ROWING:THE REINVENTION of the Irish domestic calendar continues. Tomorrow brings the inaugural national two-blade head of the river, adding a spin to the St Michael's head of the river, which has drawn a huge entry of 573 crews.
The event, at O’Brien’s Bridge in Clare, is the first of three national heads (time trials), and will feature single sculls and pairs tests in a programme which runs from nine o’clock until four. Next month Carrick-on-Shannon will host the national four-blade head (doubles and fours) event, and the eight blade version (eights and quadruple sculls) takes place in Belfast in March.
The national heads lifted off slowly last year, with bad weather not helping, but while the forecast for tomorrow is for cold conditions, the water level is good and organisers say no fog is forecast.
Rowers are chomping at the bit to get some on-the-water action, as evidenced by an entry of 17 men’s eight from junior 15 to senior, where NUIG team up with their old boys’ club, Gráinne Mhaol.
While the National Heads slot into the calendar as laid out at last year’s Rowing Ireland agm, the programme of regattas looks set to be changed to give rowers a more balanced season.
Meanwhile, the open discussion forums continue next weekend with a meeting in Belfast Rowing Club on Saturday. The fourth meeting will be in Munster in March.
Out at sea, the Sara G, with Rob Byrne and Adam Burke on board, has passed half-way on its quest to become the fastest crew to row the Atlantic. The six-man squad are involved in a stirring battle with Hallin Marine. Both boats were on course to beat the record set by La Mondiale two years ago.
Mark Pollock is coming home next week. The Trinity oarsman who inspired so many by tackling challenges after going blind at 22, broke his back and fractured his skull in a fall at Henley Royal Regatta in early July last year and has not regained movement in his legs.
“I’m very much looking forward to getting back to Ireland as soon as possible. It’s been a long seven months,” he told The Irish Times yesterday.
Pollock has being recovering at Stoke Mandeville hospital in England, and will be treated at the National Rehablitation Hospital in Dún Laoghaire. He is in good spirits – as listeners to the Ryan Tubridy Show on RTÉ radio discovered during the week – but he is not sure how much independence he can regain.
“It is a bit uncertain,” he said. “It won’t be until I get home to Dublin that I will find out what PA support I will get. Being blind and paralysed, if I don’t have a carer I won’t be able to leave the house. That’s my big worry at the moment.”
Irish adaptive athletes Karol Doherty and James McCarthy took silver medals at the European Indoor Championships in Paris at the weekend.
Joseph Keating of Paddypower Indoor Rowing Club matched their feat in the competition for over-60 lightweight men.
Doherty and McCarthy are two of the eight rowers who have been named in the Paralympic Ireland panel for 2011. The other six are: Kevin Du Toit, Shane Ryan, Sarah Caffrey, Katie George Dunleavy, Helen Arbuthnot and Karen Cromie.
