The Sligo Head of the River took place on the Garavogue on Saturday last, February 17.

The weather forecast had been tricky but the wind abated and the rain, although persistent, was not heavy.

90 crews from 16 Irish clubs took part and Enniskillen Royal Boat Club (ERBC) had good results over the two races from Lough Gill into just before Sligo Town.

The experimental J18 eight made up of George Kernoghan, Joshua Coalter, Owen Kelly, Justin Smith, Oliver Khew, Hugo McChesney Wiliam Bogle Thomas Murphy and cox Katelyn Fee won handsomely from Neptune and Dublin Commercial.

The Boys J16 eight of Christian Timoney, Eoghan Campbell, Harry Coalter, Andrew Cuthbertson, Charlie Lynn, Lorcan Sreenivasan, Harley Sheppard, Ben Cameron and cox Errie Powell rowed strongly to overcome Blackrock College, Athlone and St. Ignatius College, Galway.

In the same age category, a J16 quad was majestic in beating Carrick on Shannon. Evan Donaghy, Ryan Topping, Luke Bailey, Austin Cassidy and cox Abbey Wilson were members of this crew.

The Girls J18 quad with Kate Huddlestone at stroke followed by Ruby Hamill, Eva Johnston and Naomi Robinson dispatched Athlone, Sligo and Carrick.

In the Girls J16 four's race there were no entries from other clubs but Rhea Cartin-McCloskey, Hannah Armstrong, Erin Trimble, Sienna Howe and cox Rachel Cathcart had a tough enough race against their club mates but emerged as winners.

In the single sculls event in the same age group, Zara Welsh impressed in the inclement weather and brisk flow to beat a young Garda sculler.

Isabella Wright pounded out a strong rhythm in the J15 sculling race and won well despite having to wait over an hour at the start for some late launching crews to arrive.

In the afternoon race the Boys J16 four of Donaghy, Topping, Bailey, Cassidy and cox Powell were outstanding and were the fastest four of any age group.

The J18 crew of Kernoghan, McChesney, Khew, Smith and cox Fee won their category in a good time close to the J16 four.

Huddlestone and Johnston beat Sligo in the J18 double scull and Cillian Donaghy steamed along to win the J15 single scull event convincingly.

There were other fine performances in various boats notably the Girls J15 eight.

It would be easy to think from the above list of winners that there is limited opposition for ERBC but the real truth lies in the amount of winter training that the athletes put in on land and water- sometimes nine sessions per week. In an endurance sport such as rowing, mileage makes champions.

The final test of the Erne Head season comes on March 2 over the classic 6km course on our home waters.

Clubs come to get a final assessment of their winter training. Entries closed on Wednesday, 21 February and representative clubs from the four provinces are expected to attend.