooper 20:32.86; 18 D Hussey 23:11.12.

Women

Solo – A Final: 1 M Dukarska 30:57.06, 2 A Tsiavou 31:23.35, 3 O Alfred 31:29.00. B Final: 3 J Lee 22:52.54, 4 S Healy 22:53.30.

Published in Coastal Rowing

#Rowing: Monika Dukarska won her heat and qualified for the A Final of the women’s solo (single) at the World Coastal Rowing Championships in Monaco today. The Killorglin Rowing Club competitor had 11 seconds to spare over second-placed Benedetta Bellio of Italy. Dukarska won this event in 2009.  Jessica Lee of Arklow finished 12th in her heat and is set to compete in the B Final.

 Barry Hooper of Galley Flash and David Hussey of Portmagee will compete in the B Final of the men’s solo. Hooper was 8th in his heat where the top seven took A Final places. Hussey finished 13th in his heat. Cormac Kelly of Arklow finished 17th and missed out on a B Final place. John Casey of Arklow, who was 16th in his heat, suffered a similar fate.

 The Arklow Rowing Club double missed out by one place on qualifying for their B Final, finishing 14th in their heat. Courtmacsherry finished 20th and also missed out. The Courtmacsherry coxed quadruple finished 15th in their heat and also did not progress.

Published in Coastal Rowing
Tagged under

#Rowing: Monika Dukarksa placed second in her heat at the World University Rowing Championships in Poznan in Poland today. The Killorglin woman was four seconds behind Lisa Farthofer of Austria in her race. Just one competitor travelled on to the A Finals and the Austrian took this place. Other Ireland crews are also bound for repechages after the first set of heats.

Published in Rowing

#Rowing: Ireland’s last crew at Henley Royal Regatta exited this morning. Monika Dukarska was well beaten by Lisa Scheenaard of the Netherlands in the Princess Royal for women’s single scullers. Scheenaard, on the Berkshire station, took a little time to establish a lead, but not long after the Island she had taken a half-length lead and she had a considerable clearwater advantage by the one-mile mark.

Henley Royal Regatta, Day Three (Selected Results; Irish interest):

Princess Royal (Women’s Single Sculls; Open): L Scheenaard bt M Dukarska easily; 9:17.

Prince Albert (Fours, coxed; Student): Algemene Utrechtse Studenten Roeivereniging Orca, Holland bt Trinity (M Corcoran, P Moreau, L Hawkes, M Kelly; cox C Flynn) 2¾ l; 7:40.

Published in Rowing
Tagged under

#Rowing: The men's under-23 lightweight quadruple which won on both days at the London Metropolitan Regatta at Dorney Lake has been given the nod by the Ireland selectors for the World Championships in Rotterdam in August. The heavyweight quadruple will also travel. A big team has also been chosen for the World University Championships in Poznan, Poland in early September. There is a strong-looking women's four and men's double, and Monika Dukarska has been chosen in the single sculls. 

Ireland Crews Nominated for International Events

World Championships, August 21st to 28th, Rotterdam

 Men: Under-23 Quadruple - S McKeown, J Casey, P Boomer, D Buckley. Lightweight Under-23 Quadruple - S O'Connor, S O'Connell, C Hennessy, F McCarthy.

Coupe de la Jeunesse, Poznan, July 29th-31st

Women - Junior Pair: A Mason, T O'Hanlon

World University Championships, September 2nd - 4th, Poznan

Men, Sculling - Double: P Doyle, T Oliver. Under-23 Lightweight Double: J McCarthy, D Synott. Single: A Goff. Lightweight Single: C Beck.

Women - Four: A Feeley, E Lambe, S Bennett, K O'Connor.

Sculling - Double: O Blundell, A Crowley. Single: M Dukarska.  

Published in Rowing
Page 2 of 5

About The Middle Sea Race

The Rolex Middle Sea Race is a highly rated offshore classic, often mentioned in the same breath as the Rolex Fastnet, The Rolex Sydney–Hobart and Newport-Bermuda as a 'must do' race. The Royal Malta Yacht Club and the Royal Ocean Racing Club co-founded the race in 1968 and 2007 was the 28th Edition. Save for a break between 1984 and 1995 the event has been run annually attracting 25–30 yachts. In recent years, the number of entries has rissen sharply to 68 boats thanks to a new Organising Committee who managed to bring Rolex on board as title sponsor for the Middle Sea Race.

The race is a true challenge to skippers and crews who have to be at their very best to cope with the often changeable and demanding conditions. Equally, the race is blessed with unsurpassed scenery with its course, taking competitors close to a number of islands, which form marks of the course. Ted Turner described the MSR as "the most beautiful race course in the world".

Apart from Turner, famous competitors have included Eric Tabarly, Cino Ricci, Herbert von Karajan, Jim Dolan, Sir Chay Blyth and Sir Francis Chichester (fresh from his round the world adventure). High profile boats from the world's top designers take part, most in pursuit of line honours and the record – competing yachts include the extreme Open 60s, Riviera di Rimini and Shining; the maxis, Mistress Quickly, Zephyrus IV and Sagamore; and the pocket rockets such as the 41-foot J-125 Strait Dealer and the DK46, Fidessa Fastwave.

In 2006, Mike Sanderson and Seb Josse on board ABN Amro, winner of the Volvo Ocean Race, the super Maxis; Alfa Romeo and Maximus and the 2006 Rolex Middle Sea Race overall winner, Hasso Platner on board his MaxZ86, Morning Glory.

George David on board Rambler (ex-Alfa Romeo) managed a new course record in 2007 and in 2008, Thierry Bouchard on Spirit of Ad Hoc won the Rolex Middle Sea Race on board a Beneteau 40.7

The largest number of entries was 78 established in 2008.

Middle Sea Race History

IN THE BEGINNING

The Middle Sea Race was conceived as the result of sporting rivalry between great friends, Paul and John Ripard and an Englishman residing in Malta called Jimmy White, all members of the Royal Malta Yacht Club. In the early fifties, it was mainly British servicemen stationed in Malta who competitively raced. Even the boats had a military connection, since they were old German training boats captured by the British during the war. At the time, the RMYC only had a few Maltese members, amongst who were Paul and John Ripard.

So it was in the early sixties that Paul and Jimmy, together with a mutual friend, Alan Green (later to become the Race Director of the Royal Ocean Racing Club), set out to map a course designed to offer an exciting race in different conditions to those prevailing in Maltese coastal waters. They also decided the course would be slightly longer than the RORC's longest race, the Fastnet. The resulting course is the same as used today.

Ted Turner, CEO of Turner Communications (CNN) has written that the Middle Sea Race "must be the most beautiful race course in the world. What other event has an active volcano as a mark of the course?"

In all of its editions since it was first run in 1968 – won by Paul Ripard's brother John, the Rolex Middle Sea Race has attracted many prestigious names in yachting. Some of these have gone on to greater things in life and have actually left their imprint on the world at large. Amongst these one finds the late Raul Gardini who won line honours in 1979 on Rumegal, and who spearheaded the 1992 Italian Challenge for the America's Cup with Moro di Venezia.

Another former line honours winner (1971) who has passed away since was Frenchman Eric Tabarly winner of round the world and transatlantic races on Penduik. Before his death, he was in Malta again for the novel Around Europe Open UAP Race involving monohulls, catamarans and trimarans. The guest list for the Middle Sea Race has included VIP's of the likes of Sir Francis Chichester, who in 1966 was the first man to sail around the world single-handedly, making only one stop.

The list of top yachting names includes many Italians. It is, after all a premier race around their largest island. These include Navy Admiral Tino Straulino, Olympic gold medallist in the star class and Cino Ricci, well known yachting TV commentator. And it is also an Italian who in 1999 finally beat the course record set by Mistress Quickly in 1978. Top racing skipper Andrea Scarabelli beat it so resoundingly, he knocked off over six hours from the time that had stood unbeaten for 20 years.

World famous round the world race winners with a Middle Sea Race connection include yachting journalist Sir Robin Knox-Johnston and Les Williams, both from the UK.

The Maxi Class has long had a long and loving relationship with the Middle Sea Race. Right from the early days personalities such as Germany's Herbert Von Karajan, famous orchestra conductor and artistic director of the Berliner Philarmoniker, competing with his maxi Helisara IV. Later came Marvin Greene Jr, CEO of Reeves Communications Corporation and owner of the well known Nirvana (line honours in 1982) and Jim Dolan, CEO of Cablevision, whose Sagamore was back in 1999 to try and emulate the line honours she won in 1997.

THE COURSE RECORD

The course record was held by the San Francisco based, Robert McNeil on board his Maxi Turbo Sled Zephyrus IV when in 2000, he smashed the Course record which now stands at 64 hrs 49 mins 57 secs. Zephyrus IV is a Rechiel-Pugh design. In recent years, various maxis such as Alfa Romeo, Nokia, Maximus and Morning Glory have all tried to break this course record, but the wind Gods have never played along. Even the VOR winner, ABN AMro tried, but all failed in 2006.

However, George David came along on board Rambler in 2007 and demolished the course record established by Zephyrus IV in 2000. This now stands at 1 day, 23 hours, 55 minutes and 3 seconds.

At A Glance - Middle Sea Race 2024

First held: 1968

Organising Authority: Royal Malta Yacht Club

Start

The 45th Rolex Middle Sea Race will start on Saturday, 19 October 2024.

Grand Harbour, Valletta: seven separate starts, at 10-minute intervals, from 11:00 CEST Saturday, 21 October 2024

Start Line: between the Saluting Battery, Upper Barrakka Gardens (Valletta) and Fort St Angelo (Birgu)

Various vantage points all around the Grand Harbour, high up on the bastions or at water level. Harbour access for spectator boats is restricted during the period of the start.

Course

Set in the heart of the Mediterranean and is considered one of the most beautiful in the world. It starts and finishes in Malta, passes two active volcanoes and takes in the deep azure waters surrounding Sicily, and the Aeolian and Egadi Islands, as well as lonelier outposts of Pantelleria and Lampedusa, both closer to the African continent than Europe.

Length: 606 nautical miles (1,122km)

Outright Race Record: 33h 29m 28s, Argo, United States, Jason Carroll

Monohull Race Record: 40h 17m 50s, Comanche, Cayman Is, Mitch Booth

Main Trophies

Rolex Middle Sea Race Trophy – overall race winner under IRC Time Correction

Boccale de Mediterraneo – winner of ORC category

RLR Trophy – winner of monohull line honours

Captain Morgan Trophy – winner of multihull division on corrected time (MOCRA)

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