Portora Boat Club travelled to Belfast with six crews last Saturday to compete at the Lagan Head of the River coming home with four category wins and the fastest men's masters crew against crews from Leinster and Ulster.

In the morning 4,200m race Portora’s Women’s Masters eight won again leaving coach Simon Dickie with a dilemma of selecting eight people from a group of 10 for next week’s home competition.

In the same race, the men’s squad excelled in winning the Masters men’s quad sculls, also winning the fastest men's Masters crew.

The afternoon division attracted a wider entry and was 2,700m in length.

Helen Flannagan won her third single boat title and demonstrated that she is the fastest women's master sculler in the north of Ireland.

The Men’s masters coxed four were the quickest Masters crew overall but lost out on the handicap system to a composite crew from three Dublin and Belfast clubs.

Portora’s women entered two crews in the Masters' coxed quads.

A professional display was shown by the B crew led efficiently by Sara Duff.

Portora A stroked by Cheryl Ballantine was slightly faster winning the category.

Their success meant Portora went home with four wins and the pennant for fastest men's Masters crew in the morning and afternoon.

Women’s Captain Chrisie Lunny was rightfully pleased.

“The success at Lagan Head by our women’s and men’s crews was outstanding, we worked together. To come back to Fermanagh with four wins and the fastest Masters crew will provide us all with the incentive to perform at our absolute best on home water, we can’t wait.”

Attention now turns to the 6,200m Erne Head of the River this Saturday, March 2.

Portora will be represented by a women’s Masters eight, a women’s composite eight with Enniskillen Royal Boat Club and a men’s Masters composite eight with City of Derry.