Garda Rowing Club are sending an eight and a four to the Head of the Charles in Boston at the end of this month, and hope to make the first visit of the club to the United States a memorable one.
The Head of the Charles is one of the biggest spectator rowing events in the world, with up to 300,000 people watching the 19 races over two days. Over 5,000 participants will be involved in this year's event on October 23rd and 24th, and Garda, who will have the use of facilities in Harvard Boat Club, hope to make a big impression in the eights.
Garda are coming to the end of a season which was blighted by the loss of Graham Toland through illness. Toland has now recovered, however, and the club has also been boosted by the return of Donal Keating from UCC and the addition of Brendan Duke, formerly of Neptune and a former US scholarship student.
Back in Dublin, the a.g.m. of the Irish Amateur Rowing Union will also be held on Saturday the 30th. The evergreen topic of devising a satisfactory regatta schedule should be among the major concerns, and some controversies may also be given an airing.
One of these concerns whether carded internationals should compete in domestic regattas: a suggestion mooted on the irishrowing.com website is that these athletes only take part in single and pairs events.
Email: LGorman@irish-times.ie
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