With Women’s Head of the River a week away on the Tideway in London, what can be classed as the Irish equivalent takes place this weekend on the Erne river in Enniskillen. Several of the women’s crews entered across the categories will be using Saturday’s race as a final run before crossing the Irish sea to London. With a strong entry of seven senior eights, here are the main contenders for the Women’s Head at 11 am.
Old Collegians/UCD
Three of this crew competed at the Head of the Charles last October and finished fourth just behind Brown University who came third in the Alumni 8s event. That performance will put this crew as potentially the ones to beat on Saturday. Breanna Larson, the most experienced of the crew, returns to the six seat whilst Aine McCreesh and Sarah Daly remain in the bows. Joining these three women are Jessica Farrell and Kate McDonald (club eight Irish Champions 2024) and newcomer Ailise O’Sullivan. Ailise concluded 2024 with a successful junior season picking up two silvers (junior pair & coxless four) and the junior quad title at the Irish Championships for Skibbereen RC and now looks to kick off 2025 in the stroke seat of a powerful crew who are also entered for London’s Women’s Head of the River next week.
University of Limerick (UL)
The senior eight title holders of 2024 will look to get off to a good start en route to defending their title in July. Of that triumphant crew, Chris Kirwan, Alyssa Mannix and Caoimhe O’Sullivan make their return along with cox Rose O’Callaghan. Joining their teammates are Sadhbh Scully, who is the 2023 Irish senior and intermediate eights champion along with senior quad but missed being a part of the 2024 crew due to injury and Orla Gaffney, who is Irish Champion in the senior pair at the Irish Rowing Championships and was with Scully for the 2023 senior and intermediate eights but also added the intermediate coxed four to her Irish Rowing Championships collection. No doubt this crew will be aiming to push the Dublin composite all the way in preparation for the final match up in July.
University College Dublin (UCD)
The second crew of UCD is by no means short of talent and experience with Aoife Feeley, former Irish international oarswoman in the engine of the boat. In the bows is Alison Daly, who will be eying up a win over her sister who is also in bow of the composite crew. Lauryn Roche and Niamh Campbell have had success at the Irish Rowing Championships in the club eight and at the Colours boat race against Trinity College Dublin. This line up could possibly be the one to contest the Colours boat race again next month and will look to send a strong statement to their opposition by finishing ahead.
Other Notable Mentions
One name that stands out amongst the entries is that of former Irish Olympian Sanita Puspure, who having announced her retirement from international competition, is now making a return to the domestic scene coaching and as part of the crew for Cork Boat Club. Predominantly a sculler, she is no stranger to sweeping having raced the Irish women’s four in 2022 and her presence will no doubt be a big inspiration and confidence boost to those rowing alongside her in the crew.
University of Galway field two crews and are not to be overlooked, having been winners of the intermediate eights at the Irish Rowing Championships. Emma Fagan, who is six seat of their A crew, is one of their rising talents to watch on the trials circuit as well as at the domestic races, having produced impressive erg scores in the early parts of the trials process. Trinity College Dublin is fielding what is potentially their Colours crew to compete against UCD next month and features U23 international Grace Healy.
Prediciton
In a strong field of crews, it is hopefully going to produce some close times for the top placings. With their performance at the Head of the Charles, the Old Collegians/UCD composite is likely to be the fastest crew but behind them could be anyone based on the calibre of athletes across all remaining crews. The UCD crew could have the edge for second, having trained alongside the composite but the A crew of the University of Galway could split the Dublin crews. UL, having won the Irish Championship last year, will look to show they haven’t lost their speed whilst Trinity College will be eyeing up taking an early victory finishing ahead of UCD before their boat race clash.
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