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Day two of the Irish Rowing Championships 2023 kicked off bright and early at 6:30 am, as organisers anticipated high winds in the forecast from midday onwards.

The morning began with an exciting catch-up session, allowing participants to make up for the races that had been postponed in the preceding days due to adverse weather conditions.

Despite the early start, the rowers displayed unwavering determination and enthusiasm as they took to the water. The atmosphere was electric, with spectators lining the banks, filling picnic benches and glued to the big screen and live commentary. As the day progressed, the wind started to pick up, reinforcing the decision to prioritise earlier races. The event showcased the resilience and adaptability of both athletes and organisers, ensuring that the Irish Rowing Championships continued smoothly, while keeping safety as the top priority.

Spectators once again enjoyed live racing from Upshot media and Rowing Ireland broadcasters led by Brian (Richie) Richardson. Racing included live drone footage and a big screen entertainment. The newly opened Finish line Café was kept busy with healthy snacks for members and spectators alike.

The Women’s Senior Quad event witnessed a remarkable performance by the UL Rowing Club. Anna Liffey Rowing Club shone brightly in the Women’s Intermediate 2- The Men’s Intermediate Single event showcased an incredible performance by Joe Tanner from UL. The Women’s Novice Coxed 4x race was a spectacle to behold, with DULBC. St. Michaels Rowing Club from Limerick left a lasting impression in the Men’s Junior 18 A 4x- event. The team’s determination, precision, and teamwork were on full display as they powered their way to victory.

Tomorrow will be a fully packed day starting at 6:30am and finishing at 5:15pm. We want to thank all our clubs for their incredible patience and perseverance with the conditions and our Championships committee who have ensured despite every challenge thrown at them.

Catchup

The First Day of Irish Rowing Championships 2023 was marred by racing challenges!

The highly anticipated first day of the Irish Rowing Championships 2023, held at the National Rowing Centre in Cork, was unfortunately overshadowed by a series of unexpected racing challenges. Despite the enthusiasm and determination of the participating athletes, these unforeseen circumstances created an atmosphere of disappointment.

Scheduled as the pinnacle of Irish rowing, the championships drew competitors from across the whole country. Strong winds and gust of 35kmh disrupted the initial race schedule, necessitating adjustments and postponements. While the event organisers and the newly formed championships committee made every effort to adapt swiftly, the safety of the participants was of paramount importance, leading to several races being rescheduled or canceled to ensure the well-being of the rowers.

Despite these setbacks, the resilience and sportsmanship displayed by the athletes were commendable. Their unwavering dedication to the sport of rowing was evident as they adapted to the changing circumstances and maintained a competitive spirit. The rowers demonstrated remarkable patience and understanding, as they supported one another and the event organisers in navigating the challenges that arose throughout the day.

In the Men’s Lightweight Single Sculls event, Joe Tanner from University of Limerick (UL) displayed exceptional skill and stamina, securing a well-deserved victory. Tanner’s impressive performance demonstrated his dedication solidifying his reputation as a formidable lightweight rower.

The Men’s Senior Coxless Four was won by UCD (University College Dublin) and the Women’s Senior Coxless Four, a formidable composite crew from UL Rowing Club and Castleconnell emerged victorious.

The Men’s Senior Double event saw another triumph for UL Rowing Club. Bann Rowing Club powered to victory in the Women’s Senior Double event. With a further win for UL in the Women’s Intermediate 8+

Neptune Rowing Club’s Alex Gillick brought home victor for the Dublin club in the Men’s Junior 18 Single Sculls event. While the Women’s Junior 18 2- went west to Colaiste Iognaid. The Men’s Inter 8+ also went west to UGBC (University Galway) and the Islandbridge DULBC won the Women’s event.

A huge congratulations to all of these rowers and clubs around the country. Now lets see what day two has in store!

New date Saturday 8th July

It is with regret that the Rowing Ireland 1K Classic organising committee has had to make the decision to cancel the event scheduled for the National Rowing Center on the 1st of July 2023.

The decision was taken after the committee consulted with Met Eireann on the weather conditions for the weekend. The forecast suggests high westerly winds with strong gust during the day which would make the conditions unsafe for crews to take to the water.

The decision was not taken lightly and we are aware of the disappointment that will be felt by the many, many crews entered. Rowing Ireland has looked at alternative dates and we have secured Saturday the 8th of July in the best interest of our clubs in order to continue to support all our members. Declarations for the new date must be made by Tuesday the 4th of July.

The huge entry that was received for this event shows the tremendous support there is for this event. The entry also shows the level of dedication, enthusiasm and involvement that there is for rowing at junior and master’s level throughout Ireland. We urge our clubs to enlist their registered umpires as volunteers for the rescheduled date to ensure the event’s smooth execution.

We would like to say a huge thank you to the many volunteers that had committed their time to organizing and those that volunteered to support the event this weekend.

Unfortunately Cork regatta this weekend is cancelled due to high winds. The Grand League standings now are as follows.

Grand League Standings

Coming into the final Grand League Regatta of 2023, Commercial Rowing Club are top of the overall leader board, with Neptune Rowing Club a close second. After an exciting win in their women’s Senior 8+ at the Dublin Metropolitan Regatta, University of Limerick Boat Club are currently leading the Women’s Division 1 standings and have moved into third place overall. The club that wins the overall Grand League Regatta Series will receive two concept 2 ergs, kindly sponsored by RowFit, Ireland’s leading Concept2 Specialists. Going Into Cork Regatta clubs have it all still to play for!

Home International Regatta Trials

The Home International Regatta this year is being held at the Lough Rynn Race course, County Leitrim. The Trials for the international competition are set to take place this coming weekend at Cork Regatta. The trial will be run off as indicated as part of the Division 1 1x- and 2- races in Cork Regatta.

If you are interested in learning more about the Home International trial, please read this article

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Following Friday night’s Board meeting, held at Neptune Rowing Club, Islandbridge, Dublin.

Rowing Ireland is pleased to announce the appointment of four new Directors. This brings the Board
to full complement and restores its gender balance commitment made in 2021. At the
meeting, the Board elected Martin Hogan as Company Chair for the third time and Aisling
Carpenter as Treasurer.


Martin Hogan, Chair of Rowing Ireland commented on the new appointments: “The
foundations laid by previous Boards have been built upon with our clubs voting
unanimously for gender balance and the recruitment of skill-based and independent
Directors. Our succession planning and recruitment leading to these appointments
marks a significant milestone for Rowing Ireland as it continues to strengthen its
governance and leadership in sport. We welcome our new colleagues and look
forward to working with them to enhance Rowing Ireland for its membership.”

The newly appointed directors are:

Philip Quinn – Senior Independent Director

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Philip Quinn is Chief Operating Officer at Munster Rugby. Philip has worked with Munster for over 15 years. Before that, he worked with Eli Lilly and ConocoPhillips in finance roles. Philip is responsible for Strategic planning, Finance and Operations, Player and Coach Contracting amongst other duties. Philip has a keen interest in all sports and is very keen to add his wealth of sports management experience to the Board.

Aisling Carpenter – Independent Director

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Aisling is a Chartered Accountant working in Deloitte’s Financial Advisory Services department. She has over 12 years’ experience working on a wide variety of restructuring assignments including liquidations, receiverships, large property portfolios and real estate advisory projects. Aisling has a BA in Law & Accounting from the University of Limerick and has a Diploma in Strategic Project & Program Management.

Aoibheann Treacy – Independent Director

Aoibheann is Head of Individual Markets Distribution within Irish Life Asset Management (ILIM). Prior to joining ILIM, Aoibheann has held various senior roles within the financial services industry with Key Capital, State Street Global Advisors and Bank of Ireland over the last 25+ years.

Aoibheann is a Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA). She graduated from Dublin City University with a MSC in Investment & Treasury. Aoibheann holds a BA in Economics, Postgraduate in Applied Economics and Postgraduate in Computer Science for University College Cork.

Her membership includes:

  • Institute of Directors, Dip IoD Company Director holder
  • Institute of Bankers, a QFA holder
  • Chartered Alternative Investment Association, CAIA holder

Aoibheann is currently Chair of Aoibhneas and has held previous positions with other NFP groups over the years.

Noreen Maguire – Leinster Director

Noreen is a solicitor who is passionate about providing comprehensive legal support and helping clients navigate legal matters with skill, diligence and care. Noreen is a partner in Maguire Muldoon solicitors that was established in 2002. She tutors in the Law Society in Employment law and Family law and is a trained Collaborative Lawyer.

She contributed to many voluntary organisations at committee level, fundraising, and shaping policies. She also provides legal advice to different registered charities.

She rowed and Captained UCDLBC and is a member of Old Collegians. She married a rower from Neptune, and they have four children; with two rowing for UCDLBC and Commercial.

A full list of Rowing Ireland Board can be found here:  https://www.rowingireland.ie/about-us/board/

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