It was a first class Erne Head of the River for Enniskillen Royal Boat Club as they secured five wins and a number of top class rows to take the Overall Junior Club award on home waters.

On a fantastic day’s rowing in superb conditions the racing was of the highest order as crews really returned to competitive action for the 2022 season.

94 crews started the race, a healthy reflection for the sport not only in this county but throughout Ireland.

ERBC’s Junior Men’s Eights led the way with a fantatsic row to complete the challenging 6km course in 19 minutes 43.5 seconds, nine seconds clear of Irish Champions St Joseph’s with their time the fifth fastest overall on the day with Castleconnell BC taking third.

The win will set the crew of Tom Blake, Marcus Davis-Kunze, Oran Harty, Callum Timoney, Nathan Kelly, Charlie Smith, Conor Richardson,

Luke Paton and cox Frankie Reihill up nicely for the Schools Head of the River in London this coming weekend.

The same can be said for the ERBC Junior Women’s Eights who won the Sir Anthony Hart trophy, which was presented by Lady Mary Hart, in a time of 22 minutes 39.1 seconds.

The crew of Aine McCaffrey, Laura Turner, Acorn Cassidy, Chloe Thompson, Rhea Cartin- McCloskey, Cristiona McCaffrey, Niamh Campbell, Rachel Cullinan and cox Grace Ralph finished well clear of St Michael’s RC A with Colaiste Iognaid in third.

There was also a win for the Club 1 4+ Lewis Nixon, John and Joseph O’Kane, Kyle Abraham and cox Kerry Blake in a time of 22 minutes 49.2 seconds with Queen’s Boat Club in second.

ERBC also won the J16 4X+ category following a good row from Andrew Cuthbertson, Hugo McChesney, Christian Timoney, Ryan Topping and cox Conor Taylor.

The ERBC roll of honour was completed by the Men’s J15 8X+ of George Kernaghan, Lorcan Sreenivasan, Ethan Downey, Harry Coalter, Charlie Lynn, Luke Bailey, Justin Smith, Eoghan Campbell and cox Daniel Montgomery who completed the course in 23 minutes 16.5 seconds to edge out Colaiste Iognaid.

The ERBC Men’s J16 8+ had to settle for second place behind a strong St. Joseph’s crews who were then presented with the Tom Noble Memorial Cup which was presented by Mary Noble.

The ERBC crew of Joshua Coalter, Ian Fleming, Jacob Halliday, Owen Kelly, Rory Keogh, Oliver Khew, Matthew Shaw, Ethan Rusk cox Katelyn Fee will look to build on this performance as the season progresses towards the Irish Championships in the summer.

The ERBC WJ 15 8X+ A also had to settle for second in a category won by St. Michael’s RC. Again this young crew of Hannah Armstrong, Erin Carty, Abbey Johnston, Kate Huddlestone, Daisy O’Hare, Molly Rice, Erin Trimble, Isabella Wright and Cox Abbey Wilson will look to improve further as the season progresses.

The fastest rowers on the day in the senior categories were DUBC (Trinity) Senior Eights who were the overall winners in a time of 18 minutes 26.7 seconds while the fastest women’s crew was Women’s Senior Eights from DUBC, Trinity Ladies including former ERBC rower Miriam Kelly and Irish Olympic medal winner Aifric Keogh.

They completed the course in a time of 21 minutes 16.3 seconds. The third fastest women’s crew was the Intermediate eight from UCD ladies boat Club which included former ERBC rower Aine McCreesh. This crew missed out on the category win by an agonising 0.01 seconds.

Portora Boat Club also entered a number of veterans crew, performing well in this competitive sphere.