Success for local crews at Irish Offshore Rowing Championships
BANTRY rowers picked up silver medals in three of the seven categories on offer at the Irish Offshore Rowing Championships held in Ballygally, Co Antrim.
In the men’s singles category, Bantry’s Andrew Hurley finished second with club-mate Charlie Lavin taking bronze, both behind the winner, Ulster’s Patrick Boomer. Hurley and Lavin then combined to win silver in the double’s category.
In the women’s categories, Castletownshend were the top Cork club. Eimear Walsh and Ella Caillis won silver in the double, and combined with club-mate Gillian Hosford, and Niamh Hayes of Galleyflash, to take silver in the quad
also, finishing behind impressive Killorglin crews in both races.
In the men’s singles race, in addition to the Bantry duo, other West Cork rowers to impress were John Harrington of Galley Flash who, in his second year rowing this category, moved up the leader board to finish fifth, with Brian Whelton of Courtmacsherry in seventh and John O’Meara of Castletownshend finishing tenth.
In the women’s singles, Miriam Sheehan of Castletownbere, another relatively newcomer to the category, finished an impressive third, behind Killorglin and Arklow rowers. Niamh Hayes of Galley was not far behind, finishing fourth, with Laura O’Neill of Kilmacsimon coming in secenth. Miriam Sheehan was also part of the Castletownbere crew that won bronze in the women’s quad category.
In the men’s quad race, reigning champions Myross came in second, finishing just behind a Wicklow crew coxed by Ring’s Margaurite Deasy. The ever-improving Castletownshend finished third with Kilmacsimon fifth, Ring in sixth and Galley in seventh.
In the mixed double category, the Bantry/Galley combination of Andrew Hurley and Niamh Hayes took silver. Placings in these championships determined the rankings for Irish entries to the world championships in Hong Kong in November.
