Strong Galway rowers vied for success alongside competitors from all four provinces at the annual Galway Head of the River.
Jointly hosted by long-time organisers Tribesmen Rowing Club, and newcomers NUI Galway Boat Club, this year’s event was a great success with more than 270 boats, across all categories and age groups from junior 16 eights to masters single sculls.
In the men’s senior eights, the NUIG Graduates, representing Grainne Mhaol Rowing Club, joined forces with the NUIG students to form two strong eights with both crews featuring a mix of internationals and future stars of the sport. These eights finished first and second, with a margin of less than two seconds between them, while Cork Boat Club finished third.
The top women’s event, the women’s senior fours, was won by Cork Boat Club.
As usual, the men’s junior 8 was a hotly-contested race, with a strong local entry. Galway Rowing Club achieved a notable success in defeating St Joseph’s Rowing Club, current national champions, by a margin of three seconds, and they also scored a junior eights double when winning the women’s junior eight.
Muckross Rowing Club won the women’s junior fours - an event which also marked the first competitive outing for Cumann Rámhaíochta Choláiste na Coiribe, Galway’s newest club, and the only club in the country where rowing crews are coached and coxed “as Gaeilge”.
Other notable local wins included Colaise Iognaid taking the men’s junior 16 double sculls and quadruple sculls events; St Joseph’s winning the men’s junior 16 eight and junior 16 four; and NUIG winning both the men’s intermediate four and the women’s novice four.
