Displaying items by tag: rowing
Battling Hennigan Covers 150 Kilometres in One Day
#Rowing: Gavan Hennigan is producing extraordinary mileage in his battle to be the next boat to finish the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge. The solo oarsman has held third since early in the 12-boat race from the Canary Islands to Antigua in the West Indies. The two leading craft, Latitude 35 and Row for James have finished and in the battle to be next boat to finish Hennigan has come under serious pressure from the three-man crew of American Oarsmen, which closed on him and looked set to pass him. In recent days, with a switch to more favourable winds, Hennigan has stretched his slight lead. He has been covering over 70 nautical miles (130 kilometres) per day. On Monday he covered 81 nm (150 km) to 78nm (144 km) for American Oarsmen.
Ireland Rowing HPD Espersen Resigns
#Rowing: The high performance director of Rowing Ireland, Morten Espersen, has resigned. Espersen emailed his decision to the chief executive of Rowing Ireland, Hamish Adams.
“On behalf of the entire Board and Staff I wish Morten well in the next phase of his professional and personal life and would like to personally thank him for his huge contribution to rowing in Ireland over the last four years,” Adams said.
“Morten will be working closely with us for the next three months to ensure our high performance programme continues to go from strength to strength.”
McKeown Crashes Through Six Minutes to Set New Irish Record
#Rowing: Paul O’Donovan set a new personal best – by just .1 of a second - and was the top lightweight at the Irish Indoor Rowing Championships today. The outstanding peformance of the day at the University of Limerick belonged, however, to heavyweight oarsman Sam McKeown. The Queen’s University oarsman was by far the fastest on the day, with a time of five minutes 55 seconds. This was the second occasion on which he had broken six minutes (he had covered the 2,000 metres in 5:59 in November) and he looked in control at the finish, shouting “Go Queen’s!”
Sanita Puspure was the fastest woman, clocking six minutes 40 seconds with a steady peformance. Her nearest rival was Monika Dukarska – 6:52.6 was a personal best for the Killorglin woman.
Ross Corrigan from Enniksillen Royal College (formerly Portora) was the fastest junior man – of 125 – and Hannah Scott of Bann took the honours amongst junior women.
In the under-23 men’s competition, another win for Daire Lynch confirmed his strong transition from junior ranks; UCD man Shane O’Connell, whose star has also been on the rise, won the under-23 lightweight grade in a good battle with Jake McCarthy and Fintan McCarthy.
Emily Hegarty of Skibbereen was the top woman at under-23 level. Her nearest rival was Eimear Lambe, who pipped her elder sister, Claire, by half a second. The Ireland Olympian who is now at Cambridge University competed as a heavyweight as she prepares for the Boat Race.
Competitors had to leave the venue late in the programme after a fire alarm. They were able to return to finish events.
Irish Indoor Rowing Championships, University of Limerick, Saturday (Selected Results):
Men – Open: 1 S McKeown 5 min 55.0 sec, 2 E O’Connor 6:02.7, 3 T Oliver 6:03.9. Lightweight Open: 1 P O’Donovan 6:07.4, 2 G O’Donovan 6:14.2, 3 M O’Donovan 6:19.0, 4 S O’Driscoll 6:21.1. Under-23: D Lynch 6:10.0. Lightweight Under-23: S O’Connell 6:21.3. Junior 18: R Corrigan 6:21.3. Jun 16: M Gallagher 6:38.6.
Women – Open: 1 S Puspure 6:40.0, 2 M Dukarska 6:52.6, 3 B Larsen 7:02.5, 4 C Lambe 7:11.4. Lwt: D Walsh 7:13.1. Under-23: E Hegarty 6:57.5; Lwt U-23: E McGiff 7:38.6. Jun 18: H Scott 7:05.7. Jun 16: Z McCutcheon 7:18.2.
Afloat Rowing Calendar 2017
#Rowing: Here is the 2017 Calendar for Irish Rowers. The year ahead is a bumper one. In February, the Fisa Extraordinary Congress in Tokyo will be the focus of intense interest, as a decision will be made on the boats which can compete at the Olympic Games. Lightweight athletes in Ireland and other countries will watch this closely. The international season will be a very long one as the World Championships will be held very late (September/October) in Florida in the United States. The domestic regatta season starts with Neptune Regatta on April 1st and the high point is the Irish Championships, which run from July 14th to July 16th. Queen’s University have decided to abandon plans to hold their regatta, which was scheduled for May 6th.
Our good wishes to all involved in rowing this year, whether behind the scenes or on the water.
Rowing Fixtures 2017
January
21st: Irish Indoor Rowing Championships, Limerick.
26th-28th: World Coaches Conference, Vancouver, Canada.
February
4th: European Indoor Rowing Championships, Paris.
9th-12th: Fisa Extraordinary Congress, Tokyo.
11th: Cork Head, Marina.
18th: Lagan Scullers’ Head, Belfast; New Ross Head, River Barrow.
18th-19th: Ireland high performance Assesment, Regional.
25th: St Michael’s Head, O’Brien’s Bridge, Clare.
March
4th: Erne Head, Enniskillen, Fermanagh. 11th: Women’s Eights’ Head of the River, London. 18th Galway Head; Lagan Head, Belfast.
25th: Dublin Head; Offaly Head, Tullamore.
25th: Head of the River, London.
25th-26th: Ireland high performance Assessment, National Rowing Centre (NRC), Cork.
26th: Rowing Ireland agm.
April
1st: Neptune Regatta, Islandbridge. 2nd: Commercial Regatta, Islandbridge. 2nd: The Boat Races, London.
7th: Irish University Championships, NRC.
8th-9th: Skibbereen Regatta, NRC.
15th: Trinity Regatta, Islandbridge, Dublin.
22nd: Limerick Regatta, O’Brien’s Bridge, Clare.
23rd: Irish Schools’ Regatta, O’Brien’s Bridge.
29th: Portadown Regatta.
29th (to May 1st): BUCS Regatta, Nottingham, England.
May
1st (from April 29th): BUCS Regatta, Nottingham, England. 5th-7th: World Cup Regatta, Belgrade, Serbia.
7th: Castleconnell Sprint Regatta.
13th: Lough Rynn Regatta, Leitrim.
13th-14th: Fisa Para Rowing Regatta, Gavirate, Italy.
20th: Lee Regatta, Marina, Cork.
20th-21st: European Junior Championships, Krefeld, Germany.
26th-28th: European Championships, Racice, Czech Republic.
26th-28th: British National Schools’ Regatta, Dorney Lake.
27th: Dublin Metropolitan Regatta, Blessington; Belfast Sprint Regatta.
June
3rd-4th: Carlow Regatta. 3rd-4th: (London) Metropolitan Regatta.
10th-11th: Ireland high performance Assessment, NRC.
15th-18th: World Cup Regatta, Poznan, Poland. 16th-18th: Henley Women’s Regatta. 17th: Athlone Regatta, Coosan Point. 17th: Marlow Regatta, Dorney Lake. 18th: Galway Regatta.
24th-25th: Cork Regatta, NRC.
28th (to July 2nd): Henley Royal Regatta.
July
1st-2nd (from June 28th): Henley Royal Regatta. 1st: Ulster Branch Regatta, Craigavon Lakes, 2nd: Fermoy Sprint Regatta.
7th-9th: World Cup Regatta, Lucerne, Switzerland.
14th-16th: Irish Rowing Championships, NRC.
19th-23rd: Under-23 World Championships, Plovdiv.
22nd: Home International Regatta, London Docklands, England.
29th -30th: Coupe de la Jeunesse, Hazewinkel, Belgium.
August
2nd-6th: World Junior Championships, Trakai, Lithuania. 6th: Carrick-on-Shannon Sprint Regatta.
18th-20th: Irish Coastal Rowing Championships, Ballyshannon, Co Donegal.
26th: Belfast Summer Sprint Regatta.
September
2nd-3rd: European Under-23 Championships, Kruszwica, Poland.
6th-1oth: World Masters, Bled, Slovenia. 16th: St Michael’s Masters Regatta, Limerick.
24th (to October 1st): World Championships, Sarasota-Bradenton, Florida.
October
1st (from September 24th): World Championships, Sarasota-Bradenton, Florida.
7th Tullamore Time Trial. 7th-8th: Ireland high performance Assessment, NRC.
13th-15th: World Coastal Rowing Championships, Thonon, France.
21st-22nd: Head of the Charles River, Boston.
28th: Castleconnell Head, Castleconnell.
November
4th: Neptune Head, Blessington.
11th: Bann Head, Coleraine. 12th: Fours Head, London.
18th: Skibbereen Head, NRC.
25th: Provinces Indoor Rowing Championships, Limerick.
December
2nd: Head of the Shannon, Carrick-on-Shannon; Muckross Head, NRC.
16th-17th: Ireland high performance Assessments, NRC.
Solo Rower Hennigan Showing the Way in Atlantic Race
#Rowing: A week into his Atlantic crossing, Gavan Hennigan continues to do exceptionally well. The Galway man is the fastest solo rower in the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge from La Gomera to Antigua. More impressively, he is fourth overall of the 12 boats. Hennigan is farther into the race than a four, two trios and two pairs, as well as the other three solo rowers. At the head of the field, two fours are fighting it out: Latitude 35 from America and Row for James from Britain. Just ahead of Hennigan, whose team is called Soulo Gav, is the trio, American Oarsmen. Hennigan has been warned that there may be difficult weather ahead.
O’Donovan Brothers Are RTÉ’s Sport Team Of 2016
#Rowing - Paul and Gary O’Donovan were last night named Team of the Year at the RTÉ Sport Awards, as RTÉ News reports.
The Olympic silver medallists in the lightweight double sculls in Rio this summer captured the hearts of the nation with their light-hearted post-race interview and subsequent appearance on The Late Late Show with fellow Olympic hero Annalise Murphy.
And just like Murphy, who added The Irish Times/Sports Council of Ireland Sportswoman of the Year award to her long list of accolades on Friday (16 December), the Skibbereen rowing brothers (and Afloat.ie Rowers of the Month for August) show no signs of resting on their laurels.
"We’re young yet, we’re only starting out hopefully," said Paul on the night. "We’ve got a taste of success now, so we’re going to capitalise on it."
Indeed, his brother Gary was back in the boat just hours before the awards ceremony for the Ireland Assessment at the National Rowing Centre — Paul only missing out due to Christmas exams.
Rowing & Canoeing Look Set To Stay In Tokyo For 2020 Games
#Tokyo2020 - Irish Olympic rowing and canoeing hopefuls look set to stay in Japan’s capital for the 2020 Games as plans to move their venue to a city 400km north are likely to be abandoned.
As Inside the Games reports, Tokyo 2020 organisers are expected to downscale their costly original plans for the Sea Forest in Tokyo Bay instead of moving to the city of Tome in Miyagi Prefecture.
Rowing and canoe sprint were among a number of sports that faced the prospect of their venues being relocated Tokyo to surrounding cities as city officials look to trim rising costs even three-and-a-half years out from the Games.
Inside the Games has more on the story HERE.
Killorglin's Dukarska Wins Heat at World 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.
Grants for Irish Rowers Who Excel on Ergometer
#Rowing: Ireland’s high performance director, Morten Espersen has announced that four grants will be available to rowers who produce exceptional performances on ergometers (rowing machines). The grants, of €5,000, will be for world class times on Concept 2. The performances needed are: Men, Open 5 minutes 35 seconds; Men, Lightweight 5:54. Women, Open 6:23; Women, Lightweight 6:53.
There will also be four travel scholarships for taking part in the ‘Crash Bs’ in Boston in February, for those who have achieved outstanding performance(s) at Irish Indoor Rowing Championships in Limerick. The evaluation panel will consist of Espersen, Joe Cantillon, the organiser of the Irish Indoor Championships and Alex Dunne of Concept 2.
Terms and Conditions:
Athletes must have full Rowing Ireland registration and be part of an affiliated Irish Club under Rowing Ireland.
The process is part of the Rowing Ireland on water trial process in 2016/2017.
Four Scholarships to be contested in Limerick (Irish Indoor Championships).
World Class times to be done at Limerick Irish Indoor Championship, Crash B or by appointment with HPD at NRC after Indoors.
Open window for World Class times: 20th October 2016 to 1st April 2017
If more than four athletes achieve the World Class times, the 4 best are picked with per centage list times to be achieved.
The Performance Strategy applies fully as weight management for lightweights
Only certified Concept 2 ergometers by HPD
HPD reserves the right to make all final decisions.
Last Saturday, October 2nd, at 5pm on the River Shannon in the heart of the city, the idea of a significant international rally and rowing race event for traditional craft was realised.
It’s a developing concept, an event in the making that has the potential to promote to the wider world the special pleasures of rowing Limerick’s many hidden waterways.
Thirty boats gathered on O’Callaghan Strand slip. They were all wonderful vernacular craft of the best traditional types, imbued with their owners’ characters, and manned with equally characterful crews who had travelled with their beloved boats from Cork, West Clare, Limerick and the adjacent boat-beds of Clarina, Coonagh, Ringmoylan and Askeaton, to make up a generous inaugural King’s Island Race fleet. The best of October weather came out in support as the rowers pulled east towards Thomond Bridge, to begin a wonderful inaugural King’s Island Race in warm sunshine.
"Visiting rowers to the city were more than surprised with the splendour of the city’s river environment, and particularly with how being in a small boat can so quickly put it in a fresh context” said Gary MacMahon, director of the Ilen School which hosted the event. “In fact” he added, "they were a bit disappointed we had not shared this metropolitan rowing pearl with them earlier…….At any rate, the secret has now escaped the city, as we at the Ilen.ie School plan to develop this King’s Island Race as a quality international annual river event for Limerick.” he confirmed.
From time immemorial, the waterways of metropolitan Limerick have been noted for their turbulent character, a dynamic confluence of strong Atlantic tides and flooding land-waters. This can make making it an implacable waterway, indifferent to the locomotion of local boats and their pilots. Accordingly, the sagacious Limerick boater will always go with the favourable tides and floods, the great elemental currents that in synchronised use will sweep a boat and her crew 'like the clappers' around King’s Island.
For the few who take pleasure in Limerick City’s local boats, their construction, maintenance and handling, a row around the city's King’s Island is an eagerly awaited seasonal outing which they now wish to share with others. For the energetic boater, it is a magnificent 45 minute dash over fast water, along ever changing river topography. And for the leisurely rower, which seems the greater number of city boaters, it is an inimitable row to another world - one that lies where the built city surrenders to the wild river banks, near the meeting of the Shannon and the Abbey Rivers.
The Ilen School and Network for Wooden Boat Building in Limerick City has for many years taught the craft of building local boats, and it also diffuses the skills of boat handling, particularly as they map on to waters that flow uniquely through the city. The Ilen.ie school also serves as a network for local river folk, a sort of assembly for new ideas and conversations around all things to do with local boats, and which from time to time has entertained the idea of an around Kings Island boat race.
For many of the crews taking part, it was more of a reasonably briskly-paced row-in-company than an out and-out-race. But some were undoubtedly very competitive, none more so than the winners, Michael Grimes and his crew of currach men who hail from Coonagh, a secret little “boat bed” on the north bank of the Shannon Estuary just a mile west of Limerick City. None could match the Coonagh crew.