Top quality performances turned in by Tipperary rowers
Clonmel rowers in action in Fermoy and Athlone
There weren't too many wins for Clonmel Rowing Club after an action-packed weekend of rowing at Athlone and Fermoy Regattas.
Hats off to the organisers of Fermoy Regatta, who ran off 205 races from 7.30am to 7pm in what were at times challenging conditions, as a strong headwind blew down the course, causing havoc for the crews in the first 200 metres. Going out of your lane was par for the course and one of the Tribesmen crews took out Clonmel Women's Masters 4x in a kamikaze-style incident.
Clonmel had a full range of junior crews, as well as the club’s masters rowers participating. Special mention goes to Clonmel’s most experienced masters rower, Nell McCarthy, who the previous day completed a mini triathlon in Dunmore East, winning her category. There were no medals for Nell in Fermoy, but she was in the mixed 4x with Helen Mhic Chonmara, John O'Neill and Paul Nugent, which came second by six feet to Lee in a thrilling final.
She was also third in the mixed 2x with Paul Nugent, coming in behind Fermoy and Athlunkard crews who were 30 years younger. No shame there.
The other Clonmel Mixed 4 also won their heat, but their time was outside the qualification standard. Brothers Stephen and Joseph Ryan are rowing very well and they can be well pleased to have won the masters 2x.
Clonmel’s women's J18 4x can always be relied upon to give you a run for your money and they finished fourth in a highly competitive category.These girls also rowed j16 1x, where Millie Crean finished fifth and Kate Fogarty was just behind her in eighth.
Josh Kiely won his heat in the J15 1x, but his time was just a second off the mark to qualify for the final. Joe O'Brien also went close to qualifying, but the clock is the ultimate decider.
Edward Wall moved up to j18 for this regatta, winning his heat and coming second in the final to Jonah Kirby of Kenmare. Keep an eye out for that name in the future as he looks destined for the international scene. Edward had a win in the scull at Athlone on Saturday, copperfastening his status as one of the country's leading junior scullers. Keeping it in the family, his aunt Sandra can still knock it out of the park with a brace of wins in the singles, between Athlone and Fermoy.
In the 2x Iola Cummins and Sofia Lenehan stuck gamely to their task to finish runners-up to Athlunkard. The Masters Women 2x of Denise Fleming and Chris Morrissey were heat winners, as were Helen Mhic Chonmara and Branwen Kelly, who came through in the last 100 metres to snatch victory from Lee.
Some of Clonmel’s youngest rowers, Logan Murray and Donagh Ryan, gave a good account of themselves in the J14 2x to finish second. Other Clonmel heat winners were the men's j15 4x and the women's Masters quad, stroked by Michelle O'Halloran.
Clonmel may not have achieved as many victories at this regatta as in previous years, but the performances of the crews was top notch and there will be plenty more days of racing when the pieces of the jigsaw fall into place. Special thanks are extended to the coaches for the important work of getting the rowers and boats to a busy regatta like Fermoy, getting people to the start line when they are supposed to be there and getting them off the water safely. Well done all.
If the wind behaves itself, Clonmel’s next regatta will be at Inniscarra on Saturday.