Students and teachers battle it out in exciting rowing blitz
A strange year for everyone and especially sport, but the ‘row must go on’ and it certainly did for this year Schools Rowing Blitz. The first ever Indoor Rowing Blitz for secondary schools took place in Sligo last year in October 2019 as part of the Urban Outdoor Adventure Initiative, a Sport Ireland project funded through Dormant Accounts and a collaboration between Sligo Sport and Recreation Partnership and Rowing Ireland through their Get Going Get Rowing Programme. The event was very popular and students eagerly awaited it for 2020 but like many sports events this year it could not take place as a large event, but an exciting new format was developed, The Sligo School Indoor Rowing Staying Local Virtual Blitz.
The format of the event changed from a team event to an individual event for this year due to Covid-19 restrictions. There were categories for every year group from 1st to 6th years with a special category for school teachers and staff to engage in the event. The challenge was to see how many metres people could row in a 5 minute time cap. Competitive rowers who had experience rowing could enter the 2000m for time category, a challenging test of fitness. Schools got behind to help make this happen for their students, 10 schools entered the event with nearly 500 participants.
Brian Colsh, student at Coláiste Muire, member of Sligo Rowing Club and Irish Quartet Silver medallist in the European Rowing Junior Championships 2020 gave his support to the event and wished all those taking part the best of luck. He was taking on the 2000m challenge for this event.
The virtual event took place on the school premises between the 10th and 18th December. The timed rows were overseen onsite in the school by an SSRP Rowing Official who verified all distances completed. All rowers used were the Concept 2 model and these were supplied to any school that did not have their own in advance of the event.
Thomas Coggins (Deputy Principal Corran College) said: “What a fantastic event, it involved all students regardless of their sporting ability, and gave our students a much needed lift in a time in which sport is taking such a hit with Covid-19. The event created a great buzz of excitement.
“Well done to Theresa and all involved in Sligo Sport and Recreation Partnership for creating such a safe event, that involved all schools. We are really looking forward to getting the machines back again sometime in the future.”
Theresa Kilgannon SDO with Sligo Sport and Recreation Partnership added: “This event could not have happened without the support of the schools and the teachers who got on-board to provide this opportunity to their students and helped make the event happen in a safe way. I would especially like to say well done to the 71 teachers who took part in the rowing event, you have set a very good example for the students in your school by getting involved and getting active.”
Sligo Sport and Recreation Partnership is supporting schools to provide physical activity opportunities to all students, especially those who may not be interested in traditional team sports.
The indoor rowing ‘Get Going Get Rowing’ a school based programme and is currently running in Ballinode College, Mercy College and Summerhill College with over 300 students taking part in rowing training in their schools. Sligo Rowing Club are supporting SSRP in the delivery of this programme. The club provides a pathway to rowing on the water for interested students who would like to stay involved in rowing. Rowing Ireland hosts numerous indoor rowing events throughout the year and are currently providing virtual challenges, find out more about rowing at www.rowingireland.ie .
For further information on the Schools Indoor Rowing Programmes contact Theresa Kilgannon at Sligo Sport and Recreation Partnership at theresa@ sligosportandrecreation.ie or phone 086 0716829.