Eleven Enniskillen rowers made the trip down to Limerick to compete in the Irish Indoor Rowing competition last weekend.
In this event, up to 60 rowers can compete on rowing machines at the same time with their times and positions displayed on large screens.
It is an extremely competitive environment with rowers from all over Ireland racing, including some Irish Olympic hopefuls.
The day got off to a good start with Isabella Wright and Emily Black winning gold and bronze in the girls under 15 five-minute race (greatest distance covered in that time) with Tori Davis taking seventh place and her twin Brooke Davis taking 13th.
In the boys under 15 five-minute race, Joshua Ihnat took gold with Cillian Donaghy taking bronze. Matthew Montgomery took ninth and Ollie Powell 10th.
In the under 18 2k race, Acorn Cassidy delivered a stunning race, not only winning gold but also setting a new Irish record of 6.53.7 minutes.
Not to be outdone, Joshua Ihnat won gold in the under-15 500m race with Cillian Donaghy in fifth.
In the girls under-15 500m event, Isabella Wright claimed a second gold with Emily Black in 10th, Brooke Davis in 11th and Tori Davis in 20th place.
Cassidy then set another Irish record of 1.31.6 minutes in the under 18 500m event claiming another gold in the process.
The relay team of Isabella Wright, Tori Davis, Brooke Davis, and Emily Black took silver in the under 15 2000m relay event just missing out to Fermoy, with the boy’s team of Oliver Jennings, Joel Crean, Matthew Montgomery, and Ollie Powell claiming bronze behind St. Joseph’s and Tullaghan Bay.
Oliver Jennings and Joel Crean competed in their first indoor championships and also put in great performances in the Under 14 four-minutes and the under 14 500 metre races.
To complete the day, the Enniskillen coaches Sonja Cassidy (500m) and Gerry Murphy (2000m) took gold and silver respectively in their age categories.
February is a busy month for the rowers who will be competing at Lagan (Belfast), Sligo and Lagan again before turning attention to their home event, the Erne Eights Head of the River on March 2nd.
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