The weather looked ominous all week but in fact the conditions were fine on Lough Ree on the River Shannon where the Athlone Regatta was held last Saturday.
Over 80 rowers making up 38 crews and supporters from Enniskillen Royal Boat Club (ERBC) enjoyed 10 wins and 11 second places.
There were early wins for both Boys J16 quads of Ben Cameron, Eoghan Campbell, Bruno Maguire Jamie Dunlop and cox Errie Powell who beat Colaiste Iognaid and Galway Rowing Club while Lorcan Sreenivasan, Andrew Cuthbertson, Charlie Lynn, Jake Sembhi and cox Abbey Wilson held off Carrick Rowing Club, Athlone Boat Club and CRCC.
WJ14 8X+ Eva Fowler, Clodagh Donaghy, Aimee Turner, Penny Huddlestone, Milena Remedios (cox), Leah Topping, Freya McNeary, Madeleine Curran and Flavia Remedios. (Image: ERBC)
Next up in the WJ15 4X+ were the National Schools' Regatta winners of Tori Davis, Emily Black, Brooke Davis, Abbie Magwood and cox Rachael Cathcart who comfortably beat Athlone RC and Carrick RC.
In recent weeks the Boys J16 eight have been improving rapidly in training and they succeeded against a strong field from Methodist College, Blackrock, Lee and Colaiste Iognaid.
Christian Timoney at stroke led the crew of Lorcan Sreenivasan, Cillian Donaghy, Andrew Cuthbertson, Charlie Lynn, Joshua Inhat, Harley Sheppard, Jake Sembhi and cox Abbey Wilson to a fine win.
MJ16 8+ Christian Timoney, Lorcan Sreenivasan, Cillian Donaghy, Andrew Cuthbertson, Abbey Wilson (cox), Charlie Lynn, Joshua Ihnat, Harley Sheppard and Jake Sembhi. (Image: ERBC)
ERBC had three crews in the Girls J14 8+ and all acquitted themselves well but the more experienced unit of Eva Fowler, Clodagh Donaghy, Aimee Turner, Penny Huddlestone, Leah Topping, Freya McNeary, Madeleine Curran, Flavia Remedios and cox Milena Remedios won well against Carlow, Athlone and Colaiste Iognaid.
In a top-class field, the boys J14 quad defeated Coleraine GS, Commercial, Athlone and a Galway crew. Oliver Jennings, James McAleer, Joel Crean, Harry Welsh and cox Abbey Wilson were the members of this crew while The B and C crews were second in their events.
Towards the end of the day, the J15 4X+ of Cillian Donaghy, Joshua Inhat, Matthew Montgomery, Ollie Powell and cox Errie Powell came in ahead of Athlone BC, Commercial, Castleconnell BC and Offaly.
The girls J16 8+ took to the water with high hopes of a victory and were not disappointed as they beat Colaiste Iognaid.
Rachael Cathcart coxed the crew of Tori Davis, Emily Black, Sienna Howe, Hannah Armstrong, Meabh Murphy, Abbie Magwood, Mya Morris and Brooke Davis.
WJ16 8+ Tori Davis, Emily Black, Sienna Howe, Hannah Armstrong, Rachel Cathcart (cox) Meabh Murphy, Abbie McCarthy Magwood, Mya Morris and Brooke Davis. (Image: ERBC)
As the day's racing ended the boys J13 4X+ of Noah Corrigan, George Elliott, Harry McCreery, Finlay Ball and cox Grace Collins crossed the line ahead of Colaiste Iognaid and Athlone.
The only single sculling win of the day came when the skilful Aimee Turner negotiated the 1km course and the opposition from Athlone, Galway and Castleconell BC to win in style.
Next up for ERBC’s Junior rowers is Rowing Ireland’s 1K Classic at Lough Rynn on Saturday, 29th June while both the boys and girls first Eights are racing at Cork Regatta at National Rowing Centre this Sunday ahead of the Irish Rowing Championships from July 12-14.
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