The first Beach Sprints Upskill Day took place in Lough Rinn on Sunday and proved to be a great success. Over 30 rowers took part, receiving expert tips and coaching from Shaun Molloy and Luke Smyth aimed at improving performance on a beach sprints course.
The day was divided into three 90 minute sessions, with each session welcoming a new group of athletes. Training began with a 1K warm up, allowing rowers to get accustomed to the coastal boats and understand how they handle on the water.
From there, the focus moved to rowing in a straight line, with athletes concentrating on keeping their eyes fixed on two flags ahead and avoiding drifting off course. This was followed by individual buoy work, where each rower practised rowing directly up to a marker before executing both 90 degree and 180 degree turns.
To finish, athletes had the opportunity to run the full 90 90 course several times. This included practising the opening slalom between two buoys, completing the two 90 degree turns, and rowing straight back to the finish line.
Across the sessions, athletes showed significant improvement, and it was clear how much they benefited from the focused coaching and practical drills. We look forward to seeing them put these skills into practice over the coming year.
A second Beach Sprints Upskill Day is planned for the NRC in a few months, with further details to be shared next month.
Finally, a huge thank you to Loughros Point, Tullaghan Bay, and Donegal Bay for their outstanding support on the day. From helping with setup and athlete preparation to loaning boats and providing refreshments, their contributions ensured the event ran smoothly.
