ROWING:THE REGATTA season starts with a bang this weekend – such a big bang that Neptune regatta, scheduled for tomorrow at Islandbridge, has to run a number of races tonight to deal with the numbers. Over 300 crews applied to take part, and even after stripping out some junior events and devising a programme with races every three minutes, the organisers had to take the unprecedented step of expanding beyond a single day.
Commercial, who have cancelled their regatta on Sunday, have opted not to compete in the senior eight tomorrow, and Trinity’s young crew are also absent.
But there is the promise of some tasty competition.
UCD’s ambitious seniors begin a hectic few weeks when their top eight take on a composite sprinkled with international stars tomorrow morning. Sam Lynch, Eugene Coakley, Tim Harnedy and Con Collis backbone the composite crew which, according to Coakley, is out for “a bit of fun”, but will hardly be a pushover.
The winners will move into a winnable semi-final against UCD’s intermediate crew. In the other semi-final, a strong Neptune eight, featuring Cathal Moynihan, Patrick Moore and stroke Stuart King, take on the form crew of the moment, Queen’s University.
The Belfast crew, winners at Erne head of the river and best Irish performers at the Head of the River in London, have been weakened by illness, but coach Mark Fangen-Hall is bringing a big team and says he is looking forward to his first Irish regatta.
UCD, taking a very different route to Commercial and Trinity, have opted to go hell-for-leather for this weekend, despite the presence of some of their top athletes at the international trials next weekend – and the impending Gannon Cup colours race against Trinity, now fixed for an evening slot on Thursday week, April 16th.
Pursuing a middle course is Neptune’s Martin Walsh. The 23-year-old Oxford student stroked the Isis crew to a fine victory in the reserve Boat Race last Sunday. While he fully intends to be part of Neptune’s senior eight come the National Championships, he competes only in a four tomorrow, with his eyes firmly on the international trials.
Sanita Puspure of Old Collegians and Monika Dukarska from Killorglin will feature in those trials, and could meet in tomorrow’s final of the senior single scull. In her first outing, teenager Dukarska must find her way past Siobhán Jacob.
The Neptune organisers will hope to have better weather than that which assailed Tribesmen’s head last weekend. The event was heavily trimmed because of the fear of disruption due to squalls. This sparked some complaints, and at least one plausible suggestion: where weather disruption is likely, why not have a Plan B which competitors are made aware of. Then, once contacted, they can alter their plans accordingly – rather than go to the venue and wait for a decision.
Good news on the international front comes with the re-advertisement of the post of lead coach for the Ireland under-23 performance programme. The closing date for applications is Easter Monday, April 13th.
