Strangford Coastal Rowing Club gets set for the Spring Series 2024
For the first time all of the top Coastal Rowing Clubs in Northern Ireland will all compete in one event, in the Strangford Spring Series races in Strangford.
The event takes place on Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th April 2024. Racing starts at 10.00am.
Strangford Coastal Rowing Club organiser Rory Reilly said: “Racing is divided into three categories with Strangford competing against Cove, Olderfleet and Cairndhu clubs from Antrim in the FISA Offshore quad race.
“Whitehead, from Antrim and Inver Colpa from Drogheda will compete in the One Design category and eight of the Down Coastal Rowing clubs will compete in the Saint Ayles Skiff class.
“Medals, sponsored by The Cuan Restaurant, will be awarded in all three categories.
“Saturday’s racing is for Mixed crews while Sunday is for the Open Men’s and Women’s categories.
“Local rivalry will be intense with the fast improving Ardglass Women taking on World Champions Dundrum and last year’s winners Strangford.”
Rory Reilly added: “It is difficult to see anyone beating Dundrum in the Men’s event, but Kilclief and Sketrick will be very competitive in the Mixed races.
“Strangford juniors will compete in their FISA category Quad Scull against the adults of Olderfleet, Cove and Cairndhu.
“While the junior boys won last year’s event they will have stiff competition this year from Cairndhu whose crew will include international rowers.
“In the recent ‘Ice Breaker’ event at Dundrum, Killyleagh proved to be very competitive across all categories and it will be interesting to see if their improvement continues.
“In total 20 boats with 200 rowers will be in Strangford for the weekend and it should be a great spectacle.
“From early morning, boats will be launching and warming up in the harbour.
“The first race on Saturday will be at 10.00am from Strangford down The Narrows to Mill Quarter Bay near Killard, a distance of six kilometres.
“The return race will be at 11.45am with the boats appearing in Strangford 30 minutes later.”
So let’s all hope for clear weather and good water conditions so the rowers can enjoy this pemier rowing event!
