Ring women shine in Bantry

Castletownshend impress in single, double and quad

RING’S star is on the rise in offshore rowing and they won both the women’s quad and the women’s U18 quad races at the regatta in picturesque Bantry Bay. 

Their men were also the top West Cork crew in the U18 quad race, coming in second behind an impressive Kenmare quartet while their senior men’s quad crew finished third. Courtmac senior men’s quad was back in top form, winning gold, their ladies quad finished second while their U18 men’s quad finished third in that category.

One of the talking points of this regatta was Castletownshend emerging as a force in offshore rowing. Their men’s quad crew finished an impressive second, as did Eimear Walsh and Sarah O’Mahony in the women’s double, while Justin Ryan, in his first offshore regatta in the singles, finished third.  Andrew Hurley of Bantry rowing club won that men’s singles race with Barry Hooper of Galley Flash a close second.  Bantry’s other podium finishes at the regatta came in the women’s singles where Marie Piggott finished an impressive second and in the women’s quad category where the Bantry crew finished third.

The men’s doubles category was won by Arklow with Myross second with a composite crew of Courtmacsherry’s Joe O’Leary and Kilmacsimon’s David Duggan finishing third.

This regatta provided an indication of current form as crews count down to the Irish Open Offshore Championships in O’Carrolls Cove, Caherdaniel on September 8th and 9th. Placings in the Irish Open will determine the qualifiers for the World Championships in Canada in October.