Irish rowing season to get underway
Thursday, 17 December 2009Hundreds of rowers are expected in Cork this weekend as Rowing Ireland's new national head of the river competition format finally gets underway following a number of cancellations due to poor weather conditions.
The new format involves a series of time trial Head of the River races at the National Rowing Centre at Inniscara, Cork. Skibbereen Rowing Club are the host club organizing the races.
Coach Development Officer, Pat McInerney explained: 'The new racing format involves single sculls, double sculls and pairs all in separate races for both men and women. The single scullers for the national event are drawn from clubs across the country and involve separate time trial races in men's, women's and junior categories.'
There will be a good race off for the senior and junior titles for men and women with the host club, Skibbereen, providing some strong contenders.
In the women's race there are forty boats led off by Carrick on Shannon's Dympna Kelly and Sheila Clavin from St. Michaels.'
The men's race has an impressive entry of over one hundred and twenty boats. They will be led off by Sean Jacob of Old Collegians, a former international heavyweight sculler who will be followed by Richard Coakley (Skibbereen Rowing Club) who was part of the Olympic team in 2008.
Others challenging for the top senior spot will be reigning intermediate champion, Peter Hanily (St Michaels Rowing Club, Limerick) and the very promising junior and current novice champion, Turlough Hughes (Kings Hospital School). Reigning junior champion Paul O'Donovan of Skibbereen should also feature strongly.
The National Head race series continues with a fours race in Limerick on 6 February and an eights race in Galway on 27 March.
