RECORD… Portora girls ready to row at Athlone
Portora travelled to Athlone on Saturday to compete at their last full club regatta before the Irish Championships next month.
With the weather forecast looking great for the day everyone was looking forward to a great day of racing.
The club had their largest ever group of rowers racing with 92 athletes entered across all the categories. The first final of the day saw the Women’s Intermediate 4 of Phoebe Mulligan, Elisha Timoney, Carrie McShea and Orla McConville with Zoe Donaldson coxing win by a 2 length margin over Queen’s University Belfast.
As the day progressed the wins started piling up as Andrew Bell in the J14 1x powered home to victory in one of his first ever races. The Girls J14 team of Dearbhla Dillon and Hannah Sharkey followed up on this with a 4 length victory in the J14 2x.
As the afternoon finals progressed it soon became apparent the club could be on the verge of achieving a clean sweep of wins in all of the Junior 8 categories. The J15 girls and boy’s 8s both won with a comfortable margin over their opposition and the girls J15 2nd 8 came home just behind the first 8 both beating Athlone BC.
In the J16 8s, keen to build on last week’s Ulster Championship success, the Portora boat blasted off the start and built a commanding lead on their opposition. Rowing a controlled race the boys crossed the line 3 lengths clear.
The girls had an equally successful race and after a big challenge from Galway RC in the first 1000m the girls soon broke clear to win by 3 lengths.
The girls J18 4- of Alice Beacom, Emma, Glover, Sophie O’Dolan and Elizabeth Clarke had a great row together in their first 4s race and won by 3 lengths by the line over Commercial and Bann RC. Barney Rix, Tom Mills, Ryan Ballantine and Chris Irvine, with Chloe McClean coxing had the closest race of the day to win by 3 foot over Presentation College Cork.
With the days racing drawing to a close the whole club gathered by the bank to cheer on the boys and girls J18 8s. The Girls 8 who lost by 1 foot last weekend in the Ulster Championships knew they would be in for tough race.
Portora and Bann RC powered away from the rest of the field off the start and Portora established just under a length lead. This margin remained the whole way down the course and the girls crossed the line winning and having turned last week’s result around.
The Boys once again facing Bann RC stepped on throughout the course and won by a 2 length margin by the finish line.
Portora were presented with the best overall club trophy for this record number of wins. The girls first 8 now travel to Women’s Henley Regatta in England to race in a J18 and J16 4 against the best junior competition in the world.
The boys meanwhile will be travelling to Marlow International Regatta at Dorney lake, the home of the London 2012 rowing, to test their speed against some of the top English schools.
To read more.. Subscribe to current edition
Receive quality journalism wherever you are, on any device. Keep up to date from the comfort of your own home with a digital subscription.
Any time | Any place | Anywhere