It took just eight seconds for Limerick Boat Club to become famous. The spectacular viral video of the roof of the boat house peeling off and flying away in high winds was not what the rowing club wanted, but at least no one was injured.
In fact just a single boat, a new coxless four, was crushed by falling roof trusses, Dermot Moloney, the president of the club told The Irish Times yesterday.
“There are two buildings, the boat house and the clubhouse. The clubhouse is fine, with no real effect from the storm, but as people saw on the YouTube clip, the whole roof of the boathouse was lifted in seconds once the wind got in under it. (The wind) lifted everything up and into the layby. Funnily enough, all but one of the boats seems to be alright.”
The National Rowing Centre at Farran Wood in Cork was also battered by winds. Three of the four floating slips were ripped away by huge waves and will have to be reattached. The main damage was to the craft used by the coaches. The four aluminium launches were sunk and one is destroyed and one badly damaged; three catamarans were also sunk and may not be repairable.
Still go ahead
Remarkably, the Cork Head of the River, which is set for tomorrow at the Marina, might still go ahead. According to Susan Dunlea, the honorary secretary of the organising committee, those taking part will be informed off any change in arrangements this morning.
If the Cork head goes ahead it will stand alone as the very first competition of the year – one by one all the other scheduled heads have been called off. Belfast Boat Club have cancelled the Lagan Head, which was also scheduled for tomorrow.
Irishman Jonathan Doyle defends his world title at the World Indoor Rowing Championships in Boston this weekend. The Dubliner, who is the reigning world champion in the lightweight 40 to 49 class, competes by virtue of a special invitation by the organisers, who paid for his flight and reigstration.
Among the entry is fellow Irishman Kenny McDonald, who Doyle expects to launch a big challenge.
