Author: Stephen King

Please find attached invitations to the upcoming February trials to be held at the NRC from 11-13 February. Please note invitations are based on a number of factors, water trials, and physiological results from the various erg tests, including the most recent (2k) erg test. 

Athletes disappointed not to be on this list will be free to submit erg scores at the next round of testing in March to show improved and competitive performances with the opportunity to be added to the next trial based on these results. Please study carefully the benchmarks for each category before submitting these scores. Junior athletes outside Junior Worlds/Coupe standard will also have an opportunity to trial for Home International selection later in the season subject to selection criteria being achieved (TBC). 

Provisional plan (Please note if this trial must be postponed based on weather forecast it will be moved to the following weekend). 

• Friday – arrival, rigging and briefing
• Saturday – 6k time-trial in small boats (1x/2-) or as otherwise advised
• Sunday – am 2k and  pm 2k (In crew boats or as decided based on Saturday results and other data). 

* Clubs must support their athletes by providing double sculls (or 4- for sweep) for day 2. (Athletes that do not have crew boats for this trial will not be in a position to be included in crew boat testing on day 2). 

*Times will be confirmed once entry is confirmed. 

* Please note that invitation to Sunday racing may be subject to Saturday performance

*Lightweights please study the required bodyweight for this event published on the RI website in the high-performance section.

Coaches are asked to confirm their athlete’s attendance by emailing michael.orourke@rowingireland.ie by end of day Friday, February 4th 

Rowing Ireland men’s lightweight double Scull and Olympic Gold medallists crowned World Rowing Men’s crew of the year.

World Rowing today announced that the World men’s crew of the year is Ireland’s own lightweight double scull of Paul O’Donovan and Fintan McCarthy. In a virtual event that celebrated the finest rowers and coaches around the World, the nominations featured three other World Rowing’s premium crews from France, Holland and the Kiwi Olympic eight.

World Rowing commended the Rowing Ireland HP programme led by HP Director Antonio Maurogiovanni on their surge in rowing over the last number of years. Rowing Ireland’s Fintan McCarthy spoke online to the World Rowing Awards, having just finished training at the home of Irish Rowing in the Kinetica National Rowing Centre, outside Cork City. McCarthy reflected on the growing system of High-Performance rowing in place at present with a vital pathway and he spoke about the large group of athletes all training together at the Kinetica NRC in order “to make the boats go faster”. The other half of the Olympic duo, Paul O’Donovan couldn’t make the awards due to his commitments at UCC, where he is studying medicine.

Rowing Ireland CEO Michelle Carpenter said, “It is an absolute honour that World Rowing has awarded our men’s lightweight double this prestigious award. I would like to congratulate Paul and Fintan and the whole HP team on this formidable award. As we were sitting at a Rowing Ireland Board meeting this morning the awards were announced. It was such positive news to reflect on where we have come from and where we are going as we head into the Paris cycle. It was also poignant and gives us great inspiration on a day where sport seems to be opening, as one of our seasons’ first events was underway on the Marina in Cork. This award and our continued Rowing Ireland strategy gives us great hope for the future in all our programme’s. With the committed support of Sport Ireland, Sport NI, the OFI, our partner Universities and our sponsors: Kinetica Sports, Powerhouse Sports, Sanity Systems, and Avison Young, everyone has contributed hugely to the growth and success of Irish Rowing over the last number of years. It takes a village to raise a child, and now we have such incredible role models that everyone involved in our sport can look up to and know they can achieve the same through hard work and perseverance.

The winter Olympics are due to start on the 4th of February in Beijing and will run until the 20th of February. As part of the run-up to the start of the games, we look back on a rower that competed for Ireland in three Olympics!

Patrick McDonagh represented Ireland in rowing at the 1980 Olympics (Moscow), 1988 Olympics (Seoul), and in Bobsleigh at the 1992 Olympics. Pat competed in a men’s coxed four alongside Iain Kennedy, Ted Ryan, Davey Gray and Noel Graham, the men’s crew finished 11th overall.

Pat competed again for Ireland at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul in the men’s coxed pairs, alongside Frank Moore and Liam Williams. The Irish crew just finished outside the top eleven.

Pat then went onto the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France. Pat competed in Bobsleigh alongside Terry McHugh. Pat and Terry finished 32nd overall in Pat’s third and final Olympics.

Pat also represented Ireland as the flagbearer at the 1992 Winter Olympics.

Pat recently sat down with Team Ireland to talk about his experience as the Team Ireland Flagbearer.

Rowing Ireland is currently recruiting for three roles to join our dedicated team. This is an exciting opportunity to join one of Ireland’s most successful and reputable sports.

Vacancies

Job specifications for each role are available below.

How to apply

Applications can be made via email with a cover letter and CV to ceo@rowingireland.ie

Closing Date

The closing date for the three roles is Wednesday 2nd February 2022 at 5pm.

Rowing Ireland was successful in its application to the Sport Ireland Research Fund with a Women in Sport project investigating Club Culture. The project is one of 17 to be funded by Sport Ireland and provides an opportunity for sporting bodies to undertake research on issues that are relevant to their own unique contexts.

The Rowing Ireland Research Project aims to define club culture of Irish rowing clubs, understand the impact of culture on its members with a particular focus on gender equality. The research will inform a toolkit for clubs to assess and positively influence their culture towards greater gender equality and positive lifelong participation in the sport.

The research will be compiled by a member survey, requesting every member of Rowing Ireland to participate, followed by four focus groups to get a greater, in-depth understanding of clubs in Ireland. 

The research will be led by Claire Lambe, Women in Sport Officer at Rowing Ireland and Meave Buckley, Sports Consultant for Leading Sport, 

This month a Research Steering Group has been established to guide the project.

If you or your club would like to know more or to contribute to this project in a greater capacity, email claire.lambe@rowingireland.ie

To be kept up to date with its progress throughout the year and ensure your voice is heard, please register below.