Rowers are made of tough stuff as they excel in Geneva
ARKLOW Rowing Club members recently travelled to Thonon-Les-Bains, France, to compete in the World Coastal Rowing Championships 2017.
The club’s boats travelled by ferry, and road, a 2500km round trip, carefully loaded and towed by Eamonn Kavanagh, who arrived at the beautiful shore of Lake Geneva in preparation for the races ahead.
The weather was sunny, hot, and the lake was calm making for tough rowing conditions in races that would be fast and furious.
As the Arklow crews braced themselves to navigate eight buoys in the first 4km race they worried whether they would be able to hold their own against the best from the larger rowing nations. They got their answer on Lake Geneva, that they most certainly could, as the progressed into the 6km A finals.
Arklow single scullers, Sionna Healy and Johnny Casey made their mark on Lake Geneva, navigating through the heats to qualify for the A Finals.
In the A finals they raced against the top 20 boats in the world, and are now ranked 15 th and 18th in the world respectively.
Single scullers, Alan Goodison, Jeanne O’Gorman,and Vanessa Annesley all progressed to the B Finals. Alan placed 6th, Jeanne 8th, and Vanessa 10th.
The other category in which Arklow excelled was in the Ladies Double Sculls. Rachel Ireson and Mary Anne Kent finished 2nd in the B final, with Mary Goodison and Xena Jordan taking 7 th position.Twins Jamie and Chris Yeomans narrowly missed out on the B Finals by just seconds.
In fact, they were in the fastest heat and their time would have gotten them through easily had they been in any of the other heats.
The Arklow Doubles Crews were assembled very recently and had only weeks to train together following the end of our domestic fixed seat skiff rowing season. With more time in the sliding seat coastal sculling boats, who knows what they will achieve in the future.
Pride of place overall from an Irish point of view went to Kerry, Monika Dukarska from Killorglin Club. In the Ladies Singles she came in 2nd place in the A final to take home Silver.
The rowers would like to thank their coaches, Cormac Kelly (manager), Eamonn Kavanagh, and Steve Casey, their safety crew, Peter Kavanagh and Michael Williams, and their supporters who would have won a medal for being the loudest if there was one to be had.
This was a fantastic event and the club is proud of all the athletes who represented the club and country.
If you are interested in giving rowing a try, please drop into the clubhouse on the Dock Road, beside The Arklow Scout Hall, any Sunday morning at 9.30 a.m.