Once again, crews from Portora Boat Club are setting off to Cork to demonstrate their talents at the Irish Rowing Championships, which are taking place this weekend.

Undoubtedly the rowers from Fermanagh will be hoping to repeat the successes notched up last year, when Portora’s Junior 18 eight became Irish Champions for the first time since 1980 after triumphing at the annual Championships.

The Men’s Junior 18 eight is always the most fiercely contested event at the championships, and the Portora crew’s accomplishment was a highlight of a hugely successful weekend for Portora Boat Club. All in all, last year, the club amassed a collection of medals, the result of many hours of dedication - which the rowers have again put in. Already, it has been an exciting period for oarsmen and women from Portora, who in recent weeks have returned from racing on the River Thames. Portora Boat Club Women’s 1st 8 travelled to Henley Women’s Regatta to compete in the Junior 18 8, the Peabody Cup.

Then it was the turn of oarsmen from the club, who competed at the recent Henley Royal Regatta in The Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup for Junior Men’s 8s.

In fact, Henley Royal was being used as preparation for the upcoming Irish Championships in Cork, where Portora’s focus will be very much on retaining the Irish Junior Eights Championship of Ireland which they won last year.

A large entry has been attracted to the 2015 Irish Rowing Championships, which are taking place at the National Rowing Centre, Farran Wood, Cork, from tomorrow, Friday, July 10 to Sunday, July 12.