The Gannon Cup Committee have announced the arrangements for the 2014 Dublin University Boat Races between Trinity College Dublin and University College Dublin. The Colours rowing races will this year take place on Sunday,  March 16th, in association with the official St Patrick’s Festival. The races  will be contested on  the River Liffey from O’Connell Bridge to St James’ Gate Brewery. The senior men's race (The Gannon Cup) is set for 11 o'clock and  the senior women's race (Corcoran Cup) 10.30. The programme will commence at 9:30am with the novice women racing for the Sally Moorhead Trophy, followed by the novice men’s race for the Dan Quinn Shield at 10am.
A winter of extreme weather conditions has led to the cancellation of the majority of Rowing Ireland events, making it hard to predict the outcome of what promises to be a very exciting series of races.
 For Susannah Cass, who will row in the seven seat of Trinity's Corcoran Cup crew, this is just the first test in a summer of rowing adventures. Susannah will be racing across the Irish Sea in the Celtic Challenge race in May, before competing in the world’s first Pacific Ocean rowing race – a 2,400 mile challenge from California to Hawaii. Meanwhile, in the UCD crew, the Gilligan sisters will be hoping to keep the Corcoran Cup in the family, as Aoife enlists her sister Ruth’s help in defending the title.
 The senior men's race will have its 66th staging on Sunday. The Gannon Cup was founded in 1947 in memory of former UCD captain Ciarán Gannon, who lost his life serving in the Royal Army Medical Corps in Burma in 1944. There were no races in 1957 and 1958. UCD have dominated the event in recent years and will be hoping to make this their 7th consecutive win with the help of a strong crew of promising young athletes including World Under-23 silver medallist Niall Kenny. Trinity hope the return of coach Nick Dunlop, whose record includes a number of convincing Gannon Cup wins, turns the UCD tide.
Trinity won the coin toss hosted at Leinster House by Taoiseach Enda Kenny. They chose to race on the north station in both the men’s and women’s races.
The university boat races are an annual event on the River Liffey echoing the world famous Oxford/Cambridge University Boat Race in London. In 1980 Trinity were presented with the Corcoran Cup as winners of the inaugural women’s boat race; however, UCD responded strongly to this initial defeat and currently lead the series by 21 wins to Trinity’s 13. Races for novice men and women were introduced in 2004 and 2005 respectively.

Spectator buses will follow the races and depart from the O’Connell Bridge.
Program of events:
9:30am The Moorhead Trophy – Novice Women (holder Trinity)
10:00am The Dan Quinn Perpetual Shield – Novice Men (holder UCD)
10:30am The Corcoran Cup – Senior Women (holder UCD)
11:00am The Gannon Cup – Senior Men (holder UCD)

#teamracing – On the 20th-22nd of February, the Irish University Sailing Association Inter-Varsities Championships took place in Wexford Harbour Boat and Tennis Club. 25 teams from 9 colleges around the country, including 2 teams from Scotland competed for the annual trophy. The team racing took place in Firefly dinghies, with 3 on 3 racing. After a day of racing in random pools, the teams were separated into Gold Silver and Bronze fleets for the second day. Round robins took place on the Friday to decide on the layout of the finals on Saturday.
Early favourites of UL (last year's winners), UCC, Trinity and UCD made the quarter finals, but unfortunately Trinity and UL didn't make it past this stage.UCD1 met UCD3 in the quarter-finals on Saturday, and while UCD's third team put up a good fight against the eventual champions, they lost 2-0 in a best of 3 round. UCD 2 met a very strong UCC2 team, and the Cork side emerged victors, advancing to the semis to face their newest enemies UCC1. TCD met the Scottish representatives SUSA in their quarter final, and in close racing the Scots came out on top. Last year's winners UL faced UCC1 in their quarter-final, but couldn't get past the very strong Cork side.
UCD1 went on to face SUSA in their semi, while a Cork showdown happened in the other half of the draw with UCC 1 and UCC 2. UCD1 won their races 2-0, but the Cork battle was a much more intense affair, with Cork's first team winning 2-1.
The best of 5 final was raced in gusty conditions with storm sails up, and sailors at maximum hike for all the beats. The balcony on the clubhouse facing the racing was split, half UCD and the other UCC, each side shouting for their team. The first race went to UCD in a 1, 2 formation. The second race went to UCC winning with a 1, 2, 6. The third race brought great excitement for the spectators gathered on land with a UCC boat capsizing on the starting line, letting UCD get into a winning formation by the first mark. UCD's lead was strengthened by another UCC boat capsizing on the downwind leg. UCC had a boat in first but he was unable to help his team-mates recover the ground they had lost. The score was 2-1 to UCD. In the 4th race UCC had a good start, and kept a winning combination for the duration of the race, setting up a winner-takes-all final race. Race 5 brought a big lead for UCD as they took first place at the first mark and extended the race. They held this lead while UCC tried to break apart the winning combination around the course. Simon of UCD held his 3rd place and Philip pulled a UCC boat back with him, leaving the fleet spread out on the final leg. Simon kept his 3rd place, and with Conor's 1st, this was enough to crown UCD1 winners of the 2014 Varsities. It was Simon's 4th Varsities final, and younger brother Philip's first, a fitting passing of the torch.

The winning UCD team celebrate their Varsity title

The winning UCD team was Simon Doran & Jen Dolan, Philip Doran & Bella Morehead and Conor Murphy & Eimear McIvor. UCC2 won their petite final to come 3rd, a very strong finish for UCC in 2nd and 3rd place. SUSA 2 were Silver fleet champions, beating UCD 4 in their close final. Bronze fleet glory went to TCD 2. The college team racing circuit is one of the most active and competitive groups in the country, with many of Ireland's top student sailors representing their colleges there.
The college team racing circuit is now finished for the year, with the exception of the annual Colours races between UCD and Trinity which will be held in April. The students now look to the Student Yachting Nationals over the next few weeks, the winners of which will qualify to represent Ireland at the Student Yachting World Cup in France next Autumn.

#RowingHenley: UCD’s Temple Cup eight and Trinity’s coxed four in the Prince Albert Cup were both beaten at Henley Royal Regatta today. Trinity gained the lead in their race against Isis and held them off manfully until the enclosures, when Isis pushed and gained control before the finish. UCD were less competitive against the bigger crew from St Petersburg in Russia, who were a stone heavier per man. The pattern of the race was established early as the Russians took the lead by the end of the Island. They had a commanding lead by Fawley and won by four lengths.

Henley Royal Regatta, Day Two (Irish interest)

Temple Cup (Eights, Student): St Petersburg University, Russia bt University College, Dublin 2 ½ l 6:51

Prince Albert (Coxed Fours, Student): Isis Boat Club bt Trinity College, Dublin 1 ¼ l, 7:27

#UNIVERSITY ROWING: UCD took the Wylie Cup for men and the Bank of Ireland Cup for women at the rescheduled Irish University Championships at Blessington Lakes tonight. Trinity won the novice eight categories for both women and men, but UCD won both intermediate and senior eights races. In senior men’s eights, NUIG took second, while UCD vanquished their only rivals, Trinity, in the women’s senior eights.

The weather had forced the postponement of the Championships originally and winds were again a factor tonight, with all but these six races stripped from the programme.    

# ROWING: UCD produced an exact repeat of last year in the Colours Races on the Liffey today by winning the senior men’s and women’s events and also taking the novice men’s race. Trinity again won the women’s novice eights race with a dominant performance.

The senior men’s race was won in the first 20 metres: UCD’s big crew gained a crucial advantage and exploited it so competently that they had the race in the bag by the Four Courts. The win gave Dave Neale a record sixth Gannon Cup crown.

The UCD senior women also started well and established a good lead, but Trinity nipped away at them down the course and lost by only a half length.

The men’s novice eight race ended before the line, as Trinity crashed into the wall after Watling Street Bridge due to a snapped steering line. UCD had taken the furthest south arch in Winetavern Street bridge, prompting a Trinity objection, but the race umpire said that he had told the crew to avoid the marked centre lane due to a possible hindrance there.

Colours Races 2013

Men – Eight, Senior (Gannon Cup): UCD (L McCarthy, M Bailey, P Moore, A Sheehan, D Neale, J Nihotte, G Duane, P Grogan; cox: K Joyce) bt Trinity 4l

Eight, Novice (Dan Quinn Shield): UCD bt Trinity not rowed out

Women – Eight, Senior (Corcoran Cup) UCD (A O’Riordan, K Joy, O Finnegan, S Bennett, C Ni Reachtagain, G Collins, A Gilligan, B Lait; cox C McGowan) bt Trinity ½ l

Eight, Novice (Sally Moorhead Trophy): Trinity bt UCD easily.

# ROWING: Galway and Dublin crews dominated the rankings at the Carrick-on-Shannon Head of the River yesterday. Trinity’s senior eight won the second head in 11 minutes 45.3 seconds, and their senior quadruple held off NUIG’s senior four for second.

101	Dublin University BC	mens Senior 8+	25:47.2	37:32.4		11:45.3
102	Dublin University BC	mens senior 4X-	26:15.4	38:47.0		12:31.6
103	NUI Galway BC	mens senior 4-	26:38.9	39:12.2		12:33.3
105	Colaiste Iognaid RC	mens J18A 8+	27:34.6	40:20.9		12:46.3
111	Dublin University BC B	mens novice 8+	30:08.2	42:57.3		12:49.1
108	Dublin University BC	mens novice 8+	28:52.8	41:46.8		12:54.0
112	NUI Galway BC	mens intermediate 4+	30:41.1	43:51.8		13:10.6
114	NUI Galway BC B	mens intermediate 4+	31:34.4	44:49.4		13:15.0
104	St. Josephs College RC	mens J18A 8+	26:04.2	39:22.3		13:18.1
107	Commercial RC	mens J18A 4X-	28:24.4	41:47.0		13:22.6
113	Dublin University BC	mens intermediate 4+	31:09.6	44:37.7		13:28.1
120	NUI Galway BC	womens intermediate 8+	35:46.5	49:41.3		13:54.8
106	Colaiste Iognaid RC	mens J18A 4X-	28:06.2	42:06.7		14:00.6
132	Commercial RC C	mens masters 4+	36:47.5	51:03.0	time only	14:15.5
119	Commercial RC	womens intermediate 8+	35:10.0	49:27.6		14:17.6
130	Carrick-on-Shannon RC	mens novice 4X+	41:58.8	56:28.6		14:29.8
129	Dublin University BC	mens novice 4X+	41:43.9	56:24.4		14:40.6
117	Commercial RC B	mens intermediate 2X	33:42.5	48:43.0		15:00.4
137	Athlone BC B (Munnelly)	mens J18A 1X	44:26.7	59:30.8		15:04.1
42	NUI Galway BC (Egan)	mens intermediate 1X	37:15.3	52:19.6	time only	15:04.2
116	Commercial RC	mens intermediate 2X	33:17.4	48:23.3		15:05.9
110	St. Josephs College RC	mens novice 8+	29:37.8	44:55.3		15:17.5
138	Carrick-on-Shannon RC (Griffin)	mens novice 1X	45:00.6	00:18.6		15:18.0
136	Commercial RC (Yeomans)	mens J18A 1X	43:53.4	59:12.5		15:19.1
148	Commercial RC	mens J16 2X	48:59.6	04:31.1		15:31.5
149	Carrick-on-Shannon RC	mens J16 2X	49:24.1	04:57.2		15:33.1
133	Commercial RC B (Gleeson)	mens senior 1X	42:43.5	58:19.4		15:35.9
131	Sligo RC	mens novice 4X+	42:28.4	58:05.7		15:37.3
123	Athlone BC	mens J15 8+	37:41.5	53:23.7		15:42.2
126	Carrick-on-Shannon RC	womens J18A 2X	39:47.0	55:32.9		15:45.9
125	Commercial RC	womens J18A 2X	39:29.0	55:15.4		15:46.4
115	St. Josephs College RC	mens J18 2X	32:28.5	48:17.6	time only	15:49.1
151	Sligo RC	mens Novice 1X	50:31.9	06:25.7		15:53.7
134	Athlone BC A (Egan)	mens J18A 1X	43:11.9	59:22.0		16:10.1
154	NUI Galway BC A (Hurst)	womens intermediate 1X	52:23.9	08:36.3		16:12.4
150	Colaiste Iognaid RC	mens J16 2X	50:06.1	06:24.1		16:18.1
169	Commercial RC B (Baskerville)	mens J15 1X	59:53.8	16:16.5		16:22.7
155	Commercial RC A (Foley)	womens intermediate 1X	52:56.2	09:21.8		16:25.6
147	City of Derry (Durso) (e)	mens masters 1X	48:28.5	04:55.0	14:47.5	16:26.5
143	Colaiste Iognaid RC	womens J16 4X+	46:47.1	03:17.8		16:30.7
167	Commercial RC A (Beggan)	mens J15 1X	59:26.1	16:02.0		16:35.8
146	Belfast BC (Lockwood) (f 61)	mens masters 1X	47:57.0	04:37.1	14:25.0	16:40.0
144	Sligo RC	womens J16 4X+	47:18.0	04:01.8		16:43.8
174	Commercial RC (Rooney)	womens J16 1X	02:12.8	19:01.0		16:48.2
71	Commercial RC C (Keogh)	mens J161X	00:37.7	17:26.1	time only	16:48.4
157	NUI Galway BC B (Keogh)	womens intermediate 1X	53:26.3	10:14.7		16:48.4
142	Carrick-on-Shannon RC	womens J16 4X+	46:09.9	03:01.1		16:51.2
164	Garda Siochana BC B	womens novice 4+	56:48.7	13:40.6		16:51.9
173	Commercial RC E (Phelan)	mens J15 1X	01:38.0	18:40.9		17:02.9
162	Commercial RC	womens novice 4+	56:09.8	13:12.9		17:03.1
160	Athlone BC	womens J15 4X+	54:42.2	11:46.4		17:04.2
121	Lady Victoria BC (e 234)	mens masters 4+	36:24.5	53:42.7	15:59.2	17:18.2
170	Commercial RC C (Beggan)	mens J15 1X	00:00.9	17:36.0		17:35.1
176	Athlone BC	womens J14 4X+	03:01.5	20:44.6		17:43.1
127	Colaiste Iognaid RC	womens J18A 2X	40:28.1	58:28.7		18:00.6
152	Commercial RC	womens J18A 2-	51:15.0	09:28.3		18:13.3
118	Dublin University BC	mens intermediate 2X	34:17.3	52:33.6		18:16.4
153	Commercial RC B	womens J18A 2-	51:48.0	10:13.6		18:25.6
172	Commercial RC D (Byrne)	mens J15 1X	01:11.9	19:46.5		18:34.6
141	Sligo RC (Patterson)	mens j16 2X	45:53.9	04:30.4		18:36.5
166	NUI Galway BC B	womens novice 4+	58:53.5	17:47.1		18:53.6
124	St. Josephs College RC	mens J15 8+	39:02.4	57:57.2		18:54.8
158	Belfast BC (Lockwood)	womens intermediate 1X	53:57.4	13:02.7		19:05.3
161	Sligo RC	womens J15 4X+	55:26.6	14:33.6		19:07.0
128	Commercial RC B	womens J18A 2X	40:54.2	00:34.8		19:40.6
165	NUI Galway BC	womens novice 4+	58:01.0	19:16.8		21:15.9
175	Commercial (Rooney	womens J16 1X	02:37.9	25:06.0		22:28.2

# ROWING: Trinity’s intermediate eight were the fastest crew in the first head at the Carrick-on-Shannon Head of the River today. They had almost eight seconds to spare over the second-placed NUIG intermediate eight.

CARRICK-ON-SHANNON HEAD, SATURDAY

1	Dublin University BC	mens intermediate 8+	12:48.6	24:23.5		11:34.9
2	NUI Galway BC	mens intermediate 8+	13:12.9	24:55.6		11:42.7
6	St. Josephs College RC	mens intermediate 8+	15:21.5	27:25.4		12:03.9
5	Dublin University BC C	mens intermediate 8+	15:01.9	27:36.6		12:34.7
26	Bann RC	mens J16 8+	28:55.4	41:38.9		12:43.5
3	NUI Galway BC	mens senior 4-	13:42.0	26:31.0		12:48.9
7	Dublin University BC D	mens intermediate 8+	16:05.1	29:00.2		12:55.1
27	Colaiste Iognaid RC	mens J16 8+	29:42.0	42:49.6		13:07.6
4	Dublin University BC	mens senior 4-	14:04.9	27:25.8		13:21.0
38	Commercial RC	mens J16 4X+	36:05.5	49:31.5		13:25.9
12	Athlone BC - Athlone BC/City of Derry BC (e 457)	mens masters 8+	19:13.7	32:43.0	12:16.3	13:29.3
30	NUI Galway BC	mens novice 4+	31:49.2	45:34.0		13:44.8
9	Colaiste Iognaid RC	mens J18A 4+	18:10.4	32:00.8		13:50.4
28	St. Josephs College RC	mens J16 8+	30:15.9	44:10.4		13:54.5
13	Lady Victoria BC (f 486)	mens masters 8+	19:37.1	33:56.4	12:40.3	14:19.3
25	Athlone BC	mens J16 8+	28:21.2	42:45.2		14:24.0
15	Athlone BC	mens J18A 2X	20:52.7	35:21.2		14:28.4
18	Bann RC	mens senior 2-	23:16.7	37:45.3		14:28.6
31	Dublin University BC	mens novice 4+	32:30.4	47:03.8		14:33.3
14	Commercial RC	mens J18A 2X	20:15.2	34:49.5		14:34.3
34	Commercial RC	womens intermediate 4+	34:09.0	48:49.7		14:40.8
37	NUI Galway BC	womens intermediate 2X	35:34.4	50:19.8		14:45.4
52	Dublin University BC B (Jacques)	mens intermediate 1X	42:14.7	57:01.3		14:46.6
51	Commercial RC B (Yeomans)	mens intermediate 1X	41:36.1	56:26.6		14:50.6
56	Dublin University BC D (Acheson)	mens intermediate 1X	43:46.9	58:38.8		14:51.9
50	Three Castles Rowing Club (Corcoran)	mens intermediate 1X	41:08.1	56:00.3		14:52.3
33	NUI Galway BC	womens intermediate 4+	33:39.6	48:37.1		14:57.5
20	Commercial RC	mens senior 2-	24:16.0	39:15.8		14:59.8
21	Commercial RC B	mens senior 2-	24:53.5	39:55.7		15:02.2
58	Dublin University BC E (Hughes)	mens intermediate 1X	44:33.1	59:45.7		15:12.6
32	NUI Galway BC B	mens novice 4+	33:13.2	48:27.9		15:14.7	Boat tipped
35	NUI Galway BC B	womens intermediate 4+	34:36.4	49:53.0		15:16.7
44	Carrick-on-Shannon RC B (Leyden)	mens intermediate 1X	38:49.8	54:10.9		15:21.1
23	Commercial RC	womens J18A 4X-	26:08.0	41:30.8		15:22.7
77	Commercial RC	mens J15 2X	51:02.9	06:30.0		15:27.1
16	Colaiste Iognaid RC	mens J18A 2X	21:39.6	37:10.8		15:31.2
48	Carrick-on-Shannon RC A (Cox)	mens intermediate 1X	40:10.5	55:41.7		15:31.2
8	St. Josephs College RC	mens J18A 2X	22:16.1	37:47.7		15:31.7
17	Commercial RC B	mens J18A 2X	22:57.1	38:33.6		15:36.5
40	Commercial RC	womens novice 8+	37:21.3	52:59.1		15:37.9
22	Colaiste Iognaid RC	womens J18A 4X-	25:20.7	40:59.1		15:38.4
39	Sligo RC	mens J16 4X+	36:41.8	52:27.7		15:45.9
55	Commercial RC D (Carroll)	mens intermediate 1X	43:21.8	59:11.5		15:49.7
64	Carrick-on-Shannon RC (Carthy)	mens J18A 1x	46:25.9	02:15.6		15:49.7
47	Bann RC (Whoriskey)	mens intermediate 1X	39:40.9	55:32.9		15:52.0
60	Dublin University BC G (Pounch)	mens intermediate 1X	45:21.9	01:22.1		16:00.2
61	Athlone BC	mens J15 4X+	45:54.2	01:55.7		16:01.5
75	Lagan Scullers Club B (b 79)	mens masters 2X	50:09.5	06:11.9	15:54.3	16:02.3
24	Athlone BC	womens J18A 4X-	26:49.3	42:55.3		16:06.0
122	St. Michaels Rowing Club (e 230)	mens masters 4+	27:18.7	43:32.7	14:55.0	16:14.0
72	Carrick-on-Shannon RC	womens J16 2X	48:51.8	05:08.8		16:17.0
57	Commercial RC E (D'Estelle-Roe)	mens intermediate 1X	44:08.0	00:28.9		16:20.9
59	Dublin University BC F (Mc Cormick)	mens intermediate 1X	44:55.2	01:17.7		16:22.4
67	Carrick-on-Shannon RC A (Hartigan)	mens J16 1X	47:39.0	04:08.7		16:29.7
41	NUI Galway BC	womens novice 8+	38:10.7	54:55.3		16:44.6
73	Colaiste Iognaid RC	womens J16 2X	49:12.4	05:57.6		16:45.2
65	Carrick-on-Shannon RC (Kelly)	womens J18A 1X	46:49.8	03:43.0		16:53.3
29	St. Josephs College RC B	mens J16 8+	31:08.3	48:14.5		17:06.2
49	Belfast BC (Lockwood)	mens intermediate 1X	40:35.1	57:46.3		17:11.2
46	Athlone BC (Molloy)	mens intermediate 1X	39:16.4	56:40.8		17:24.4
177	Athlone BC	womens J15 2X	53:03.3	10:48.0		17:44.7
69	Commercial RC B (O Rourke)	mens J16 1X	48:06.5	05:57.1		17:50.6
74	Sligo RC	womens J16 2X	49:42.7	07:36.6		17:53.8
54	Dublin University BC C (Dolan)	mens intermediate 1X	43:04.7	01:10.7		18:06.0
70	Carrick-on-Shannon RC B (Jordan)	mens J16 1X	48:27.4	06:45.8		18:18.4
76	Lagan Scullers Club A - Belfast RC/Lagan Scullers Club (h 146)	mens masters 2X	50:39.5	09:00.6	14:55.1	18:21.1
66	Commercial RC A (Byrne)	mens J16 1X	47:21.0	05:46.9		18:25.9
10	Dublin University BC	mens senior 2X	18:21.2	37:01.2		18:40.0
163	Garda Siochana BC	womens novice 4+	52:42.6	11:23.0		18:40.4
80	Belfast BC (Lockwood) (f 62)	womens masters 1X	51:53.4	10:52.1	16:34.7	18:58.7	Time Only
78	Carrick-on-Shannon RC (Brogan)	womens J15 1X	51:27.1	10:44.8		19:17.7

UCD beat Trinity by four and a half lengths in the Gannon Rowing Cup for senior men on the river Liffey in Dublin yesterday. It was their fourth consecutive Gannon and it headed up a clean sweep of colours titles in the new St Patrick’s Day slot. The Corcoran Cup for senior women was a close race, with UCD winning by three-quarters of a length, but Trinity’s novice women and novice men were well beaten.

Colours Races, River Liffey, Dublin

Gannon Cup (Senior Men): UCD (C Pierce, R Murray, S O’Neill, D Neal, F Manning, S Jacob, G Duane, P Grogan; cox: J Lynch) bt Trinity 4½l. Dan Quinn Shield (Novice): UCD bt Trinity 4l.

Corcoran Cup (Senior Women): UCD (C Tanner, K Joy, C Ni Reachtagain, A Bulman, S Bennett, A Gilligan, L Reid, B Lait; cox: C McGowan) bt Trinity ¾l. Moorhead Trophy (Novice Women): UCD bt Trinity 5l.

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