A winding river, plenty of rough water, and unpredictable currents make Lough Erne a coxes’ race.: A cox’s to lose and cox’s to win. It’s a long race, though—just under six kilometres—and it’s undoubtedly on the rowers to keep their heads in the boat and pressure on the footplate all the way down the course. A crew of mentally strong rowers and a quick-thinking cox are needed to win at Erne. Let’s see if any of the three boats entered in this category meet those standards.
Dublin University Ladies BC (DULBC)
Dublin University Ladies BC’s Intermediate coxed four from last year would have been disappointed to come third in the event, so the girls in this boat will be raring to prove themselves and their club this time around. That being said, this crew is significantly less experienced than the others in this category; not only have two of the rowers never raced a head race before, their cox, Jane Prendergast, has never coxed one. Given the challenging nature of the Lough Erne course, it remains to be seen how and whether Prendergast can implement her race plan and react to the inevitable unforeseen obstacles of head racing. The stern pair of Sadhbh Merriman and Annie Moore, who both raced in the club four category last year and have junior experience, will have to step up and lead their less experienced crew mates in the bows.
University of Galway BC
This crew is a bit of an unexpected as its members have mixed rowing backgrounds. Their strengths come from the extremities of the boat: stroke-woman Ethel Rose Murray and cox Katelyn Fee. Starting with Murray, though she rowed neither Erne Fours Head of the River nor Erne Eights Head of the River last year, she helped Galway to second place in the senior eight and a national title in the intermediate eight at the Irish Championships. Fee might bring an even greater advantage: her knowledge of the course from years of coxing Enniskillen RBC’s junior men. As mentioned, this is a cox’s race to lose; this is Fee’s home turf, so she’ll know the seemingly minor ins-and-outs of the river that even the best coxes from down south will not.
Neptune RC
Neptune will be looking to defend their title from last year in this category over both St. Michael’s and, notably, DULBC. The crew is a near repeat, as well, with Laura Brown, Miriam Kelly, and Orla O’Loughlin returning. Though cox Orla Ní Chuirc did not race Erne last year, she stepped in as cox for these three last spring, just after the three returning rowers won the women’s coxed four on the Sunday at the Metropolitan Regatta in London. Even with the addition of Nell Allison, another veteran with a Senior Colours win among others under her belt, this crew will have been able to gel more than the others in the category without the interruption of the frequent crew changes that often characterise the beginning of the rowing season. Neptune are the crew to beat.
Prediction
I have no doubt that the veteran rowers of Neptune will take this one. I expect a close race between Dublin University Ladies Boat Club and University of Galway Boat Club for second, though because of the strategic nature of the race, Galway, with the more experienced cox, seem a slight favourite for second.
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