Enniskillen Royal Boat Club returned to Belfast on Saturday past for Lagan Head of the River in what was the start of the club’s busiest week of the year with three competitions coming within eight days.
As the forecast threatened yet another weekend of racing, the Men’s Junior coxed four cruised to victory in calm and dry conditions. The crew of Nathan Timoney, Aaron Johnston, Ross Corrigan, Conor McLaughlin and coxed by Rory Farragher completed the shorter 2.4km course in 10 minutes and 45 seconds, 24 seconds faster than their closest rivals. Remarkably, they recorded the fastest time of race one despite competing against potentially faster boat categories.
There were five more victories in race one as the Men’s Club double, Junior 18 double and Junior 16 double claimed convincing victories. Meanwhile on the girl’s side, Miriam Kelly and Zoe McCutcheon claimed victory over teammates Caitlynn Fee and Mia-Jayne Elliott by ten seconds in the Girl’s Junior 18 doubles while the Girl’s Junior 18 8 also won. There might have been one more win in race one as the Men’s Junior 16 Quad missed out on victory over rivals Bann Rowing Club by 0.1 second having been forced wide around the final bend.
In race two, the Men’s top boys’ eight was once again first down the course for the club winning the Men’s Intermediate eight and finishing second over all in the process. Coxed by Rory Farragher, the crew finished only six seconds behind a strengthened Queen’s Senior 8 Meanwhile,their female counterparts claimed the fastest woman’s eight of the day. Coxed by Sarah Dolan, the Girls’ Junior 18 eight finished in a time of 17 minutes, two seconds, sixteen seconds quicker than their nearest rivals from Bann Rowing Club. The Girl’s Junior 16 Eight rounded off a successful day for the club beating Coleraine Grammar School by over 20 seconds.
The Boat Club travels to London on Wednesday where they have four eights contesting the School’s Head of the River on the Tideway. Meanwhile those hoping to represent Ireland this summer will travel to Cork for trials on their return.
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