SKIBBEREEN Rowing Club returned from the Ghent international regatta with an impressive medal haul and a wealth of racing experience.
A group of athletes from Skibbereen Rowing Club travelled to the Belgian city of Ghent to compete in a long-standing international regatta last weekend.
This annual trip is a familiar one for the club, offering a valuable opportunity for athletes to gain experience against strong European competition. Racing conditions were challenging across the weekend, with persistent headwinds adding to the difficulty of an already competitive schedule.
In Ghent, junior events are raced as time trials, requiring rowers to race not just their direct opponents but also against the clock. Only the top three times in each category earn podium finishes, adding a layer of pressure to every performance.
Skibbereen’s Men’s Junior 15 athletes opened the weekend’s racing. Rayyan Danish and Max O’Donovan put in a solid effort to finish third in their heat of the double scull, followed closely by Peter Grant and Oscar Ferguson who finished second in theirs.
Aoife Hendy and Abigail Fowler, WJ19 2X winners.
All four also raced in the single scull events, with Oscar placing first in his heat.
On Sunday, the same group, joined by Liam Lupton, finished sixth overall in the quad scull.
Odhran Keane and Shane O’Regan also represented Skibbereen in the junior men’s sculling events, competing above their grade in both the double and quad sculls across the weekend.
The pair delivered consistent and determined performances, gaining valuable experience in a challenging field.
The women's Junior 19 8+ won silver.
In the Junior 19 events, Irish junior international Mattias Cogan delivered a standout performance, claiming gold in the single scull with a commanding row on Sunday morning.
Ultan Kearney also performed well, placing sixth in the same event. The two later teamed up to take gold in the double scull, finishing ahead of Lee Valley RC in a time of 7:45 despite the strong headwind.
Sam Wheeler O’Brien added to the medal tally with a silver in the Junior 17 single scull. Wheeler O’Brien later joined Ryan Coakley, Jack Burchill, Olan Ferguson, Brion Hurley, Mark Yaskozhuk, Franek Lechtanski, and Desmond Keane, coxed by Orla Hayes, to claim silver in the Junior 17 coxed eight.
Earlier that day, Ryan, Jack, Mark, and Desmond had already secured a bronze medal in the Junior 17 coxless four. The Men’s Junior 17 quad scull of Jack Burchill, Franek Lechtanski, Ryan Coakley, and Desmond Keane also picked up a bronze medal in a competitive field that included strong crews from Belgium and Portugal.
Ultan Kearney and Mattias Cogan - winners, MJ19 2X.
In the Women’s Junior 15 category, Mae Ryan, Arianna Doolan, Úna Waugh O’Brien, and Labhaoise McCarthy competed across single, double, and quad events. Their best result came in the quad, where they placed fifth overall. A young group of athletes; Laoise Hamilton, Fia Foley, Mia Maguire, Ellen Connolly, and Anna Connolly, also raced across the weekend, gaining valuable experience in a higher grade.
The Junior 19 coxed eight saw Nadine Hourihane, Hazel Deane, Mimi Jacob, Mia Maguire, Sarah Coughlan, Saoirse O' Donnell, Ellen Connolly, and Eve Waugh O’Brien, coxed by Orla Hayes, deliver a composed race to secure silver, finishing ahead of the other Irish entries in the event.
On Sunday, Holly O’Flynn placed fourth in the Junior 17 single scull before joining Nadine Hourihane, Mimi Jacob, and Saoirse O’Donnell for a silver medal in the Junior 17 quad.
Aoife Hendy continued her strong form ahead of the Junior European Championships, winning both gold and silver across the weekend in the Junior 19 single scull.
Abigail Fowler placed a very strong sixth in this event. The two later claimed gold when they teamed up together in the Women’s 19 double scull, finishing 11 seconds ahead of a Dutch crew in second place.
Skibbereen Rowing Club athletes, coaches and parents in Ghent
Also racing in Ghent were Olympians Aoife Casey and Emily Hegarty, representing the University of London, where they are pursuing postgraduate studies.
The pair won the Women’s four on Saturday and took silver in the eight on Sunday. Their presence at the event continues to inspire younger athletes in the club.
Skibbereen Rowing Club ended the weekend with a strong medal haul and a wealth of international racing experience across all age groups. The success of the athletes is a testament to the hard work of many behind the scenes.
A huge thanks is due to travelling team support including TJ Ryan, Mairead O' Shea, Ciara Ferguson, Danielle Wheeler, Claire Grant, Denise Walsh, Bernadette Walsh, Damien Cogan, John Burchill, Ellen McCarthy and Orla Hayes.
The opportunities provided by Skibbereen Rowing club continue to be unparalleled, giving athletes a chance to compete at the highest level and gain valuable international experience.
