AND THEY’RE OFF!

SNEEM IS HOST TO A KERRY COASTAL ROWING REGATTA

WITH the All-Ireland Coastal Rowing Championships in Wexford just over a month away, Kerry got itself prepared with one of its own equivalents, hosted by Sneem at the weekend.

A dozen clubs made their way to south Kerry for what was the biggest edition of these events to date, with 18 championships up for decision across a day featuring 24 races.

The stars of the show came from the Workmen club, who took a total of eight races. The under-18 boys, pre-vet ladies, under-18 ladies, veteran men, under-14 girls, under-16 boys, junior ladies, and intermediate ladies titles all went the way of the Killarney club.

It was a day in which competitors took to one-design boats. This is a boat-type Kerry clubs would, traditionally, not be overly familiar with, but one they must get to grips with ahead of the national event, in which it’s the standard. This was the first of two such Kerry coastal championships, with the second taking place in Fenit on the August bank holiday weekend. While Workmen was the dominant club, it was a day of fantastically competitive racing, fitting for the largest regatta of its kind seen in Kerry. Templenoe took three wins, in the master ladies, master mixed and senior men categories. Flesk Valley drew in an equal haul, winning in the pre-vet men, under-14 boys, and junior men races.

Elsewhere, there were two wins for Sneem, in the under-12 girls and veteran ladies competitions. Sive won the under-12 boys race, with Callinafercy taking the under-16 girls equivalent.

“I was delighted with the whole day and all the crews that turned up,” Kerry Coastal Rowing PRO Liane Teahan said. “I’d like to say a huge thank you to Sneem Rowing Club, who did a fantastic job in hosting and deserve great credit.”

Further practice with one-design boats will take place later this month through the Sive regatta at Waterville Lake, with the All-Ireland billed for August 17 through to August 19.

Next up for the clubs of south and mid Kerry is Cromane this Saturday evening, July 14, with the draw for the buoys down for 3.30pm, followed by the first race at 4pm.

The much-anticipated Seine boat race is scheduled for 7pm on what promises to be a terrific evening’s rowing.

The start of the U-14 mixed race at the Rowing County Championships at Sneem.

Roisin O’Shea, Johanna King, Liane Teahan and Theresa Wharton, Cromane. Photos by Michelle Cooper Galvin.

June Cunningham, Tracy O’Connor, Muireann Joy and Caitriona Hayes, Cromane. Photo by Michelle Cooper Galvin.

Senan Murphy, Darragh Sullivan, Padraic Talbot and Rebecca’O Connell, Fossa. Photo by Michelle Cooper Galvin.