Nearly 1,000 student-athletes will gather on Friday, March 8 for the annual Munster Schools Indoor Rowing Blitz, a day filled with relay races on rowing machines by teams of secondary students from all over Ireland.
Students from Munster and beyond, having trained in Rowing Ireland classes at their schools, will put up stiff competition for bragging rights while having great fun engaging in exercise and a sport they can do their whole lives.
“Students who have never settled on their sport quite often find it in rowing, via the Get Going Get Rowing programme. Teens who have never competed before come alive at the Blitz and really shine,” said Amy Johnson, Munster Coordinator for Get Rowing. “It’s amazing to have it all on display every year.”
Held at the UL Sports Arena in Limerick, races will begin at approximately 9:30am and continue until about 3pm. PE students form teams of 5 within their year group; experienced rowers can compete together in an open category for an extra shot at bringing accolades to their school. This year 225 teams and 1,026 athletes are registered.
This year for the first time 50 athletes from special schools and special needs classes will compete in timed individual races and relay races, proving what is so true of the sport—that everyBODY can row.
“The Champions Cups will go home with the schools who have the best performances on the girls side and the boys side,” said Derek Bowen, the national manager for Get Rowing. “We have strong competitors from all Ireland coming on Friday, but we’ll have to see who is strongest.”
The Munster Blitz receives support from Rowing Ireland, Sport Ireland, and Limerick Sports Partnership.1,000 athletes to compete at Munster Blitz
