Schools embrace an indoor rowing blitz in Cleveragh
THE annual indoor rowing blitz for secondary schools – an increasingly popular part of the schools sports calendar – took place recently at the Sligo Regional Sports Centre, Cleveragh.
Nine Sligo secondary schools were involved and one from Roscommon. The Sligo participants included Summerhill College, Sligo Grammar School, Mercy College, Ursuline College, Corran College (Ballymote), Ballinode College, Coláiste Muire (Ballymote), Coláiste Iascaigh and Sligo Community Training Centre. Also taking part was Boyle’s Abbey Community College.
The event, which involved approximately 250 rowers, was hosted by Sligo Rowing Club in conjunction with Sligo Sport and Recreation Partnership (SSRP).
There were categories for individual rowers and teams. In the individual sections, rowers had five minutes to clock up as many metres as possible using indoor rowing machines. The teams (consisting of five rowers) had to complete 2,000 metres in the fastest time possible.
The inclusive category saw competitors from Corran College, Summerhill College and Ballinode College, with entries in the individual and team sections.
The winners in each section on the day received a pennant to display in their respective schools. Previous blitz records were broken and several students set new personal bests.
Adding to the atmosphere was MC Daithí O’Reilly, who also managed the background music.
Theresa Kilgannon, Senior Community Sports Development Officer with Sligo Sport and Recreation Partnership, reflected on another successful rowing blitz.
She said: “Indoor rowing is a tough, physical sport – but it is also an extremely inclusive sport which allows students of all abilities and levels to take part.”
Last month’s event was part of the SSRP Urban Outdoor Adventure Initiative, a Sport Ireland project funded through Dormant Accounts. RESULTS
SECONDARY SCHOOLS INDOOR ROWING BLITZ
Held on Monday, December 18, at the Sligo Regional Sports Centre, Cleveragh. INDIVIDUALS
(Maximum distance rowed in five minutes) BOYS U-14 (1ST & 2ND YEARS): 1, Oisin O’Connor (Summerhill College) 1,291 metres; 2, Pauric McSharry (Summerhill College) 1,275 metres; 3, Coláiste Iascaigh, Ryan Harte (Coláiste Iascaigh) 1,236 metres.
GIRLS U-14 (1ST & 2ND YEARS): 1, Claire Walsh (Coláiste Muire) 1,277 metres; 2, Klara Feeney (Mercy College) 1,186 metres; 3, Isobel Sproule (Ursuline College) 1,167 metres.
BOYS U-16 (3RD YEARS & TY): 1, Adam Foley (Sligo Grammar School) 1,471 metres; 2, Gareth McGettrick (Coláiste Muire) 1,373 metres; 3, James Park (Sligo Grammar School) 1,292 metres. GIRLS U-16 (3RD YEARS & TY): 1, Mercy College, Emma Lineen (Mercy College) 1,308 metres; 2, Emma Walsh (Mercy College) 1,290 metres; 3, Rachel Clifford (Mercy College) 1,264 metres. BOYS U-18 (5TH & 6TH YEARS): 1, Thomas Sheridan (Abbey
Community School, Boyle) 1,480 metres; 2, Darragh Colsh (Coláiste Muire) 1,458 metres; 3, Adam Foley (Sligo Grammar School) 1,420 metres.
GIRLS U-18 (5TH & 6TH YEARS): 1, Sarah Walsh (Coláiste Muire) 1,368 metres; 2, Marieke Spoorenberg (Mercy College) 1,236 metres; 3, Ceola McGauran (Mercy College) 1,175 metres.
BOYS INCLUSIVE: 1, Joseph Henry (Corran College) 686 metres.
GIRLS INCLUSIVE: 1, Natasha O’Dowd (Corran College) 895 metres.
TEAMS
(Time taken to row 2,000 metres)
BOYS INCLUSIVE: 1, Summerhill College,
Team ‘A’ 9:09.00.
GIRLS INCLUSIVE: 1, Ballinode College, An Grianán team 15:00.0.
MIXED INCLUSIVE: 1, Corran College, Team ‘H’ 12:36.3.
BOYS U-14: 1, Summerhill College, Rapid Rowers 6:55.9; 2, Ballinode College, Second year boys 7:44.7; 3, Coláiste Iascaigh, Team ‘B’ 7:47.2.
GIRLS U-14: 1, Coláiste Muire, Team Two 7:57.0; 2, Coláiste Muire, Team One 8:16.9; 3, Mercy College, Team Five 8:17.3.
MIXED U-14: 1, Ballinode College, First years 8:13.9; 2, Corran College, Team ‘I’ 8:49.3; 3, Corran College, Team ‘D’ 9:32.8. BOYS U-16: 1, Sligo Grammar School 6:52.6; 2, Coláiste Muire, Team Five 7:33.4; 3, Corran College, Team ‘A’ 7:36.4.
GIRLS U-16: 1, Mercy College, Team One 7:03.7; 2, Mercy College, Team Three
8:08.3; 3, Ursuline College, Team ‘C’ 8:27.1. MIXED U-16: 1, Sligo Grammar School, Team ‘A’ 7:44.1; 2, Coláiste Muire, Team Four 7:51.3; 3, Coláiste Muire, Team Three 8:13.1. BOYS U-18: 1, Sligo Grammar School, Team ‘B’ 6:55.7; 2, Sligo Community Training Centre, Team One 7:39.5.
GIRLS U-18: 1, Mercy College, Team Four 7:28.8; 2, Ursuline College, Team ‘B’ 7:33.2; 3, Mercy College, Team Two 8:02.1.
MIXED U-18: 1, Coláiste Muire, Team Ten 6:43.4; 2, Coláiste Muire, Team Eight 7:42.4.