Fintan continues his good form

Local rowers take centre stage at the Skibb regatta

FINTAN McCarthy turned in one of the best performances of the weekend to win the men’s senior single scull at the Skibbereen Regatta at the National Rowing Centre.

In-form Fintan – who in a lightweight double with his twin brother Jake won a bronze medal at the Piediluco regatta last month – got the better of world champion Gary O’Donovan, who is returning after a wrist injury he suffered when training in New Zealand.

It was a good weekend for Skibbereen Rowing Club at their own two-day regatta with plenty of wins across a variety of categories.

It was no surprise to see international rowers to the fore, as Mark O’Donovan and Shane O’Driscoll won the senior men’s pair, and Denise Walsh and Aoife Casey took top spot in the senior women’s double, but the club’s up-and-coming talent also took centre stage.

Finn O’Reilly won the junior men’s single, Oisin Boyle was first in the junior 16 men’s single and Gavin Coakley won the junior 14 men’s single.

There was also success for Skibb’s junior 16 women’s quad of Aleesha Hurley, Sinead Coakley, Aine Barry, Lucy Canon and cox Alicia O’Neill, as all their winter training miles have paid off with a win at the first regatta of the season. 

There was good news too in the junior 14 women’s octuplet. It’s the first time Skibbereen has raced this event and this was the first regatta for a number of the younger athletes, but they performed brilliantly to win. The crew included Niamh O’Donovan, Moya Knowles, Blathin Barry, Jessica Crowley, Caitlyn O’Donovan, Ailise O’Sullivan, Claire Griffin, Louise Murran and cox Aleesha Hurley. 

Skibb’s senior women’s pair of Niamh Casey and Aine McCarthy and the club’s senior women’s quad of Orla Hayes, Lydia Heaphy, Niamh Casey and Aoife Casey were also strong performers last weekend. 

Also, Skibbereen athletes gave strong racing performances in the junior 16 men’s quad sculls, junior 15 and junior 14 women’s quads sculls, junior 14 men’s and women’s single scull and junior women’s doubles, all displaying great potential for the rest of the season.

Skibbereen Rowing Club would like to thank the Celtic Ross Hotel for sponsoring the winner’s prizes for the regatta. 

The club would also like to thank all the volunteers who helped out over the weekend. Running the two-day regatta would not be possible without the dedicated volunteers.