PORTORA Boat Club athletes competed at two national standard events over the weekend as the women went to Athlone whilst the men competed in England.
Portora’s men’s squad travelled to the prestigious British Masters Rowing Championships in Nottingham returning home with gold, silver and bronze medals.
The event raced over 1000m attracted a record 939 crews from 128 clubs, reaching across England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland.
Yet again the most successful competitor from Fermanagh was Enniskillen Royal Boat Club coach, Gerry Murphy.
In the over 65 lightweight singles sculls, Murphy dominated a small entry to win his first Gold medal on Saturday.
Later in the day he teamed up with City of Derry Rowing Club to win a Silver in the over 65 openweight category, just beaten by Norwich.
They also achieved a sixth place in the final of the mixed over 50 quad sculling event.
Simon Crawford and Chris Allen raced well in difficult conditions to finish fourth in the over 50 openweight double sculls. Meanwhile, Barry King and Shane McGovern also had a solid race in their heat in the same category.
On Sunday, Portora’s eight, coxed by Erin Powell, medalled twice in a few hours.
Racing against younger crews in the over 50 openweight category three crews finished within three tenths of a second in the final, Portora winning Bronze behind Kingston and Bath.
Shortly afterwards the same crew achieved a brilliant Gold medal in the over 55 category finishing ahead of Grosvenor Rowing Club, Kingston as well as crew from Monmouth filled with ex-GB rowers.
This is the first time Portora has won an open eight category at the British Masters and a significant achievement for the crew of Chris Allen (stroke), Shane McGovern, Keith Nixon, Simon Crawford, Alan Crooks, Colm McCreesh, Barry King and Gerry Murphy (bow) and cox Erin Powell.
Club chairman Alan Crooks was part of the double medal winning eight, and he was delighted and grateful.
“It’s a proud moment for Portora, many of us have been working towards today’s results for nearly ten years,” he said.
“I would like to thank our Men’s captain Chris Allen, coach Sebastian Peeters and cox Erin Powell for helping to make this all possible.
“Thanks also to family, friends and everyone who supported us all year and at the event itself as well as our host Enniskillen Royal Grammar School.”
On this side of the Irish sea, Portora Women’s crews competed at Athlone Regatta on Saturday, again over 1000m.
The eight stroked by Siobhan O’Hare stepped on from their performance at Portadown finishing third in the over 55 category, ahead of Carlow and just behind Shannon and Tribesmen. A quad led by Marcella O’Reilly and steered by Carmel Dane also finished third.
The Portora Women will be competing in eights and quads at the Rowing Ireland 1K Classic in two weekends, effectively the Irish Championship for Masters Rowers. Last year the women won three Golds.