Most of the seniors stayed in Enniskillen to train, so it was mostly the juniors who travelled up to Portadown to compete against crews from the host club, Carrick on Shannon, Neptune (Dublin), Newry, Blackrock College, Coleraine, Bann and Methodist College.

Portadown is a narrow twisting side by side course and has been hosting this regatta since 1877. Crews normally have to qualify through two or three rounds before reaching the final.

Dry conditions

After the torrential rain at Limerick the previous weekend, the rowers were pleased to see dry conditions with even some sunshine.

The first win of the days came in the Boys’ J16 quad where William Bogle, Justin Smith, Hugo McChesney, Joe Murphy and cox Daniel Montgomery overcame Carrick. Shortly, afterwards the Girls’ J15 double of Isabella Wright and Natalie Turner beat Neptune in their final.

There were wins for the J15 double for cousins Charlie Lynn and Harry Coalter over Bann, and Ben Cameron and Jake Sembhi over Coleraine Grammar.

Then the young crew of Oliver McNeary and Cameron Bell had a good win over Bann in the J14 double final.

After the lunch break the second J14 double crew of Dara McMurray Taylor and Jacob Woods had a good win also over Bann.

In the J14 quad category there was a strong win for the crew of Harry Welsh, Lewis Coalter, Matthew Montgomery, Oliver Krawczyk coxed by Daniel Montgomery over Coleraine.

It was then the J15 sculling finals where Shannon McCann, Eoghan Campbell and Cillian Donaghy all won their straight finals.

Five lengths

Joe Murphy and Hugo McChesney won their final over Bann in the J16 double, and Emily Black and Brooke Davis beat Bann by a comfortable five lengths in the J14 double final.

The J15 quad of Darcy Balfour, Shannon McCann, Abbey Johnson and Caitlin Kelly won their final comfortably over Neptune, and the J15A quad of Isabella Wright, Natalie Turner, Grace Collins, Abbey McCarthy Magwood and cox Abbey Wilson has a three length over Methodist College.

Successful day

The Boys’ J15 quad of Charlie Lynn, Jacob Woods, Eoghan Campbell, Ben Cameron and cox Grace Collins had a three length win in their final over Bann, the A crew of Harry Coalter, Cillian Donaghy, Jake Sembhi, Bruno Maguire Favro and cox Errie Powell also beat the Carrick crew again by three lengths.

It was a successful day and gave valuable experience to the younger rowers in side by side rowing.

Next week the rowers are at Lough Rynn Regatta which is a six lane championship course.

This will be part of the build up to National Schools Regatta on the Olympic course at Dorney Lake, England which is one of the largest school regattas in Europe with over 5,000 young rowers competing.