ERBC had a very successful day at the Erne Eights Head of the River on Saturday with 84 crews competing over the 6 km course, the longest Head in Ireland.
14 crews from ERBC took part in the event in absolutely flat calm water conditions.
For the first time since the event started back in 1957 there were 2 races, The Women’s race at 11.00 and the Men’s at 13.30
Trinity Ladies Boat Club were the fastest women’s crew, coming down the course in a time of 22.48.4 with ERBC’s 1st Eight crew of Acorn Cassidy, Laura Turner, Chloe Thompson, Rhea Cartin McCloskey, Clodagh O’Donnell, Rachel Cullinan, Eva Johnston, Kate Huddlestone and cox Jessica Thompson taking the 3rd position overall in a great time of 23.39.8. The girls were 2nd in the Junior Eights category with Castleconnell BC taking the win by only 4 secs.
The girls Junior 15 Eight of Annie Fowler, Sienna Howe, Zara Welsh, Naomi Robinson, Meabh Murphy, Mya Morris, Zara Lindsay, Hannah Armstrong and cox Abbey Wilson had a good win over St Michael’s RC in a time of 26.01.6
The Girls Junior 15 Octo of Molly Rice, Catherine McCaffrey, Katie McBride, Amy Lipscomb, Jessica Kingston, Errie Carty, Andrea Blake, Erin Trimble and cox Hannah Naylor took their category win by 4 minutes over Newry RC, finishing the race in 27.19.9
The girls Junior 14 octo of Isabella Wright, Natalie Turner, Abbey Johnston, Caitlin Kelly, Tori Davis, Brooke Davis, Grace Collins, Abbie McCarthy Magwood and cox Emily Black finished the race in 25.57.5, 15th place overall and took the winning pennant and medals for the category over the other ERBC crew of Chloe Simmons, Sarah Kate Keaney, Amy Williamson, Eva Fowler, Ciara Sreenivasan, Penny Huddlestone, Aimee Turner, Darcy Balfour and cox Summer Armstrong. Many of the rowers in this crew only started rowing this year so this was a fantastic racing experience for them.
In the Men’s race the 1st eight boys, Marcus Davis Kunze, Nathan Kelly, Callum Timoney, Oran Harty, Oliver Khew, George Kernaghan, Kyle Abraham, Jacob Halliday and cox Katelyn Fee had a fantastic race winning the Devenish Cup for Junior Eights by 15 seconds over St Joseph’s RC (The Bish) in a time of 20.44.2, the 7th fastest crew out of 55. The crew from Colaiste Iognaid were 3rd.
University College Dublin Senior Eights were the overall winners of the Men’s Race in a time of 19.34.0, 18 seconds faster than Cork BC who were 2nd.
The Men’s Junior 15 eight, Luke Bailey, Evan Donaghy, Austin Cassidy, Andrew Cuthbertson, Lorcan Sreenivasan, Christian Timoney, Ryan Topping, Harry Coalter and cox Grace Ralph came down the course in a brilliant time of 21.54.7 which was faster than all the crews in the Junior 16 category. St Michael’s RC were 2nd and Neptune RC 3rd
ERBC’s Junior 15 Octo crew of Joshua Ihnat, Cillian Donaghy, Jacob Woods, Harley Sheppard, Jake Sembhi, Brun Maguire Favro, Ethan Downey, Eoghan Campbell and Hannah Naylor took the category over the crews from Castleconnell BC and St Michael’s RC in a time of 23.07.2
In the Men’s Junior 14 Octo category ERBC’s crew of Joel Crean, Oliver Jennings, Shane O’Donnell, Oliver Carty, Paddy Huang, Cameron Bell, Oliver McNeary, Dara McMurray Taylor and cox Summer Armstrong took the win over the other 2 crews, most of whom raced their first Erne Head on Saturday and all rowed their hearts out. This is a very long course and bearing in mind that all crews have to row the 6km up to the start before racing the 6km back this is a huge challenge for 12/13-year-old rowers so well done to every single rower who took part in Erne Eights Head.
To finish off the presentation of prizes the Waterways Ireland trophy for Best overall Junior Club at the event was presented to ERBC by Gail Wilson Taylor from Waterways Ireland.
We would find it impossible to fully express our thanks to everyone who helped make Saturday such a huge success without leaving someone out, you know who you are. From everyone at Enniskillen Royal Boat Club we thank every one of you.
