Neptune cruised to an entirely predictable, if too-easy victory in the senior one eights at Queen's University regatta at Castlewellan on Saturday. The Dublin club, which put out a crew with only one change from that which won the Trinity regatta last weekend - Gary O'Neill came in for Albert Maher - had to see off only one other crew, a below-strength Trinity, and duly did this.
Trinity's eyes will be firmly on next weekend's Gannon Cup colours race against UCD. Their senior eight is having a hectic and so-far disappointing season - although the decision effectively to rest this crew and concentrate on the smaller boats on Saturday did yield dividends: Andrew Coleman, William Gilbert, Kevin Boyle and Tom Bruxner powered home their coxed four to a good win.
The Neptune lightweight four are relishing the prospect of taking on the English heavyweight four of Redgrave et al in the Cologne regatta next weekend, and to sharpen up they took on the top quadruple sculls on Saturday, coming home first, although their was no prize in it for them. The Neptune/UCD quad, which is set to represent Ireland at the World Cup regatta in Hazewinkel, Belgium, next month, won the "real" race.
Queen's University Regatta (At Castlewellan, Saturday)
Men, Eight: Senior One - 1 Neptune, 2 Trinity, 2l; Senior Three - 1 Trinity A, 2 Trinity B, 3 Methody 2l, 1/4l; Novice - 1 Neptune, 2 University of Limerick; Junior 16 - 1 Methody, 2 CAI, 3 RBAI, 2l, 1l; Junior 15 - 1 RBAI, 2 Methody, 3 Methody 4l.
Four (coxed): Senior One - 1 Trinity A, 2 Trinity B, 3 Queen's, 2l, easily; Novice - 1 Commercial, 2 Neptune, 3 Trinity; Junior 16 - 1 Methody, 2 CAI. Pair, Senior One - 1 Neptune A, 2 Neptune B; Senior Three - 1 Trinity, 2 Trinity.
Sculling, Quad, Senior One - 1 Neptune/ UCD, 2 Trinity, 3 BRC/Queen's/LVBC 3l, 3l; Junior 18 - 1 Portora, 2 RBAI. Double, Senior One - 1 LVBC/Commercial, 2 Neptune, 3 Offaly, 2ft. Senior Three - 1 Trinity, 2 Carlow, 3 Methody. Single, Senior One - 1 J Armstrong (LVBC), 2 P Hussey (Offaly), 3 J Lyndsay-Finn (Commercial) 1/2l, 11/2l, canvas; Senior Three - 1 O'Brien (Carlow), 2 Archibald (Queen's), 3 Marron (LVBC); Novice - 1 P Savage (BRC), 2 R Archibald (Queen's); Junior 18 - 1 F Rice (Methody), 2 Portora, 3 Neptune, easily, easily. Women, Eight: Senior One - 1 Queen's, 2 Carlow 1/4l; Senior Three - 1 Trinity, 2 Queen's 2l; Novice - 1 Trinity, 2 Enniskillen; Junior - 1 Carlow, 2 Methody.
Four: Senior One - 1 Trinity, 2 Kings Hospital; Senior Three - 1 Queen's, 2 Trinity, 3 Queen's; Novice - 1 Trinity, 2 BRC, 3 Queen's; Junior 18 - 1 Carlow, 2 Methody; Junior 16 - 1 Carlow, 2 Commercial. Pair: Senior One - 1 Methody, 2 Kings Hospital, easily; Junior 18 - 1 Kings Hospital, 2 Kings Hospital.
Sculling, Quad: Junior 15 - 1 Portadown, 2 Methody. Single, Senior Three - 1 Donovan (Trinity), 2 Spencer (Kings Hospital); Novice - 1 Trinity, 2 Commercial; Junior 16 - 1 Commercial, 2 Commercial.
