Bright, breezy and brilliant at Brandon Regatta

DESPITE a stiff breeze and a damp start, the day was fine enough for spectators to enjoy their pints, or whatever was their fancy, on the sea wall outside Murphy’s Pub in Brandon on Sunday.

The last regatta of the season in West Kerry provides great racing as the crews demonstrate the level of fitness achieved through the summer’s training and Sunday was no exception. A tricky breeze conspired to blow the light naomhógs across the top of the water and it took a lot of skill, experience and strength to stay on course.

The ten races on the day went off without a hitch, apart from the wind tossing some of the younger crews off course as they lined up at the start of their race.

The competition was intense in the under-18 race with crews from Maharees, Dingle and Brandon in contention for the top spot. The women’s race was another hard-fought challenge, eventually won by the reigning All-Ireland champions but not without a gargantuan struggle as crews from Camp and a combined Cork/Dingle/Clare were on course to upset their aim to win every race this season. The men’s 4-hand race was won by the All-Ireland winning crew from the Maharees who were pressed hard by the crew from Clare but eventually pulled away to take the victory.

As the day progressed the weather improved much to the relief of the spectators and the crews who could enjoy the prizegiving and a well-earned drink at the end of the day and the season.

Under-18: