This weekend we saw the 2023 European Coastal & Beach Sprint Championships being held in La Seyne-Sur-Mer in France. Seven clubs from around the country were in attendance at the event as well as athletes representing Ireland on the endurance and beach sprint teams.
Endurance
The first event to take the water this weekend was the WCW1x. We had two rowers competing in this event, Monika Dukarska and Miriam Sheehan who both made it into the A finals. Berg of Switzerland and Dymchenko of Azerbaijan had the fastest times going into the event but Monika showed her strength and skill and finished with a second place finish behind Dymchenko. It was also a gusty performance from Sheehan who finished in 12th position.
We also had two athletes competing in the MCM1x later on Friday evening. Mannix had a seventh place finish in the A final and only a few places back we saw Creedon cross the line and finish in 10th place.
Saturday morning we saw the A final of the MCMix2x take place. Again, we had two crews competing in this final. Alyssa and Kealan Mannix crossed the finish line in 9th position and Laura O’Mahony sand Gavin Flaherty finishing in 12th.
These are huge results for the Irish crews and its only the beginning!
Club
It was tough competition for the Irish clubs who were also competing this weekend. Síonna Healy from Arklow Rowing club had a fantastic 4th place finish in the CCW1x final behind 2 French clubs and Diana Dymchenko from Azerbaijan. Healy also competed in a composite crew in the CCW4x alongside Killorglin RC, Castletownbere RC and Kilmacsimon RC who finished in 2nd place taking home the silver medal for Ireland behind the Spanish club.
It was brilliant to see so many Irish clubs from all over the country representing at these championships and well done them all on their results.
Results:
CCM1X – Cormac Kelly (Arklow Rowing Club) -15th
CCW1X – Síonna Healy (Arklow Rowing Club) – 4th, Niamh Lordan (Kilmacsimon Rowing Club) – DNF
CCM2X – Davin Jennings & John Barry (Kilmacsimon Rowing Club) – 12th, Luke Keaney & David Hussey (Donegal Bay/Portmagee Rowing Club) – 16th
CCW2X – Niamh Doogan & Dineka Maguire (Kincasslagh Rowing Club) – 8th
CCW4X – Rhiannon O’Donoghue (Killorglin RC), Miriam Sheehan (Castletownbere Rowing Club), Niamh Lordan (Kilmacsimon Rowing Club), Síonna Healy (Arklow Rowing Club), David Hussey (Portmagee Rowing Club) – 2nd
Beach Sprints
We had the first ever beach sprint medal won yesterday in the CW1x! Monika Dukarska claimed the bronze medal in the B final beating her opposition from Heranova by 6.04 seconds.
Four of the Irish crews made it to the quarter final rounds and one crew the CMix2x just losing out in the time trials. Aoibhe in the CJW1x and Hannah and Eoin Balfe in the CJMix2x both lost to the Italian crews knocking them out in the quarter finals and Kealan was beaten in the CM1x in the quarter finals to Portugal and Luke was beaten by the Spanish in the CJM1x.
A huge congratulations to al the athletes and coaches who attended the event this weekend!
