ERBC had the most fantastic weekend at the Irish Rowing Championships at National Rowing Centre in Cork winning both the Men’s and the Women’s Senior Eights along with the Men’s Junior 16 Eights and bronze medals in both the Women’s Coxless Fours and the Men’s Coxed Four. This is the 3rd time that ERBC have won both the coveted Junior Eights, the last time it was achieved was back in 2017. Only one other club, Conmercial RC have managed this and that was in 2007.
The boys’ Junior 18 eights event saw our boys competing against Neptune, Shannon, St Ignatius College, Castleconnell, and St Joseph’s Galway in the final. Neptune RC from Dublin came in second place, over a length behind. The crew consisted of Abbey Wilson (cox), Evan Donaghy, Ryan Topping, Luke Bailey, Austin Cassidy, Andrew Cuthbertson, Christian Timoney, Lorcan Sreeivasan, and William Bogle.
Just before this final, the boys’ Junior 16 crew won against Galway, Blackrock, Cork, St Joseph’s, and Skibbereen. ERBC was over one length ahead of St Joseph’s. Evan Clarke, who has only been in the stroke position since the Banyoles training camp back in March. The victorious crew included Rachel Cathcart (cox), Evan Clarke, Cillian Donaghy, Andries Ferreira, Oliver Jennings, Joshua Ihnat, James McAleer, Matthew Montgomery, and Joel Crean.
On Sunday, the girls’ Junior 18 crew lined up against St Michael’s Limerick, Castleconnell, Shandon (Cork), Galway, and ERBC’s second crew in the final with Kate Huddlestone stroking her crew to a dominant six-second victory over Castleconnell. For a Club to have 2 junior eights in a final is a remarkable achievement. Chloe Thompson has really stepped up impressively to the top level and she was delighted with this Irish title. Having her sister Jessica as cox of the crew made this even more special. The winning crew was Jessica Thompson (cox), Kate Huddlestone, Isabella Wright, Naomi Robinson, Rhea Cartin-McCloskey, Zara Welsh, Emily Black, Ruby Hamill, and Eva Johnston.
To finish off the weekend’s racing Olympians Nathan Timoney and Ross Corrigan joined 6 of our Juniors and cox Abbey Wilson to row in the Men’s Senior Eights which was a very special occasion for everyone at ERBC.
This victory brought the club to 50 championship wins since records began in 1912. There were other notable performances, including the girls’ Junior 16 eight, who rowed well but found the strong wind challenging. The boys Junior 16 quad did brilliantly to qualify for the final on Friday and they should be very proud of this achievement.
As the club season ends, we now look forward to the International races, with 7 rowers from ERBC competing.
