Portora Boat Club strengthened their position as the top junior club in Irish rowing following a weekend laden with success at Irish Rowing Championship in Cork at the weekend.

The Portora rowers won eight titles in all with some remarkable wins over the three days of competitive action at the National Rowing Centre.

It was their best ever medal haul surpassing even last year’s golden weekend.

Indeed, coach Derek Holland praised the rowers for their performances throughout the season and especially over the week declaring that Portora were the best “junior club in Ireland”.

He thanked all the rowers for sticking to the task at hand all year and getting their rewards in spectacular fashion at the weekend. He also explained that the season was not over for Portora rowers as 13 oarsmen and oarswomen would be proceeding to represent Ireland at international level at various events in the coming weeks. He also thanked his team of coaches without whom this success would not have been possible.

Portora started the championships on the opening day in great style not least when the Men’s J18 8 retained their Irish title in superb style.

This crew had put in a brilliant performace at Henley Royal regatta 10 days previously but knew they still had to put together the perfect race to beat St Joseph’s, Galway. The crew blasted out to a quick start and the commentary said Portora were pushing to win the race early. St Joseph’s wouldn’t let them go and were determined to overturn their year of defeats to this Portora crew. James Foster, stroke of the crew, lifted the rate several times coming through the last 1,000m and by the last quarter of the race had given the crew a one length advantage.

The Galway crew kept pushing but Portora held them and crossed the line with their 1 length win to retain the Irish J18 8 Championship. The crew was made up of James Foster, Ryan Ballantine, Barney Rix, Aaron Johnston, Sam Armstrong, Josh Kennedy, Connor Keys, Ryan Ballantine and coxed by Rory Farragher.

Indeed, that was the start of a remarkable weekend for the J18 boys and in particular rowers Ryan Ballantine and Sam Armstrong.

After winning the J18 8, the J18 4 was was in action early on Saturday.

The J18 4 comprised James Foster, Aaron Johnston, Sam Armstong and Ryan Ballantine who went on to have probably the most talked about race of the championships. The boys were in a battle between St Joseph’s, Galway lost the lead coming into the last 500m. This crew were hard as nails and gritted their teeth and pushed on, lifting the rate and sprinting for the line. The finish line hooter went straight after each other and the coaches and supporters waited nervously for the photo finish to be announced. Portora had won it, by 0.13 of a second and took the lead on what must have been the last stroke of the race.

On Sunday, Ballantine and Armstrong paired up and produced a superb win to win their semi-final and final in the Men’s J18 2. A fantastic sprint to the line to row through St Joseph’s Galway earned this duo their win and their thrid gold medal in three days as they completed the treble ( 8, 4 and 2-) to Portora.

Moreover, Ballantine, who also celebrated his 18th birthday on the Saturday of the championships, and Armstrong became only the second boys and first in 10 years to have secured such an achievement and it reflected very much the whole weekend for Portora.

There was plenty of success elswehere not least the Women’s J18 8 who put the disappointment of the runners-up spot over the last two years behind them to carry all before them.

After a strong performance in Women’s Henley to make the semi finals, the crew of Mia-Jayne Elliott, Alice Beacom, Elizabeth Clarke, Emma Glover, Lydia Mulligan, Sophie O’Dolan, Carrie McShea, Orla McConville and Chloe McClean, were confident of winning the championship. Over the past few years there has been some fantastic racing between Portora and Bann Rowing Club, Coleraine in this WJ18 8 category and the girls knew this was going to be a fight to the line. Bann led the race coming through the first 750m but the commentator kept calling that Portora were launching push after push to reel in the opposition. Coming through the 1,000m meters the crews were level and Portora were moving. By the finish line Portora had opened up a one length lead and had become Women’s J18 8 Champions of Ireland.

Not satisfied with that, the girls were back in action in the Club 8 and produced two superb efforts racing much changed competition in universities and clubs from around Ireland. After a very comfortable semi final they broke clear of the opposition at halfway in their final and crossed the finish over a length in front of Commercial, Dublin and Trinity College Dublin for their second gold of the championships.

Not to be out done, the Women’s J16 8 also won gold. This category had been a battle all year between Portora and Commercial with both crews winning several races throughout the year. Portora brought in the experience of J16 Mia-Jayne Elliott who has been in the Women’s 1st 8 all year and she led her crew of Miriam Kelly, Sophie Sherlock, Zoe McCutcheon, Aine McCreesh, Caityln Fee, Caoimhe McCaffrey, Jessica Long and Sarah Dolan to victory by a length over Commercial Boat Club, Dublin.

However, a grand slam of the 8 titles could not be achieved as the Men’s J16 8 were pipped into second place. They had a tough race against a strong crew from Galway and finished in silver medal position. The crew, much changed from last year’s boat, while disappointed, knew this was a decent performance and will give the returning J16s great determination to win back the championship next year.

One of the earliest wins of the weekend was the J14 quad sculls. The young Portora crew was made up of Odhran Donaghy, Robbie Mills, Andrew Bell, Sam Balcombe and Rebecca Conway steering. After a great start the crew stamped their authority on the final over the shortened 1,000m course which J14 and J15 rowers compete over. Crossing the line several lengths ahead was a great achievement against many southern clubs who focus solely on sculling while Portora would be more know for their achievements in sweep rowing categories.

Gerry Murphy finished off Portora’s winning streak with yet another fine victory in the Men’s Master 1x. Gerry knew he was going well after a silver medal at the British Master’s Championship and proved once again he is the man to beat in Irish masters rowing!

There were also runners up positions for the women’s J18 2- taking a silver medal in their event and the Girls’ J14 4+.

Jordan Wilson, an Old Portoran who started rowing at Queen’s this year has had a great introduction to the sport by winning a gold at the British Universities Championships and also the Novice 8 Championship of Ireland last weekend.

All in all, this was Portora Boat Clubs most successful Irish Championships ever with the club taking home five Championship event wins, three non Championship wins and several silver medals.