Sligo Rowing Club’s athletes ready for Head of the River
SLIGO Rowing Club is holding its annual Head of the River event on the Garavogue River a little earlier this year with the event this Saturday, February 15th, weather permitting.
The club is closely monitoring the weather charts and the progress of Storm Ciara as it blows through the country with the decision to be made on Thursday night on the faith of the Head.
The club is fortunate in that the river itself is sheltered and have the option of running the event over a shorter 2km course on the Hazelwood stretch should the winds prevent access to the lake.
Over one hundred boats will complete a time trial over the full 3.5km metre course. Boat trailers from clubs around the country including Athlone, City of Derry, Belfast BC, Enniskillen, Portora, Carlow, Galway and Offaly RC will all congregate early Saturday morning in Doorly Park where boats will be assembled and rigged before taking to the water at 10:00am for participation in the first head which will leave the start at 11:00am.
All boats after slipping in Doorly Park will gather at the mouth of Lough Gill before setting off in sequential order down the Garavogue River at 30 second intervals.
Numerous boat categories will participate ranging from eights, fours, doubles, pairs and single sculls with all age groups rowing on the day ranging from boys and girls of 14 years of age to men and women at the veteran master grade.
This year will also see 2 skiff boats from Lough Arrow race the course. Boats for the second head will start slipping after lunch at 1:00pm with the head commencing at 2:00pm.
The fastest boat down the course for each specific category will be awarded the winner.
Sligo Rowing Club would like to acknowledge the support and assistance of Sligo Sport & Recreational Partnership, Sligo County Council and the various individuals and clubs including Sligo Sub Aqua Club, Sligo Yacht Club and Sligo Civil Defence who are making their boats available to help marshal the river and without whose assistance the event simply would not be possible.
Sligo Rowing Club will have a number of exciting crews participating on the day, including a very strong up and coming women’s club sweep coxed four of Tara Dunbar, Cora Hackett, Ailish Hackett and Katie McEnroe with Ella Clarke in the coxes’ seat which are out in the first head.
Also out in the first head is Men’s Intermediate single sculler Glenn Patterson and Junior 18 single sculler and Irish High Performance Squad hopeful Brian Colsh, both of whom pair up in the second head in what promises to be a cracking race in the Men’s Intermediate Double.
Also out in the first head are 3 quads for the club, the Men’s Club coxed quad of Naoise Walsh, Sam Purcell, Killian McCarthy and Andrew Waters, the newly formed junior 15 coxed quad of Luke Lohan, Sasha Donoghue, Darragh Colsh and James Muldoon with the strong Junior 16 coxless quad of Isabella Michalopoulou, Orlaith Kavangh Beirne, Rosie Spoorenberg and Alannah Donohue also taking to the water. Also out in the first head is newly formed junior 16 double of Rohan O’Hara Nolan who is partnering the experienced David Murray.
The second head which will have boats slipping at 1pm and leaving the start at 2pm will see the exciting single scullers David Murray back on the water in the Men’s Junior 15 category and Alannah Donohoe in the women’s junior 18 single sculls both of whom won honours at last year’s national championships.
As well as the aforementioned Men’s Intermediate double of Patterson and Colsh who came second from a field of 18 boats at last year’s national championships, 2 ladies quads will take to the water.
A strong junior 18 coxless quad of Diya Ryan, Ava Murray, Rachael O’Connor and Sarah Tighe with the second quad being a new up and coming junior 14 coxed quad of Sarah Walsh, Julie Seery, Marieke Spoorenberg and Ella Clarke.
Sligo Rowing Club is continuing to pursue the growth of the sport in Sligo both at a competitive and leisure level and would encourage people of all ages to come down and view the event and the sport for themselves.
If anyone wishes to try out the sport, they can approach one of the officials on the day or alternatively make contact through the Club’s Facebook page, Sligo Rowing Club, or the newly launched website at www.sligorowingclub.ie .
Food and refreshments will be available at the club on the day with a social event to be held in the Blue Lagoon later that night which promises to be an entertaining night with live music and finger food where past and present members , volunteers, parents and friends associated with the club will congregate.
All are welcome at what promises to be a good night out.