From the banks of the Erne to the famous Dorney Lake in Buckinghamshire, nothing was beyond the Enniskillen Royal Boat Club Junior 14 girls who delivered gold in the octuple class back in May.
The crew of Natalie Turner, Isabella Wright, Abbey McCarthy Magwood, Darcy Balfour, Grace Collins, Emily Black, Tori Davis, Caitlin Kelly and cox Abbey Wilson beat favourites Surbiton High School from Greater London, pipping them in the final 250 metres to claim the Windrush Trophy, which was a first gold medal at this age group for the club.
Recalling that momentous moment, Isabella Wright said they were in shock at the finish line.
“We were in shock and just pure happiness that we had won. There were some people in tears. We had worked so hard for it, that’s what you work for the entire year, so it’s nice to get what you work for. Every girl in the boat put in the work to be there. It was a special feeling,” said 15-year-old Isabella.
It’s only the fifth gold medal the club has ever won at the National Schools’ Regatta and Wright says they were a proud group of girls to be able to deliver it;
“The club does so much for us, we’re so lucky to have such a good club. Derek (Holland) does so, so much, he gives up so much of his time for us and Gaye (Conway) and all the other coaches. It was a nice fulfilling feeling to know we hadn’t let them down.
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