The highly anticipated 2023 Irish Rowing Championships took place last weekend in the National Rowing Centre at Farran Woods, Cork.
Despite temperamental weather conditions and having to rejig the weekend schedule, all events were run with no championship races being scratched.
Scheduled as the pinnacle of Irish rowing, the championships drew competitors from across the whole country. Strong winds and gusts of 35 km disrupted the initial race schedule, necessitating adjustments and postponements. While the event organisers and the newly formed championship committee made every effort to adapt swiftly, the participants' safety was paramount, leading to several races being rescheduled to ensure the well-being of the rowers.
"Strong winds and gusts of 35 km disrupted the initial race schedule"
Despite these setbacks, the resilience and sportsmanship displayed by the athletes were commendable. The rowers demonstrated remarkable patience and understanding as they supported one another and the event organisers in navigating the challenges that arose throughout the weekend.
The University of Limerick Rowing Club, Castleconnell Senior 8 Champions in action at the Irish Rowing Championships at the National Rowing Centre at Farran Woods, Cork
The stand-out club was the University of Limerick Rowing Club, which came out on top over the challenging weekend, going home with eight National Championships, a win in the PR2 Men’s Scull (Non-Championship) and three new course records in the Senior Women’s 8+ and 4x- and the Women’s Inter 4+. After shocking the Irish rowing scene in 2021 and winning ten championships, the University has shown its continued strength, competing at a high level in each event that they enter.
The University of Limerick Rowing Club Inter 4+ Champions celebrate at the Irish Rowing Championships at the National Rowing Centre at Farran Woods, Cork
Skibbereen Rowing Club had another successful year taking away five championships and narrowly missing out on a fourth in the Women’s J18 4- in a highly dramatic race on day three. After taking a commanding lead in the early stages of the final, Skibb had made their mark on the field and were looking to be taking the highly sought-after pots without much threat. However, the choppy conditions did not work on their side, with the athlete in two seat catching a boat-stopping crab just 100m from the line. The well-drilled St. Michael’s crew managed to stay composed and rowed through the leading boat to take the junior championship.
A Galway Rowing Club PR2 Sculler at the Irish Rowing Championships at the National Rowing Centre at Farran Woods, Cork
The Men’s J18 2- of Dominic Casey and Cathal McCarthy lead the field taking another Championship for Skibbereen after sister Caoimhe Casey won the Lightweight Women’s Scull earlier in the day. Mccarthy and Casey also picked up a course record in their final, crossing the line in a time of 6:52:80.
Skibbereen Senior 2x at the Irish Rowing Championships at the National Rowing Centre at Farran Woods, Cork
The Men's and Women's J18 8+ events brought huge excitement around the grounds of the NRC, especially up at the big screen where huge crowds were cheering for their crews. Enniskillen Royal BC narrowly took the win in the Men's race by just .8 of a second over St. Joseph’s. These two highly competitive junior clubs go head to head each year for this championship, with St. Joseph’s taking it in 2022 by photo finish. Meanwhile, in the women's event, St. Michaels fought hard till the end and got their victory over Enniskillen Royal BC.
Skibbereen Junior Women's 8+ at the Irish Rowing Championships at the National Rowing Centre at Farran Woods, Cork
St. Michael’s Rowing Club from Limerick upped their game this year winning four junior championships over the weekend, Women’s Junior 8+ and 4- and the Men’s Junior 4x and 2x. Another commendable performance was from University of Galway Boat Club, also going away with four championships in the Men’s Senior 4x-, Inter 8+ and 2x and Women’s Senior 2-.
Shandon Women's Junior 8+ at the Irish Rowing Championships at the National Rowing Centre at Farran Woods, Cork
Dublin clubs, UCD BC and Commercial RC also brought home four championships each with UCD winning the Men’s Senior 8+, Senior 4- and both of the Men’s Novice events. Commercial improved on their one pot in 2022 winning the Men’s Senior 2- and Club 4+ and the Women’s Club 8+ and 4+.
UCD Senior 8+ Champions celebrate at the Irish Rowing Championships at the National Rowing Centre at Farran Woods, Cork
The Senior 8+’s were as exciting as ever with very tight races in both the Women’s and Men’s events. In the Men’s event it was a repeat of the 2022 Championships with Cork Boat Club and University College Dublin battling it out right to the finish line. Ultimately it was UCD who came out on top again this year leading Boat Club by about a length. In a much closer race in the Women’s event, neither University of Galway nor the University of Limerick/Castleconnell composite knew who had won after crossing the finish line. Celebrations had to wait for ULRC and Castleconnell until they heard the crowds cheering as they came into the slips. Being pushed to the line by the Galway crew worked in their favour as they also crossed the line with a new course record for the event in a time of 6:22:70.
DUBC Men's Inter 8+ at the Irish Rowing Championships at the National Rowing Centre at Farran Woods, Cork
DUBC Men's Inter 8+ at the Irish Rowing Championships at the National Rowing Centre at Farran Woods, Cork
With the postponements due to weather conditions, half of the racing planned for the weekend was run solely on Sunday, with racing taking place for over 11 hours, an incredible achievement from all athletes, clubs and especially the volunteers who were on the ground all day.
Lee RC J18 4x took silver at the Irish Rowing Championships at the National Rowing Centre at Farran Woods, Cork
