KEALAN Mannix set the pace in the men’s senior single scull as Skibbereen Rowing Club began their 2026 campaign at the annual Cork Head of the River, held at the Marina in Cork.

BY ELLEN McCARTHY

Calm conditions on the River Lee provided a fair test for the time-trial format, with crews racing from the Port of Cork to Blackrock village.

In the senior ranks, Mannix recorded 14:40 to finish 35 seconds clear of the field in the men's senior single. Finn O’Reilly followed in second place, underlining the current strength of senior men’s sculling within the club. Oran Roycroft placed third in the intermediate single, while Tomás Burchill finished fourth in the club single scull before later combining with David Duggan to take third in the club double scull.

Anna Hendy led the way in the women’s intermediate single, winning in 16:00, with Kelly Oforji second. Moya Knowles and Aoife Hendy crossed the line in 16:32 to place second in the women’s intermediate pair and later topped the field in the intermediate double. In the junior pair, Sarah Coughlan and Mia Maguire finished second, continuing their development as a combination.

The Men’s J18 quad scull crew of Mattias Cogan, Desmond Keane, Sam Wheeler-O’Brien and Ultan Kearney covered the course in 12:50 to take first place, finishing ten seconds ahead of Lee Valley. Cogan and Wheeler-O’Brien also came out on top in the men’s J18 double in 12:51. Ultan Kearney and Bríon Hurley placed sixth in the same event, with Mark Yaskozhuk and Desmond Keane close behind in seventh.

At J15 level, Oscar Ferguson and Peter Grant won the double scull, and later joined Max O’Donovan and Rayyan Danish in the MJ15 quad scull, coxed by Laoise Hamilton, where they again finished first. O’Donovan and Danish had earlier placed tenth in a large J15 double scull field.

In the men’s J16 quad scull, Liam Lupton, Odhran Keane, Olan Ferguson and Evan O’Sullivan, coxed by Max O’Donovan, finished sixth overall, while Kaiden Whooley and Evan O’Sullivan competed in the J16 double scull. The men’s J14 4x+ of Ryan Zebenbegen, Antoni Pylak, Michéal McCarthy and Patrick O’Driscoll, guided by cox Liam Lupton, placed seventh in their opening race of the year.

Skibbereen's Desmond Keane and Mark Yaskozhuk at the annual Cork Head of the River.

In women’s junior events, Nadine Hourihane, Ellen Connolly, Mimi Jacob and Saoirse McDonnell took third in the women’s J18 quad with a time of 15:44. Connolly and Hourihane also raced in the J18 double scull, while Sarah Coughlan and Audrey McCarthy secured second place in that category. Laoise Hamilton and Anna Connolly lined up in the J16 double scull.

The J14 quad of Sophia O’Shea, Naomi Keane, Aisling McDermott and Marina Lupton, coxed by Nadine Hourihane, finished third. In the women’s J15 quad scull, Anna Connolly, Una Waugh-O’Brien, Mae Ryan and Fia Foley, also coxed by Hourihane, placed fifth, while Ryan and Waugh-O’Brien later came tenth in the J15 double. Saoirse O’Donnell, Audrey McCarthy, Mimi Jacob and Mia Maguire finished third in the women’s coxless four.

The women’s J16 coxed quadruple scull crossed the line in fourth place, crewed by Anna Connolly, Fia Foley, Una Waugh-O’Brien and Laoise Hamilton with Liam Lupton coxing.

Among the masters, the masters 4X+ crew placed third featuring Barbara Nugent, Mags Fitzgerald, Barbara Galvin and Elaine O’Flynn. The masters ladies novice 8+, made up of Niamh Connolly, Marie Hourihane, Claire O’Sullivan, Flor Santana, Sabine Cronin, Mairead McCarthy, Norma Hamilton and Karen Connolly and coxed by Mairead O’Shea (reserves Geraldine Barry and Catherine Keane), recorded 15:23 for their outing. Barbara Galvin and Elaine O’Flynn also finished third in the Club 2 2x.

Across senior, junior and masters events, Skibbereen crews featured regularly in the results, marking a steady opening to the new rowing season at the Marina.