Irish rower snowed in for four days at national centre

Irish rowing international Monika Dukarska is used to tough conditions – but she got more than she bargained for when she turned up to train at the National Rowing Centre in Cork on Tuesday. She and coach David McKenzie McGowan have been snowed in for four days at the remote woodland venue.

“We have heat and electricity and we brought in food. The only thing we are short of is bread!” Dukarska said. They scratched out a ‘message’ in the snow saying Send Bread.

McKenzie McGowan, an Australian, has just joined the Ireland programme, has been staying at the NRC, where there are plenty of sleeping quarters for athletes and coaches when they stay over for camps.

The lake has been calm, but conditions have not been good, so Dukarska has not got on to the water for three days. But she can apply herself to the ergometers, the indoor rowers. She is doing a full programme each day.