THE picturesque harbour of Union Hall played host to round two of the Celtic Ross Hotel South West Rowing Championships, delivering a thrilling day of racing under a sky that couldn’t make up its mind, flipping between glorious sunshine and sharp showers.
There were many standout moments, including Dunmanway Rowing Club making a historic first appearance at a South West championship regatta. Their young rowers earned praise across the board, especially their U12 women’s crew that claimed a fantastic fourth place finish in their debut race.
Ballinacurra Rowing Club made the long journey and proved it was well worth the effort. They secured two podium finishes in the U18 boys and intermediate men’s races. Also, Castletownbere Rowing Club put in a strong showing, highlighted by a second place in the U16 women’s event.
Courtmacsherry Rowing Club delivered one of the most consistent all-round performances of the day. Their crews placed in multiple categories, including third in U18 women, second in veteran women, third in senior women, and a victory in the masters women’s race. The highlight came with a defence of their senior men’s title in an exciting race.
Galleyflash Rowing Club demonstrated dominance in the youth categories, defending their U12 women’s title and adding wins in the U14 and U16 women’s races. Their senior women and veteran men also picked up podium spots, confirming their strength across age groups.
Kilmacsimon Rowing Club enjoyed another exceptional outing, with victories in U16 women, intermediate women, U18 men, veteran men, pre-vet men, and senior mixed. They also collected a host of second and third place finishes.
Kilmacabea Rowing Club proved once again to be a force in adult races, with wins in veteran, pre-veteran, and senior women’s events, and a strong victory in masters men. Their consistent top-three finishes across categories were a testament to their experience and club depth.
Myross Rowing Club, competing on home waters, made the most of the occasion. Their U14 crew earned a win after a thrilling finish, while other highlights included a second place in U12 women, second in U18 women, and a victory in the intermediate men’s event. A special moment for the host club saw Myross Rowing Club’s U12 crew make their championship debut on home waters.
Ring Rowing Club continued to build on recent success with second place finishes in both U16 and U18 boys, showing depth in their junior squad and strong performances throughout the day. Also, Rosscarbery Rowing Club secured a well-earned win in U18 women, plus podium finishes in U14 women, intermediate women, senior mixed, and other underage races, capping off a busy and successful day on the water. Bring on round three of the championship in Baltimore on July 13th!
