ROWING
FERMANAGH crews excelled at the recent Lagan Head of the River event in Belfast, with teams from Enniskillen Royal Boat Club and Portora Boat Club achieving top success.
The girls J16 octo of Sophia Latimer, Catalina Starrett, Heidi Bogle, Sophie Collum, Hannah Keaney, Maya Kettyle, Martha McCreesh, Casey-Lee Leonard with cox Leah Topping won their event and they were also the fastest girl’s junior boat in the first race.
The boys J16 octo of Mason Maxwell, Dara Mangan, Albie Cluff, Jack Cuthbertson, Jonjo McLeer, Ethan McCaffrey, Tommy Shao Xuan Chen, Anton Neal and cox Finlay Bell won the boys’ event.
The afternoon race was for smaller boat crews and there were successes for the boys coxed J14 quad of Josh Allen, Oliver Collins, Levi Thompson, Eli Irvine with Freya McNeary beating Bann by 57 seconds.
The boys J15 double of Benjamin Johnston and Ethan Vance beat their colleagues in the B crew, and the girls J15 double of Oliwia Muras and Holly Shaw beating Queens and City of Derry crews.
There was also a category win for Maeve Rolston-McAuliffe, Kaitlyn Read, Beth Bradley, Michaela Ihnat and cox Leah Topping in the J14 coxed quad as well as winning the fastest junior girls’ pennant.
The rowers now have a two-week break from competition and will be training hard for the Head of the Shannon hosted by Carrick Rowing Club on the Lough Rinn course at Mohill on December 6.
Meanwhile, in the morning time trial of 4200m, the Portora Women’s over 55 Masters crew raced from the Abercorn Basin to Queens University Boat Club.
The crew was surprisingly racing without any opposition and completed the course in 21mins 21sec.
In the afternoon, the race began at the Albert Bridge.
Over 2700 metres, Simon Crawford and Chris Allen won the Masters over 50s double sculls beating Lagan and Lady Victoria Boat Club in a time of 13 minutes and 14 seconds.
Their time won the pennant for fastest men’s Masters crew.
The women’s over 55 coxed quad were equally impressive beating Belfast Rowing Club in 14 minutes 53 seconds, their time also won the pennant for fastest women’s Masters crew.
Outgoing Women’s Captain, Cheryl Ballantine, was delighted with the success in Belfast.
“It’s always tough to race in Belfast. We had so many bridges to avoid and it’s a tight windy course, for our women and men to come home with wins is a great achievement.,” she said.
“We would like to thank Belfast Rowing Club and all the local volunteers for making us feel so welcome and keeping us safe.”
The final race for Portora in 2025 will be in early December at Lough Rynn near Carrick-on-Shannon.
