Lagan Head entry disappointing

ROWING: YOU CAN build it, but they may not come

ROWING:YOU CAN build it, but they may not come. The Lagan Head of the River in Belfast tomorrow is also the Rowing Ireland Eight-Blade Head of the River, but the event has not drawn many crews, and Queen's University A and B crews are the only senior eights entered.

Garth Young of Belfast Rowing Club says the entry for the head has not been greatly boosted by including the national event. “It (the national head designation) hasn’t made a great difference – and a lot of it seems to be down to the time of the season it’s being held at,” he says.

A timing in the middle of the head of the river season might be more beneficial, he suggests. But he is sanguine about the experiment of national heads. “It’s all about trying new things; trying different times,” he opines.

He notes that each province is represented in the entry. The three heads (time trials) on the day are set for 10.45, 1.15 and 3.45, with the final head being the Eight Blade national head.

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One event set for a new time is the agm of Rowing Ireland, which has been set for May 21st. The Irish Sports Council was strongly in favour of a move away from the traditional late-year date so that accounts were more up to date.

Meanwhile, the two big rowing disciplines in the country are drawing closer. A joint press release from Rowing Ireland and the Coastal Rowing Federation yesterday said “both organisations are committed to establishing a closer working relationship”. A series of meetings have been held in recent months.

Rowing Ireland is the national body recognised by Government bodies and by Fisa, which runs international rowing. While coastal rowing has a big following and a membership of approximately 3,000 – about the same as Rowing Ireland – it is a Cinderella sport when it comes to getting national grants, and has not got the coaching resources of Rowing Ireland.

Competitors must also operate through Rowing Ireland to compete at international competitions run by Fisa.

Historically there has been opposition among coastal bodies to moving in under the Rowing Ireland umbrella, and yesterday’s statement makes no mention of this happening.

Coastal rowing boats used are generally fixed-seat craft – quite different to the sliding seat boats used in the Olympic sport. It is a more localised and heterogeneous sport, run by six associations, from Antrim to Kerry.

One big advantage of a joint approach is that a sport of 6,000 members and approximately 140 clubs should have reasonable clout in competing for resources at national level.

Liam Gorman

Liam Gorman

Liam Gorman is a contributor to The Irish Times specialising in rowing