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#Rowing: NUIG carried off the men’s and women’s senior eights at the Lough Rynn Regatta in Leitrim today. Enniskillen, the former Portora, won the men’s and women’s junior 18 titles. While the morning session had run off on time and with little disruption, the weather changed for the worse in the afternoon, with squalls and bouts of heavy rain. The programme ran late and junior 15 and junior 16 events were cancelled.

A composite crew from UCC and Shandon won the men’s senior double, while the Three Castles duo of Rory Quinn and Oisin Clune of Three Castles won the junior double.

Lough Rynn Regatta, Leitrim (Selected Results)

Men

Eight – Senior: 1 NUIG, 2 UCD. Intermediate: 1 UCD, 2 Commercial, 3 NUIG A. Jun 18: 1 Enniskillen, 2 Neptune, 3 Commercial. Club/Jun 16: NUIG. Masters: Athlone (f).

Four – Senior: 1 NUIG, 2 Enniskillen, Cork. Inter, coxed: 1 NUIG A, 2 Commercial, 3 Skibbereen. Club, coxed: 1 NUIG A, 2 NUIG B, 3 Enniskillen. Junior, coxed: 1 Enniskillen, 2 Methodist, 3 Commercial. Masters, coxed: Neptune A (e).

Pair – Inter: 1 Commercial A, 2 St Michael’s, 3 Belfast BC. Jun 18: 1 Commercial B, 2 Commercial A, 3 Commercial C.

Sculling, Quadruple – Club, coxed: 1 Carlow, 2 Enniskillen, 3 Col Iognaid. Jun 16, coxed: 1 Castleconnell. Sculling, Masters: City of Derry.

Double – Sen: 1 Shandon/UCC, 2 Castleconnell, 3 Shandon. Jun 18: 1 Three Castles A, 2 Castleconnell B. Club: 1 Portadown, 2 Clonmel, 3 St Joseph’s. Jun 16: Three Castles.

Single – Sen: 1 Skibbereen (K Mannix), 2 Skibbereen (J Lupton) 3 UCC (R Byrne). Intermediate: 1 Skibbereen (Mannix), 2 Carlow (Murphy), 3 Shandon (O’Sullivan). Masters b and c: Galway (Walkowiak); c: Clonmel (McGrath); d: Carlow (O’Brien): e: Galway (D Crowley); g and h: Belfast BC (Lockwood).

Women

Eight – Sen: 1 NUIG, 2 Commercial. Inter: 1 NUIG, 2 NUIG B. Nov: 1 Galway, 2 Enniskillen. Club: 1 NUIG A, 2 NUIG B. Jun 18: 1 Enniskillen, 2 Bann, 3 Col Iognaid. Jun 16: St Michael’s. Masters: Belfast BC (e). Jun 15: Enniskillen A.

Four – Sen: 1 Cork, 2 Commercial, 3 NUIG. Jun 18A:1 Enniskillen, 2 Commercial, 3 Col Iognaid. Inter, Club, Jun 16, coxed: NUIG (inter).

Pair – Senior/Inter: 1 Bann (inter), 2 Cork, 3 Belfast.

Sculling, Quadruple – Nov, coxed: 1 Neptune, 2 Galway, 3 King’s Hospital. Club, coxed: 1 Methodist, 2 King’s Hos, 3 Commercial. Jun 18: 1 Clonmel, 2 Belfast BC, Portadown, Bann (sen). 3 Comercial. Masters, coxed: Belfast BC. Jun 16: Castleconnell.

Double – Sen: 1 Neptune, 2 Carlow/Kenmare, 3 Garda/NUIG. Club: 1 Bann, 2 St Michael’s, 3 Carlow. Jun: 1 Castleconnell, 2 Commercial, 3 Portadown. Masters: Tribesmen A (d).

Single – Sen: 1 Cork (L Dilleen), 2 Skibbereen (L Heaphy), 3 Queen’s (O Blundell). Inter: 1 Bann (A O’Donovan), 2 Neptune (C Feerick), 3 Skibberee (L Heaphy). Jun 18: 1 Bann (H Scott), 2 Carlow (C Nolan), 3 Col Iognaid (Nic Dhonncha). Masters: City of Derry (M Nic Bhloscaidh; a).

 

Published in Rowing

#Rowing: Claire Feerick and Ava Clarke beat a Carlow-Kenmare composite in a tight finish of the women’s senior double at Lough Rynn Regatta today. The men’s four was also a tight race with NUIG beating a junior four which may represent Ireland at the Coupe de la Jeunesse.

Lisa Dilleen of Cork Boat Club won the women’s senior single sculls and Hannah Scott won the women’s junior 18 single. A re-row was called for the first two crews in the the men’s junior single. A launch stalled in the lane of Aaron Christie of Bann, who was in contention for first.

Tailwind conditions strengthened in late morning at the venue, but rowing continued on the impressive course.

Lough Rynn Regatta, Leitrim (Selected Results)

Men

Eight – Jun 15: Col Iognaid. Masters: Athlone (f).

Four – Senior: 1 NUIG, 2 Enniskillen, Cork. Inter, coxed: 1 NUIG A, 2 Commercial, 3 Skibbereen. Club, coxed: 1 NUIG A, 2 NUIG B, 3 Enniskillen.

Pair – Jun 18: 1 Commercial B, 2 Commercial A, 3 Commercial C.

Sculling, Quadruple – Jun 16, coxed: 1 Castleconnell.

Sculling, Quadruple – Club, coxed: 1 Carlow, 2 Enniskillen, 3 Col Iognaid.

Double – Jun 16: Three Castles.

Single – Intermediate: 1 Skibbereen (Mannix), 2 Carlow (Murphy), 3 Shandon (O’Sullivan).

Women

Eight – Jun 16: St Michael’s. Masters: Belfast BC (e). Jun 15: Enniskillen A.

Four – Sen: 1 Cork, 2 Commercial, 3 NUIG. Inter, Club, Jun 16, coxed: NUIG (inter).

Sculling, Quadruple – Nov, coxed: 1 Neptune, 2 Galway, 3 King’s Hospital. Club, coxed: 1 Methodist, 2 King’s Hos, 3 Commercial. Jun 18: 1 Clonmel, 2 Belfast BC, Portadown, Bann (sen). 3 Comercial.

Double – Sen: 1 Neptune, 2 Carlow/Kenmare, 3 Garda/NUIG. Club: 1 Bann, 2 St Michael’s, 3 Carlow. Jun: 1 Castleconnell, 2 Commercial, 3 Portadown. Masters: Tribesmen A (d).

Single – Sen: 1 Cork (L Dilleen), 2 Skibbereen (L Heaphy), 3 Queen’s (O Blundell). Inter: 1 Bann (A O’Donovan), 2 Neptune (C Feerick), 3 Skibberee (L Heaphy). Jun 18: 1 Bann (H Scott), 2 Carlow (C Nolan), 3 Col Iognaid (Nic Dhonncha).

Published in Rowing
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#Rowing: The men’s quadruple gave four top internationals the chance to show their speed at Skibbereen Regatta. Shane O’Driscoll, Paul O’Donovan, Gary O’Donovan and Mark O’Donovan won in a very good time of six minutes 29.9 seconds. NUIG’s two women’s coxed fours were also impressive – the B crew won well from the A crew in the Division One A Final. Two junior 16 competitors from Castleconnell, Norma Silke and Lauren O’Brien, zoomed away from the rest to win the Division Two double sculls, while Lee’s senior crew took the honours in the women’s quadruple. Enniskillen’s junior 18 crew won the Division One coxed four.  

Skibbereen Grand League Regatta, National Rowing Centre, Day One (Selected Results; with Per Centage of Projected World Best Time)

Men

Eight – Division Two – A Final: 1 Queen’s (nov) 7:04.6. 3 Univ of Limerick (club two) 7:25.3, 6 Col Iognaid (jun 16) 7:40.6.

Four, coxed – Div One – A Final: 1 Enniskillen (jun 18A) 7:09.5 (82.18), 2 UCD (inter) 7:11.7 (81.78), 3 NUIG (sen) 7:12.9 (81.54). B Final: 2 NUIG (club one) 7:29.8 (78.48).

Pair – A Final: 1 Skibbereen (sen) 7:43.6 (80.46), 2 Commercial (sen) 7:50.8, 3 Enniskillen (jun 18A) 7:56.4; 4 Cork A (inter) 8:04.8 (76.95). C Final: 3 St Michael’s (club one) 8:10.1 (76.11).

Sculling,

Quadruple – Division One – A Final: 1 Skibbereen/UCD (sen) 6:29.9 (85.41), 2 Commercial (sen) 6:49.0 (81.42), 3 Shandon (jun 18A) 6:52.2 (80.79), 4 St Michael’s (club one) 7:11.0 (77.26).

Double – Div Two – A Final: 1 Castleconnell (jun 16) 8:51.7, 2 Shandon (club two) 9:17.3 (71.24). B Final: 2 Athlunkard (jun 18B) 9:57.4.

Single – A Final: 1 UCD (P O’Donovan; senior) 7:58.3 (81.78 per cent), 2 Skibbereen (G O’Donovan; sen) 8:03.4 (80.88), 3 UCD (A Goff; lightweight) 8:17.1 (78.66). B Final: 2 Skibbereen (K Mannix; intermediate) 8:21.6 (77.95); 5 Three Castles (R Quinn; jun 18A) 8:36.4 (75.71).

Women

Eight – Div Two – A Final: 1 Shandon (club two) 7:47.5; 4 NUIG (nov) 8:09.8. 5 Col Iognaid (jun 16) 8:12.8. Four, coxed – Division One – A Final: 1 NUIG B (inter) 8:03.5 (80.87),  NUIG A (inter) 8:12.6 (79.37), 3 Cork (sen) 8:18.4 (78.45); 6 UCC (club one) 8:40.7 (75.9).

Pair – A Final: 1 UCC (sen) 8:39.8 (79.06), 2 Cork (inter) 8:40.5 (78.96), 3 Fermoy (jun 18A) 8:47.1 (77.97). B Final: 3 Belfast BC (club one) 9:14.9 (74.07); 6 Cork A (jun 18A) 9:35.7 (71.39)

Sculling

Quadruple – Div One – A Final: 1 Lee (sen) 7:35.2 (80.18), 2 Fermoy, Carlow, Skibbereen, Kenmare 7:36.6 (79.94), 3 Workmans (jun 18A) 7:48.1 (77.98).

Div Two, coxed – A Final: Cork (jun 18B) 8:34.6, 2 Lee A (club two) 8:47.4, 3 Carlow (jun 16), 4 Garda (club two) 9:00.0. B Final: 2 UCD A (nov) 9:21.4.

Double – Div Two – A Final: 1 Castleconnell (jun 16) 8:51.7, 2 Shandon (club two) 9:17.3. B Final: 2 Athlunkard (jun 18B) 9:57.4.

Single – A Final: 1 Old Collegians (S Puspure; sen) 8:33.5 (82.97), 2 Killorglin (M Dukarska; sen) 8:45.0 (81.14), 3 UCD (A Crowley; inter) 9:06.8 (77.91). B Final: 3 Col Iognaid (C Nic Dhonncha; jun 18A) 9:38.1 (73.69), 4 Lee Valley (E O’Mahony; club one) 9:45.6 (72.75).

Published in Rowing

#Rowing: Trinity came out on top at the Irish University Rowing Championships at the National Rowing Centre in Cork today. The combined points tally of Dublin University Boat Club and Dublin University Ladies Boat Club was 68 points. UCD’s total was 51 and NUIG’s 43.

 The Wylie Cup, calculated on results in the men’s eights, went to UCD, who won the senior eight convincingly from Trinity. NUIG are the Bank of Ireland champions, though UCD won the senior eights.

 Stephen O’Connor of UCC beat Patrick Moreau of Trinity in the senior single sculls final, though Andrew Goff of UCD was faster in winning the intermediate title.

Irish University Championships, National Rowing Centre, Friday (Selected Results)

Overall: 1 Trinity (DUBC and DULBC) 68 points, 2 UCD 51, 3 NUIG 43. Wylie Cup (Senior Men, based on results in eights): UCD. Bank of Ireland Cup (Senior Women, eights): NUIG.

Men

Eight – Senior: 1 UCD 6:12.06, 2 Trinity 6:17.82, 3 NUIG 6:26.67. Club: NUIG 6:28.85. Intermediate: UCD 6:17.73. Novice: Queen’s 6:29.09.

Four – Sen: Trinity 7:12.30. Inter, coxed: Dublin IT 7:04.65. Club, coxed: NUIG 7:10.88.

Pair – Sen: Trinity 7:22.44.

Sculling, Quadruple – Nov, coxed: Queen’s A 7:37.40.  

Double – Inter: UCC 7:28.18.

Single – Sen: UCC (S O’Connor) 7:58.23. Inter: UCD (A Goff) 7:47.90.

Women

Eight – Senior: 1 UCD 7:06.78, 2 NUIG 7:14.70, 3 Trinity A 7:20.66. Inter: NUIG 7:11.87.

Club: NUIG 7:12.84. Novice: NUIG 7:26.53.

Four – Sen: UCD 7:36.88. Inter, coxed: UCC 8:13.49. Club, coxed: Queen’s 8:12.59.

Pair – Sen: UCD 8:20.97.

Sculling, Quadruple – Nov, coxed: Queen’s 9:08.74.

Double – Inter: Trinity 8:35.31.

Single – Inter: UUC (K Shirlow) 8:46.18.

Published in Rowing

#Rowing: Commercial won the senior eights championship of Ireland (the 'Big Pot') in a race with a thrilling finish at the Irish Rowing Championships. The Dublin crew took over the lead at halfway, but could not shake off UCD. In the final 250 metres, UCD charged and seemed set to catch Commercial, but the eventual winners found something and surged. The margin in an extremely fast race - Commercial recorded a time of five minutes 36.892 seconds - was less than a third of a second.

 Skibbereen, in combination with UCC, won the women's senior eight. This was a much more emphatic win, with UCD challenging but not able to catch the winners. Skibbereen added the women's junior quadruple and the men's intermediate double titles to take their overall tally for the Championships to 13 - they now have 163 in total, 11 clear of nearest rivals, Neptune (152).

 Marie Piggott of NUIG was a very clear winner of the women's intermediate single. Commercial were also in charge in their win in the men's junior pair.

 Cork completed a good set of results for them when they won the women's club eight.

Irish Rowing Championships, National Rowing Centre, Day Three (Selected Results, Finals)

Men

Eights - Senior: 1 Commercial (D Joyce, M Maher, R Peguet, S Mac Eoin, F Groome, D Burke, C Dowling, N Gahan; cox: M Crockett) 5:36.892, 2 UCD A 5:37.220, 3 NUIG 5:44.377. Four - Club, coxed: NUIG 6:33.156.

Pair - Inter: Portora 6:49.900. Junior: 1 Commercial 7:00.686, 2 Portora B 7:02.186, 3 Portora A 7:03.905.

Sculling, Double - Inter: Skibbereen 6:33.887. Junior: 1 Shandon A 6:36.777, 2 Clonmel 6:39.324, Castleconnell A 6:51.168.

Lightweight Single: 1 Skibbrereen (S O'Driscoll) 7:15.482, 2 Skibbereen (A Burns) 9:08.433, 3 Carlow (O Nolan) 7:36.764.

Women

Eight- Senior: 1 Skibbereen/UCC (L Murphy, N Casey, O Hayes, C J Hearne, N O'Mahony, A Feeley, A Keogh, D Walsh; cox R O'Leary) 6:24.548, 2 UCD 6:29.778, 3 Trinity 6:40.377. Club: Cork 6:39.339.

Four - Inter, coxed: Commercial 7:20.348.

Pair - Junior: 1 Cork 7:35.640, 2 Bann 7:41.453, 3 Shannon 7:41.750

Sculling - Quadruple - Junior: 1 Skibbereen 6:46.308, 2 Bann 6:53.292, 3 Lee 6:59.527.

Single - Inter: NUIG (M Piggott) 7:58.822.

Lightweight Single: Skibbereen (D Walsh) 7:54.535, 2 Carlow (A Byrne) 8:21.130, 3 Queen's (R Brown) 8:33.287.

Published in Rowing

#Rowing: Skibbereen brought their tally of titles for the Irish Rowing Championships to a remarkable 10 so far as Denise Walsh and Shane O'Driscoll had big wins in the lightweight single sculls in the morning session of the third day.

 Shandon's win in the men's junior double was a sweet one for Stephen O'Sullivan and Ronan Byrne. They led Clonmel all down the course and held off push after push in the final 500 metres.  Strokeman O'Sullivan shouted with joy at the finish, but it was a particularly big win for Byrne. He had been beaten by the Clonmel strokeman, Daire Lynch, in the junior single. Byrne and Lynch team up in the Ireland junior double for the World Championships.  

 Cork Boat Club's good run in junior events continued, as Amy Mason and Tara Hanlon won the junior pair. Portora won the men's intermediate pair and NUIG the club coxed four. Commercial led all the way in the women's intermediate four and had a clearwater margin at the finish.

Irish Rowing Championships, National Rowing Centre, Day Three (Selected Results, Finals)

Men

Four - Club, coxed: NUIG 6:33.156.

Pair - Inter: Portora 6:49.900.

Sculling, Double - Junior: 1 Shandon A 6:36.777, 2 Clonmel 6:39.324, Castleconnell A 6:51.168.

Lightweight Single: 1 Skibbrereen (S O'Driscoll) 7:15.482, 2 Skibbereen (A Burns) 9:08.433, 3 Carlow (O Nolan) 7:36.764.

Women

Four - Inter, coxed: Commercial 7:20.348.

Pair - Junior: 1 Cork 7:35.640, 2 Bann 7:41.453, 3 Shannon 7:41.750

Sculling - Lightweight Single: Skibbereen (D Walsh) 7:54.535, 2 Carlow (A Byrne) 8:21.130, 3 Queen's (R Brown) 8:33.287.

Published in Rowing

#Rowing: NUIG overtook Commercial and won the men's senior four at the Irish Rowing Championships in Cork today. The other senior title on offer in the second session of finals at the National Rowing Centre went to Mark O'Donovan in the single sculls. The 26-year-old Skibbereen man, rating much higher than his rivals, established an early lead and was not caught. It was his first senior singles sculls crown.

 Portora also took the lead early and won the junior 18 eights - but the Cork Boat Club challenge was severe. This fine race lasted right to the line and was decided by under half a second.

 Neptune added the women's novice coxed quadruple title to their men's title, won earlier in the day, while UCD won the women's intermediate eight. The Dublin college also took the men's club eight.

Irish Rowing Championships, National Rowing Centre, Cork, Day One (Selected Results)

Men

Eight - Club: UCD 5:56.392. Junior: 1 Portora 5:59.419, 2 Cork 5:59.84, 3 St Joseph's A 6:10.731.

Four - Senior: 1 NUIG 6:03.081, 2 Commercial 6:05.925, 3 Portora 6:09.284. Inter, coxed: 1 NUIG 6:26.811.

Sculling, Quadruple - Novice, coxed: Neptune 6:44.559.

Double - Senior: 1 Skibbereen 6:32.773, 2 UCD 6:34.914, 3 Castleconnell 6:39.727.

Single - Senior: 1 Skibbereen (M O'Donovan) 7:04.162, 2 UCD (T Hughes) 7:10.256, 3 Portadown (S McKeown) 7:12.256. Junior: 1 Clonmel (D Lynch) 7:04.040, 2 Shandon (R Byrne) 7:04.462, 3 Shandon (S O'Sullivan) 7:23.197.

Women

Eight - Intermediate: UCD 6:38.722. Four - Senior: 1 UCD 6:54.652, 2 Skibbereen/UCC 6:58.902, 3 Trinity 7:04.715. Club, coxed: Fermoy 7:16.116.

Four - Junior: 1 Skibbereen 7:05.645, 2 Shandon A 7:13.661, 3 Galway 7:19.145.

Pair - Intermediate: Cork 7:36.488

Sculling, Quadruple - Novice, coxed: Neptune A 7:55.460.

Double - Junior: 1 Skibbereen B 7:19.682, 2 Bann 7:91.995, 3 Neptune 7:33.305.

 

 Skibbereen brought their tally of title for the day to four with a win in the women's junior four.

Published in Rowing

#Rowing: Two outstanding races brought the first session of the Irish Rowing Championships at the National Rowing Centre to a close today. Daire Lynch of Clonmel won the junior single sculls. He caught and passed Shandon's Ronan Byrne in the final quarter, but Byrne refused to give in easily and the two swept towards the finish line with a small margin separating them - Lynch won by just over four tenths of a second.

 The junior women's double had a similar profile: Skibbereen hunted down and caught leaders Bann and held off their late charge to win by just over three tenths of a second.

 UCD had a surprisingly emphatic win over a Skibbereen/UCC composite in the women's senior four - a first senior win for bow woman Eimear Lambe. In the men's double, Shane O'Driscoll and Mark O'Donovan were similarly impressive in their win over Old Collegians.

 Neptune had started the session with their first Championships win in years, in the novice coxed quadruple. Fermoy won the women's Club coxed four, while Cork and NUIG won hte women's intermediate pair and men's intermediate coxed four respectively.

Irish Rowing Championships, National Rowing Centre, Cork, Day One (Selected Results)

Men

Four - Inter, coxed: 1 NUIG 6:26.811.

Sculling, Quadruple - Novice, coxed: Neptune 6:44.559.

Double - Senior: 1 Skibbereen 6:32.773, 2 UCD 6:34.914, 3 Castleconnell 6:39.727.

Single - Junior: 1 Clonmel (D Lynch) 7:04.040, 2 Shandon (R Byrne) 7:04.462, 3 Shandon (S O'Sullivan) 7:23.197.

Women

Four - Senior: 1 UCD 6:54.652, 2 Skibbereen/UCC 6:58.902, 3 Trinity 7:04.715. Club, coxed: Fermoy 7:16.116.

Pair - Intermediate: Cork 7:36.488

Sculling

Double - Junior: 1 Skibbereen B 7:19.682, 2 Bann 7:91.995, 3 Neptune 7:33.305.

 

Published in Rowing

#Rowing: NUIG's senior eight led in the intermediate crews from UCD and UCC in the division one men's final at Cork Regatta today. Cork took fourth - the fastest junior eight. The UCC/Skibbereen composite crew were far and away the best women's eight at the National Rowing Centre. Behind them, Commercial won their battle with Galway Rowing Club to take second and prove the best of the junior 18 eights.

Cork Regatta (Coillte Grand League), National Rowing Centre, Sunday

Men

Eight - Division One - A Final: 1 NUIG (sen) 5 mins 52.609, 2 UCD (inter) 5:56.374; 4 Cork (jun 18) 6:03.13; 5 Commercial (club 1) 6:04.72.

Four - Div One - A Final: 1 NUIG (senior) 6:15.798. Div Two, coxed - A Final: 1 Cork (club 2) 6:45.96; 4 Presentation (jun 18) 7:01.82. B Final: 5 Pres (jun 16) 7:45.27.

Sculling - Quadruple - Div Two, coxed - A Final: 1 Lee (club 2) 6:38.53; 4 Shandon A (jun 16) 6:50.31; 5 Workmans (jun 18) 6:58.04. C Final: 2 New Ross (nov) 7:16.61.

Double - Div One - A Final: 1 Skibbereen (M O'Donovan, S O'Driscoll; sen) 6:35.19, 2 Shandon/Clonmel 6:42.47; 6 Shandon A (inter) 7:07.91. B Final: 2 Shandon (jun 18) 6:51.83. C Final: 5 Cork (club 1) 7:51.21.

Single - Div Two - A Final: 1 Skibbereen (K Mannix; jun 18) 7:30.79, 2 Carlow (J Keating; jun 16) 7:32.62; 4 Lee (H Sutton; club 2) 7:38.78.

Women

Eight - Div One - A Final: 1 Skibbereen/UCC (sen) 6:38.217, 2 Commercial (club 1) 6:56.12, 3 Cork (jun 18) 7:01.12. 

Four - Div One - A Final: 1 UCC (sen) 7:08.25; 3 Shandon (jun 18) 7:17.69. Div Two, coxed - A Final: 1 Fermoy (club 2) 7:25:19.

Sculling, Double - Div One - A Final: 1 Skibbereen (E Hegarty, A Casey; jun 18) 7:13.15, 2 Bann (jun 18) 7:22.69; 5 Belfast BC (club 1) 7:34.93. B Final: 2 Commercial (inter) 7:47.37; 3 Skibbereen (sen) 7:47.68.

Single - Div Two - A Final: 1 Kenmare (G O'Brien; jun 18) 8:25.59; 3 Skibbereen (A Keating; jun 16) 8:27.898; 6 Queen's (R Brown; club 2) 6:49.93.

 

Published in Rowing

#Rowing: NUIG and UCC won the division one men's and women's fours by big margins in the first set of Sunday finals at Cork Regatta at the National Rowing Centre. The division one doubles provided a stage for junior crews with international aspirations. In changeable conditions, Aoife Casey and Emily Hegarty won in an excellent time and Ronan Byrne and Daire Lynch were second to senior internationals Shane O'Driscoll and Mark O'Donovan.

Cork Regatta (Coillte Grand League), National Rowing Centre, Sunday

Men

Four - Div One - A Final: 1 NUIG (senior) 6:15.798. Div Two, coxed - A Final: 1 Cork (club 2) 6:45.96; 4 Presentation (jun 18) 7:01.82. B Final: 5 Pres (jun 16) 7:45.27.

Sculling - Double - Div One - A Final: 1 Skibbereen (M O'Donovan, S O'Driscoll; sen) 6:35.19, 2 Shandon/Clonmel 6:42.47; 6 Shandon A (inter) 7:07.91. B Final: 2 Shandon (jun 18) 6:51.83. C Final: 5 Cork (club 1) 7:51.21.

Single - Div Two - A Final: 1 Skibbereen (K Mannix; jun 18) 7:30.79, 2 Carlow (J Keating; jun 16) 7:32.62; 4 Lee (H Sutton; club 2) 7:38.78.

Women

Four - Div One - A Final: 1 UCC (sen) 7:08.25; 3 Shandon (jun 18) 7:17.69.

Sculling, Double - Div One - A Final: 1 Skibbereen (E Hegarty, A Casey; jun 18) 7:13.15, 2 Bann (jun 18) 7:22.69; 5 Belfast BC (club 1) 7:34.93. B Final: 2 Commercial (inter) 7:47.37; 3 Skibbereen (sen) 7:47.68.

Published in Rowing
Page 3 of 7

Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta

From the Baily lighthouse to Dalkey island, the bay accommodates six separate courses for 21 different classes racing every two years for the Dun Laoghaire Regatta.

In assembling its record-breaking armada, Volvo Dun Laoghaire regatta (VDLR) became, at its second staging, not only the country's biggest sailing event, with 3,500 sailors competing, but also one of Ireland's largest participant sporting events.

One of the reasons for this, ironically, is that competitors across Europe have become jaded by well-worn venue claims attempting to replicate Cowes and Cork Week.'Never mind the quality, feel the width' has been a criticism of modern-day regattas where organisers mistakenly focus on being the biggest to be the best. Dun Laoghaire, with its local fleet of 300 boats, never set out to be the biggest. Its priority focussed instead on quality racing even after it got off to a spectacularly wrong start when the event was becalmed for four days at its first attempt.

The idea to rekindle a combined Dublin bay event resurfaced after an absence of almost 40 years, mostly because of the persistence of a passionate race officer Brian Craig who believed that Dun Laoghaire could become the Cowes of the Irish Sea if the town and the local clubs worked together. Although fickle winds conspired against him in 2005, the support of all four Dun Laoghaire waterfront yacht clubs since then (made up of Dun Laoghaire Motor YC, National YC, Royal Irish YC and Royal St GYC), in association with the two racing clubs of Dublin Bay SC and Royal Alfred YC, gave him the momentum to carry on.

There is no doubt that sailors have also responded with their support from all four coasts. Running for four days, the regatta is (after the large mini-marathons) the single most significant participant sports event in the country, requiring the services of 280 volunteers on and off the water, as well as top international race officers and an international jury, to resolve racing disputes representing five countries. A flotilla of 25 boats regularly races from the Royal Dee near Liverpool to Dublin for the Lyver Trophy to coincide with the event. The race also doubles as a RORC qualifying race for the Fastnet.

Sailors from the Ribble, Mersey, the Menai Straits, Anglesey, Cardigan Bay and the Isle of Man have to travel three times the distance to the Solent as they do to Dublin Bay. This, claims Craig, is one of the major selling points of the Irish event and explains the range of entries from marinas as far away as Yorkshire's Whitby YC and the Isle of Wight.

No other regatta in the Irish Sea area can claim to have such a reach. Dublin Bay Weeks such as this petered out in the 1960s, and it has taken almost four decades for the waterfront clubs to come together to produce a spectacle on and off the water to rival Cowes."The fact that we are getting such numbers means it is inevitable that it is compared with Cowes," said Craig. However, there the comparison ends."We're doing our own thing here. Dun Laoghaire is unique, and we are making an extraordinary effort to welcome visitors from abroad," he added. The busiest shipping lane in the country – across the bay to Dublin port – closes temporarily to facilitate the regatta and the placing of six separate courses each day.

A fleet total of this size represents something of an unknown quantity on the bay as it is more than double the size of any other regatta ever held there.

Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta FAQs

Dun Laoghaire Regatta is Ireland's biggest sailing event. It is held every second Summer at Dun Laoghaire Harbour on Dublin Bay.

Dun Laoghaire Regatta is held every two years, typically in the first weekend of July.

As its name suggests, the event is based at Dun Laoghaire Harbour. Racing is held on Dublin Bay over as many as six different courses with a coastal route that extends out into the Irish Sea. Ashore, the festivities are held across the town but mostly in the four organising yacht clubs.

Dun Laoghaire Regatta is the largest sailing regatta in Ireland and on the Irish Sea and the second largest in the British Isles. It has a fleet of 500 competing boats and up to 3,000 sailors. Scotland's biggest regatta on the Clyde is less than half the size of the Dun Laoghaire event. After the Dublin city marathon, the regatta is one of the most significant single participant sporting events in the country in terms of Irish sporting events.

The modern Dublin Bay Regatta began in 2005, but it owes its roots to earlier combined Dublin Bay Regattas of the 1960s.

Up to 500 boats regularly compete.

Up to 70 different yacht clubs are represented.

The Channel Islands, Isle of Man, England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Ireland countrywide, and Dublin clubs.

Nearly half the sailors, over 1,000, travel to participate from outside of Dun Laoghaire and from overseas to race and socialise in Dun Laoghaire.

21 different classes are competing at Dun Laoghaire Regatta. As well as four IRC Divisions from 50-footers down to 20-foot day boats and White Sails, there are also extensive one-design keelboat and dinghy fleets to include all the fleets that regularly race on the Bay such as Beneteau 31.7s, Ruffian 23s, Sigma 33s as well as Flying Fifteens, Laser SB20s plus some visiting fleets such as the RS Elites from Belfast Lough to name by one.

 

Some sailing household names are regular competitors at the biennial Dun Laoghaire event including Dun Laoghaire Olympic silver medalist, Annalise Murphy. International sailing stars are competing too such as Mike McIntyre, a British Olympic Gold medalist and a raft of World and European class champions.

There are different entry fees for different size boats. A 40-foot yacht will pay up to €550, but a 14-foot dinghy such as Laser will pay €95. Full entry fee details are contained in the Regatta Notice of Race document.

Spectators can see the boats racing on six courses from any vantage point on the southern shore of Dublin Bay. As well as from the Harbour walls itself, it is also possible to see the boats from Sandycove, Dalkey and Killiney, especially when the boats compete over inshore coastal courses or have in-harbour finishes.

Very favourably. It is often compared to Cowes, Britain's biggest regatta on the Isle of Wight that has 1,000 entries. However, sailors based in the north of England have to travel three times the distance to get to Cowes as they do to Dun Laoghaire.

Dun Laoghaire Regatta is unique because of its compact site offering four different yacht clubs within the harbour and the race tracks' proximity, just a five-minute sail from shore. International sailors also speak of its international travel connections and being so close to Dublin city. The regatta also prides itself on balancing excellent competition with good fun ashore.

The Organising Authority (OA) of Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta is Dublin Bay Regattas Ltd, a not-for-profit company, beneficially owned by Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club (DMYC), National Yacht Club (NYC), Royal Irish Yacht Club (RIYC) and Royal St George Yacht Club (RSGYC).

The Irish Marine Federation launched a case study on the 2009 Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta's socio-economic significance. Over four days, the study (carried out by Irish Sea Marine Leisure Knowledge Network) found the event was worth nearly €3million to the local economy over the four days of the event. Typically the Royal Marine Hotel and Haddington Hotel and other local providers are fully booked for the event.

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