ROWINGTHERE ARE just eight days to go to the first stage of the national trialling process, but the Skibbereen Head of the River will still draw close to 400 rowers to the National Rowing Centre in Cork tomorrow.
The organisers have gone down the unusual route of having six separate “heads” (time trials), and a rolling head as well. Dominic Casey of Skibbereen said yesterday it should make for more boat usage.
The number of young competitors is noteworthy: in the men’s junior 16 single scull there are 30 entries, while there are 23 in the equivalent junior 16 women’s class. The senior athletes in the squad system are keeping their powder dry for the national assessment in Newry next weekend, but the single sculls events may be competitive tomorrow.
In the men’s single, outstanding Skibbereen junior Paul O’Donovan can test himself against the likes of John Keohane from Lee Valley. The women’s single could be more open, with Monika Dukarska, Orla Hayes and Helen Walshe among those involved.
Ireland’s high performance director Martin McElroy was at the NRC yesterday, but the competitive season effectively begins for him in Newry tomorrow week with an ergometer test which will yield contestants for a time trial on Newry canal on the Sunday.
McElroy confirmed yesterday he expects to send athletes to the Olympic Qualifier in Lucerne in May. The focus is now likely to be on the women’s double and lightweight double and the men’s lightweight double.
The World University Championships in September will also be a priority, with the aim of bringing along new rowers; the dearth of competitive heavyweight men may continue to be a problem.
The junior ranks continue to look promising. O’Donovan will be targeting the World Championships after his fourth-place finish last year and Chris Black and Joel Cassells of Bann will hope to compete in the pair. They were part of a very fast four at Bann’s head of the river last weekend.
The Run4Mark in The Dark on Wednesday night was a stunning success.
In Dublin alone, 1,700 turned out, with beauty and the beast – Rosanna Davison and Keith Wood – a dragon (Bobby Kerr) and a Minister (Leo Varadkar) among the participants, according to the organisers.
Belfast had 625 registered participants, with Cork (510) and Galway (253) also strong in their support for adventurer Mark Pollock, who broke his back last year.
Big numbers also took to the road around the country, with an estimated 200 taking part in Kilkenny. Runners from Canada to London to Singapore also took part. The organisers said yesterday the funds raised might make it to six figures.
“I want to thank everyone involved,” said Pollock yesterday. “We were overwhelmed by the support in all the locations.”
He said he was very pleased that all four provinces took part and that so many people who didn’t run helped instead with the marshalling.
