Carrick comes into its own

ROWING:CARRICK-ON-SHANNON comes into its own this weekend. The town's rowing club has drawn competitive entries from all across the country for tomorrow's Head of the River, which will also be the platform for the national four-blade head, which features fours and double sculls.

The Leitrim town’s location is a big plus: the club has strong links with Ulster clubs as well as with clubs in the other provinces. No doubt it helps that Carrick-on-Shannon is one of the oldest rowing clubs in the world – it was founded in 1836, all of 175 years ago.

Tomorrow’s entry in the men’s junior 18 coxed fours, for example, has a reach and depth that promises excellent competition: St Joseph’s College (Galway), Presentation College (Cork), Portora (Enniskillen), Methodist College (Belfast) and Athlone (Westmeath).

And crews from Bann in Coleraine, St Michael’s in Limerick and from Dublin are also in the mix in the two time-trial events at 11.30am and 3pm.

The presence of the Gráinne Mhaol/NUIG men’s senior four and eight also guarantees quality in the top senior events. Galway, St Michael’s, Carlow and NUIG face the Gráinne Mhaol/NUIG composite for the national head title in the senior fours.

“I think that will be a good race,” says event secretary Mark Butler, who is generally happy with the entry. “The men’s section is quite healthy, which we are delighted about. We are a little disappointed from the women’s side of things.”

The national head series had a faltering start last year, but the evidence of the Two-Blade Head at St Michael’s head recently was that the idea has gained traction with rowers. “For us, it has made a difference,” says Butler. He cites an increase in the number of entries, and interest from clubs such as St Michael’s and NUIG and Gráinne Mhaol.

The final event of the national head series will be the eight-blade head, hosted by Lagan Head on the final weekend of next month.

The offices of Rowing Ireland are also on the move, to the National Rowing Centre in Cork. The cost of keeping an office in Dublin while also maintaining offices at the centre, which cost millions to build, makes this a logical move.

Martin Corcoran, chief executive of Rowing Ireland, says the aim is to provide “a one-stop shop” for athletes and clubs. The move is set for Monday, April 4th.

Former Ireland Olympian Seán O’Neill won a gold medal at the recent New Zealand Championships. The Limerickman, who now rows for New Zealand, was part of the Wairau coxed four which had over four seconds to spare over Waikato in Saturday’s final.

The big surprise at the event came in the men’s single scull, where Mahe Drysdale was well beaten by Nathan Cohen.