12 podium finishes for Portora Boat Club at the Irish Rowing Championships in Cork at the weekend was a tremendous haul for the club.

Showing the strength in numbers of girls at the junior 16 level, Portora had two crews in the event. The older, more experienced crew, of Elizabeth Clarke, Alice Beacom, Sophie O'Dolan, Emma Glover, Chloe Finlayson, Sophie O'Hare, Carrie McShea, Orla McConville and cox Zoe Donaldson burst off the blocks and were never headed over the length of the 2000 metre course. By 200 metres in, they had stamped their authority on the race and they cruised across the finish line over thirty seconds ahead of second place. It was a much tighter race for the younger B crew. With just 400 metres to go, they were in 5th place, but with a determined push from the entire eight girls, they surged past Shannon and Shandon crews to secure a well deserved third place finish. Friday also saw the final of the eagerly awaited men's junior 18 eights.

Off the start, the boys came out on top, and maintained a led to the 250 metre mark, but from that point, the older St Joesph's outfit from Galway began to take control of the race. A determined challenge from the Neptune crew, which had beaten them earlier in the year came next for Portora, but they were repelled by the boys. Coming to the finish, they began to up the rate and were closing fast on St Joeseph's, but it wasn't enough to close the gap. Still, by crossing the line in second place, they achieved the best finish for Portora in this category since 1980, and the boys will most certainly be back to challenge for the top spot next year.

Saturday saw the turn of the junior 16 boys to race. With a good mix of rowers and rugby players, the crew came together at the end of the rugby season in March. This crew, who haven't lost a final all year, were going into the race as the targeted favourites. Barney Rix, the stroke, took the crew off to a flying start and they were to lead from the first stroke to the last, leaving their main rivals, St Joeseph's, well in their wake.

The women's junior 18 eight faced a greater challenge in the afternoon. With six of their crew still able to compete at junior 16 level, the engine room was bolstered with the experience and power of Phoebe Mulligan and Dineka Maguire. Last year's winners, Galway Rowing Club, were back to defend their title and had been boosted by making the final at Henley just weeks before.

Off the blocks, Portora came out fighting and Elizabeth Clarke had the race of her life in the stroke seat. But GRC still pulled ahead and the girls were then surprised with an attack from Bann at the 1000 metre mark. After the initial shock of being overtaken, cox Chloe McClean, with a few well chosen words, pushed the girls to come back at Bann and the rowed through them, pulling four seconds clear and leaving them in second place as they finished the race.

Buoyed by the success of the older athletes, the younger rowers put in some very promising performances. In the final of the boys junior 14 quad, over the 1000 metre course, Aaron Johnston, Jonah Carty, Josh Shirley and Connor McLaughlin Borlace and cox Chloe McClean, took the lead from the start and maintained it to the end. Not to be outdone, the girls junior 14 quad of Mia Jane Elliot, Miriam Kelly, Sophie O'Hare, Lucy Mills and cox Chloe McClean also pulled out all the stops to cross the line first.

Portora BC alumni Lloyd Seaman and Henry Millar came back to compete for the Boat Club in the intermediate pair. Having been Irish champions in the pair last year, the pressure was on to perform at the next level. Having spent the year apart, with work and university, this was a combination that only had a few weeks of training together. Despite this, they sailed through the first heat, but came up against a fitter outfit in the finals and were beaten into second place.

The highlight of the Sunday racing was the women's junior 18 pair. In spite of some nerves going into the heat, the girls, Phoebe Mulligan and Dineka Maguire, were to produce an impressive display, leading from the start and taking such a decisive lead, they were able to paddle through the finish. After the easy heat, the girls went into the final a lot more confident. Once again they led from the start and they stayed relaxed and powerful for the entire race. There was a moment of panic for supporters on the banks when a blade got caught in the water, but experience and a quick recovery meant the outcome of the race was never in doubt.

There was some disappointment in the mens junior 18 pair for Ewan Murray and Alistair Crawford will surely be evened out by an Irish vest, as both will be heading across to England to compete at the Home International Regatta in Nottingham.