The senior men’s coxed four event this year at Erne Fours Head of the River is an all University College Dublin (UCD) affair. With their top eight athletes competing across the Irish Sea at the Fours Head of the River in London, the next group of athletes will be looking to put down a marker for intra-squad rankings. The UCDBC coxed fours were probably disappointed to place fourth and fifth at Castleconnell Head of the River behind three University of Limerick fours, but since then the crews have been switched around and strengthened.
University College Dublin Boat Club A
Three-time senior championship winner Mikey Campion moves into the stroke seat of the A-crew, he’s backed up by newcomer to the UCDBC squad Conaill Cunningham, coming to the university from the Bish. The bow pair consists of David Ross-Chu, formerly of Shandon BC, and UCDBC homegrown talent Thomas Rice. Cara Ryan will take the reins and navigate these rowers down the track.
University College Dublin Boat Club B
In the coxswain seat of the B boat is Rhian Nelson, who was UCDBC’s senior cox for the 2024 season. Lightweight rower Alex Gillick, who finished second in the Dublin Sculling Ladder, sits in the bow seat. In the middle pair are Ciaran Conway and Cian O’Sullivan, who would have last raced together to win the club eight at the 2022 National Championships. After this, O’Sullivan took a two-year break from the sport and is only now returning. In the stroke seat is another UCDBC homegrown athlete, Eoin Browne.
Prediction
At this early stage of the 2025 season, it is hard to determine if these boats are ranked crews, both crews contain some strong, experienced oarsmen alongside some youth and exuberance. I would tip the UCDBC A crew to be the fastest coxed four at this Head of the River, with the UCDBC B crew finishing strongly ahead of the intermediate and club fours.
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