Enniskillen Royal Boat Club had 64 rowers compete in 16 crews at National Schools’ Regatta at Eton Dorney last weekend.

They raced against the top rowing schools in the UK over three days and came back to Enniskillen with the Anna Fangen Cup for the Girls 16 Coxed Fours, silver medals for the boys first eights in Non Champs eights and bronze medals for Sam Balcombe and Peter Murphy in the Championship Coxless pairs. The crews reached four A Finals and five B finals which was a record for the Club.

Friday saw the younger rowers compete with two of the crews reaching the B Finals, the girls J14 octuple Laura Turner, Rachel Cullinan, Zoe Elliott, Scarlett Keys, Kirsty Wood, Alexandra Kerr, Chloe Thompson, Caitlin Madigan and cox Grace Ralph and the girls J15 G4X+ crew of Martha McBrien, Caragh Leonard, Katie Donnelly, Katie Corrigan and Cox Grace Ralph.

On Saturday the J16 G 4+ crew of Abby Corry, Caragh Leonard, Jenny Little, Nikki Kernaghan and cox Sarah Dolan won their Time Trial and their semi final to reach the A Final which they won in a time of 7.30.98, four and a half seconds ahead of their rivals St Edward’s School Rowing Club, and recorded a new course record at National Schools Regatta.

Abby Corry, Caragh Leonard, Jenny Little and Nikki Kernaghan were then presented with the Anna Fangen Cup, the second time in three years that this was lifted by ERBC cox Sarah Dolan

The boys 1st eight flew through their Time Trial and semi final, leaving all the other crews in their wake, securing a place in the A Final, the first time this has been achieved by a crew from Ireland. The crew of Jack McDade, Jack Kennedy, Nathan Timoney, Peter Murphy, Sam Balcombe, Michael Stewart, Odhran Donaghy, Rory Gamble and cox Rory Farragher had a great race but were beaten into second place by a faster Monmouth School Rowing Club by two seconds.

Zoe McCutcheon and Maeve Donnelly made the B Final and finished third. They will have another year at this event.

The boys J15 8+ crew of Lewis Nixon, Charlie Smith, Tim Murphy, Luke Paton, David Trotter, Joshua Martin, Brett McLean and cox Frankie Rehill made the B final and had a very exciting race but were beaten on the line by the crew from Royal Shewsbury School Boat Club by only one second.

The girls J16 8+ crew of Niamh Campbell, Aine McCaffrey, Angel Huang, Enya Stewart, Abigail Linton, Katie Corrigan, Katie Donnelly, Martha McBrien and Cox Georgia Maxwell also made their B Final which was won by King’s School Chester Rowing Club. There is lots to look forward to with these young crews.

Sam Balcombe and Peter Murphy won bronze medals in the Coxless pairs on Sunday and were absolutely delighted.

The crew of Jack McDade, Jack Kennedy, Nathan Timoney and Odhran Donaghy just missed out on medals in the Coxless Fours finishing fourth in the A Final after winning both their Time Trial and semi final in very impressive style.

The girls Championship Quadruple Sculls crew of Zoe McCutcheon, Maeve Donnelly, Victoria Wilson and Trudie McComb were unlucky not to reach their semi final after their Time Trial but gained valuable race experience over the weekend at National Schools Regatta

Enniskillen Royal Boat Club finished 15th on the medal table, a remarkable achievement for the rowers and coaches of the Club. It is back to training this week as the Irish Championships are now only six weeks away. The girls 1st eight heads to Women’s Henley Regatta on June 21 with two crews heading to Royal Henley Regatta at the beginning of July. Next up is Athlone Regatta on June 15.