The 2024 Coupe de la Jeunesse Beach Sprints saw a determined Irish squad compete under calm weather conditions with a slight sidewind, testing the endurance and precision of each crew. Every Irish boat successfully advanced through the initial time trials, with strong showings across multiple categories.
The Irish rowers put forward impressive times in the opening time trials, securing places in the final 16:
CJM1x: Tadhg O Conchuir of Courtmacsherry Rowing Club led the charge with a time of 2:31.78, placing 4th, while Luke Nixon from Kilmacsimon Rowing Club advanced with a time of 2:43.41.
CJW1x: Seleena Connolly of Ring Rowing Club posted 3:10.93, joined by Eva Shovlin from Loughros Point Rowing Club, who clocked in at 3:21.24.
CJM2x: Eoin Balfe & Jack Rafferty of St. Michael’s Rowing Club secured a solid time of 2:20.23, while Aidan Barry & Oran O’Donovan from Ring Rowing Club completed in 2:36.80.
CJW2x: The double of Hannah Balfe & Isabella Collins from Shannon Rowing Club finished at 2:50.72, closely followed by Anna Verling & Gabrielle O’Donoghue from Ring Rowing Club with 2:50.95.
CJMix2x: Hannah and Eoin Balfe, representing Shannon and St. Michael’s Rowing Clubs, clocked in at 2:31.65.
CJMix1x: Jack Hehir and Grace Masterson from Rosscarbery and Donegal Bay Rowing Clubs finished with 2:33.84.
As competition intensified in the heats, Irish crews continued to show resilience:
In the CJM2x, Aidan Barry & Oran O’Donovan clocked in at 2:38.57, advancing with a solid performance.
CJW2x saw Hannah Balfe & Isabella Collins win their heat with a time of 2:51.72, while Anna Verling & Gabrielle O’Donoghue placed third at 2:58.98.
In the last 16, the Irish faced some challenging international rivals:
CJM1x: Tadhg O Conchuir narrowly missed out to Italy by just 3 seconds, while Luke Nixon fell to Great Britain.
CJW1x: Seleena Connolly was defeated by Great Britain, and Eva Shovlin lost to Austria.
CJMix2x: The mixed pair of Hannah and Eoin Balfe secured a victory against Austria with a time of 2:41.75, advancing to the quarter-finals.
CJMix1x: Jack Hehir & Grace Masterson clinched their race against the Czech Republic in 2:32.01, also progressing to the quarter-finals.
Irish hopes were kept alive into the quarter-finals, where the competition intensified:
CJMix1x: Jack Hehir & Grace Masterson faced a formidable Spanish crew, ultimately concluding their journey in a well-fought race.
CJMix2x: Hannah & Eoin Balfe delivered a valiant effort but narrowly missed out against Italy by a single second.
The Irish team’s performance led by Team Manager, Tony Mannix, has been a testament to their skill and resilience, marking another successful outing for Irish rowing on the European stage. With multiple crews advancing to the later rounds and close results against top international teams, the 2024 competition serves as a strong showing for future international success.
