Tipperary father and son rowed at famous event in Boston

America doesn't do anything by half measures and when it comes to rowing at the HOCR (Head of the Charles River) in Boston, the numbers simply explode.

11,500 competitors from 32 countries make it the largest rowing event in the world by a long shot. Rowing is at the bedrock of American collegiate sport.

Hundreds of college crews head to Boston for the annual HOCR, with some of the Ivy League colleges having million dollar budgets to support their ambitions.

Training on the Charles River during race week can be compared to driving on the Cahir Road from Clonmel at busy times. It's just boat after boat for hours on end, but it's all good humoured. All the different boat classes are catered for, with races from 16-year-olds to races for over 80s.

The course is three miles long and starts at De Woulfe Boat House. It's a time trial and boats are started at 15 second intervals. On the way, they have to negotiate seven bridges and several tight bends, as well as crews in their way or crews trying to pass them. Rowing etiquette dictates that the slower crew gives way to the overtaking crew, but in the heat of battle those rules can sometimes be temporarily forgotten and there are the inevitable clashes and the odd collision into Eliot Bridge.

Nearly all the big names race the HOCR at some point in their career. Paul O’Donovan was in town to row in a doctors mixed 8 who came second. Also in the same race were Aifric Kehoe, bronze medal winner at the Olympics in Tokyo, and Fiona Murtagh, fresh from her silver medal at the World Championships. They came fourth. In the men's championship 8s, the Dutch, who broke the world record this year, came out on top by a mere second from Harvard.

Clonmel Rowing Club were represented in the 2x Director's Challenge Parent/Child race by Paul and Gerald Nugent This is a beautiful competition to celebrate family involvement in rowing. Gerald took charge of the steering and they eventually finished 11th out of 60 boats, with five of the top10 crews having a former Olympian on board.

The Riverside Boat Club in Boston was coincidentally founded in 1869, the same year as Clonmel Rowing Club. Irish immigrants were to the forefront of the establishment of Riverside, and to this day Irish surnames can be found among the list of its members.

The Nugents had a busy week in Boston and were delighted to represent Clonmel in such a landmark event.

Castleconnell Head of River

Climate change seems to be working in our favour at the moment, with unseasonably mild weather making for a very enjoyable day for the crews rowing in Castleconnell Head of River (HOR).

Clonmel had a few rowers dressed up as zombies and a few more rowers who felt like zombies after tackling the 3k course.

Edward Wall continues to show good form, winning the J16 and the men's Club 1x in what turned out to be the fastest time of the day across all single scull categories.

Millie Crean and Kate Fogarty are also at the top of their game, winning the women's J16 2x and then coming first and second in the J16 1x.

David Corbett and Edward Wall were pipped for the top spot by Fermoy by a mere four seconds, as were Paul Nugent and Helen Mhic Chonmara in the mixed masters 2x. Hot on their heels were the Kellys, Branwen and Paul.

Clonmel had two Masters women 4x+ crews with the A boat of Ruth Hennessy, Mary Jane Brasil, Branwen Kelly Michelle O'Halloran, and coxed by Helen, rowing well to finish third, with the B boat of Ruth Maher, Joanne Power, Sheila Nugent, Patricia Matthews and coxed by Annie McGrath a little bit further back.

Clonmel also had two boats in the men’s J15 4x+ but they are going to have to get a bit more rowing under their belt before they will be considered to be a threat on the water. Those crews were Logan Murray, Alex O'Hara, Joe O'Brien,Donagh Ryan,coxed by Branwen and Sean Fogarty, Josh Kiely, Finn Murray and Conor Slattery, coxed by Annie McGrath.

A better result came Clonmel’s way in the women's club 4x+ with Madison,Dearbhla, Annie and Denise laying down the power over the length of the course, with Nicholas Connolly steering the crew to a fine second place. Iola Cummins did a great job in the women's J18 1x to place third in what is a very challenging course for steering.

The mixed 4x of Ruth Hennessy, Mary Jane, Paul Kelly and Tom O’Donnell held it together and finished third. Laura Meehan in the UL senior 8 scored a decisive victory and Gretta Nugent posted a great time in the 2x with her dad.

Another four wins, a couple of second and third places leaves Clonmel Rowing Club with plenty of hope for the season ahead. Coaches and mentors are doing a great job of supporting the crews and long may it continue.