The waters of the Liffey will host the 75th annual Colours Boat Race, this Sunday the 23rd of March. The 2.1km course runs from O’Connell’s Bridge, down past the four courts before finishing at St. James Gate. In recent years UCD’s domination of the event has been hard to ignore. They are currently on course to tie DUBC’s number of wins in the event with 37 apiece, if UCD claim victory this weekend.
Named in memory of former UCD captain Ciaran Gannon, the Gannon Cup is one of the most sought-after prizes in all of Irish Rowing and is awarded each year to the winner of the Colour’s race between DUBC and UCD.
University College Dublin (UCD)
Last year’s reigning champions University College Dublin (UCD) are looking to take home the Gannon Cup for the fifth consecutive year. Under the coaching of Niall Farrell, UCD’s men’s squad has enjoyed great success on in the domestic circuit, winning the senior eight at four of the last five National Championships. Most recently, UCD claimed victory at Erne 8s Head of the River last month, finishing 27 seconds ahead of the rest of the field.
This year’s UCD colour’s lineup contains many familiar faces, with a few new additions who will be looking to continue the club’s winning streak. Returning coxswain and member of last year’s winning crew, Rhian Nelson, will again aim to steer her crew to victory along the Liffey.
Setting the rhythm from stroke seat, originally hailing from Carlow Rowing Club, and subject of the infamous “The Rowers” documentary is veteran colour’s competitor Dach Murray, who remains in the same position from last year. Entering his second boat race, Murray’s experience from last year will be invaluable to UCD’s squad.
The biggest name in either lineup is seven-seat Daire Lynch. After winning bronze in the men’s double sculls at the Paris Olympics last summer, Lynch has started his medicine degree at UCD and swapped from sculling to sweeping. The former Yale and Clonmel RC rower brings invaluable knowledge and skill to this crew.
Ross Mason and Paul Flood are returning for their second and third Colours races, sitting in the six-seat and five-seat, respectively. Having learnt to row at Commercial Rowing Club, Flood has been an essential component of UCD’s colour’s crew for the past three years, permanently sitting in the five-seat. This weekend, he will undoubtedly seek a third win to add to his impressive resumé. Fellow Commercial rower Ciaran Conway will be sitting behind him in the four-seat, also going for his second victory.
A first-time Colours athlete, Andrew O’Leary takes the reigns in the three-seat after joining UCDBC just this year after beginning his rowing career in Presentation College Rowing Club. He represented Ireland last summer in the U23 men’s coxless four, where his crew finished in 14th place. Fellow Cork rower, David Ross-Chu is also making his Colour’s debut after missing out on a spot in the top crew for the previous two years.
Dublin University Boat Club (DUBC)
Heading into this weekend, Dublin University Boat Club (DUBC) appears to be the underdog crew. After finishing almost a minute behind UCD over 6km at Erne 8s, the DUBC crew will have lots of work to do to improve.
Coxswain and vice-captain James O’Brien is returning to the DUBC crew for his second consecutive Colour’s Race. Having been a part of DUBC for many years, O’Brien will be extremely motivated to end UCD’s winning streak.
Sitting in the stroke seat for his first ever senior colours is George Roberts. Having joined DUBC as a novice in 2022, he won the 2023 rendition of the Dan Quinn Shield. He quickly climbed the ranks at DUBC and finished in fourth place at last year’s National Championships in the men’s club eight. This year, he has taken the reigns of the senior eight at this season’s colours.
Setting the rhythm in bowside is Michael Cusick, who has returned to the sport after a two-year hiatus. Cusick began his career at Bann Rowing Club as a junior and joined DUBC this season. He narrowly missed out on a seat in DUBC’s top crew for Erne 8s last month but has managed to work his way back into the top crew, cementing himself in the seven-seat.
Six-seat Ethan Coplon returns for his second colour’s race after being beaten by UCD last year on the Liffey. Another athlete who began his career as a novice in DUBC, Coplon didn’t race with the DUBC men’s squad last summer but appears to be back in the top boat this year and will undoubtedly be looking to beat UCD.
Henry Beer will make his colour’s race debut this weekend after starting his rowing career as a novice in DUBC in 2023. After three years of rowing, he has earned his spot in DUBC’s top eight and will relentlessly try to seize the win for Trinity.
Club captain Benjamin Reid sits in the four-seat and will be rowing in the DUBC colour’s eight for the third consecutive time in his career this weekend. Starting rowing in 2021, Reid’s consistently been a presence in DUBC’s top boats, being a part of the men’s club coxed four that took bronze at last year’s National Championships. Reid will be hoping that the third time is the charm to win the Gannon Cup finally.
Masters students Ben Hendricks and Cormac Feely compete in their first and third colours race this Sunday. Hendricks has just joined the DUBC men’s squad this season and has already earned his way into the top boats, whilst Feely has been a member of DUBC for the past four years, having successfully rowed at Castleconnel Boat Club as a junior. Vice-captain Feely is no stranger to winning, having won the men’s club eight at the 2023 National Championships.
Pearce Mooney in the bow-seat will be another athlete making his colour’s debut this weekend. Having previously rowed for Neptune he has since joined DUBC and will be highly motivated to seize the Gannon Cup.
Prediction
Whilst the Colour’s Boat Race is always an extremely exciting affair, I would be extremely surprised if UCD didn’t take the win this weekend. With such a high-calibre across their squad, I see UCD as almost unbeatable this season.
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