Taking place at the National Rowing Centre just outside of Cork, this 3km race bring several top talents from across Irish rowing together in one of the final showdowns of 2024.
With the winter miles now adding up, those competing in the women’s singles categories are sure to want to show-off their hard work.
Senior Singles
With 12 entries in this category, multiple fierce battles on the water during racing are certain.
Sibeal Ni Fhlaithbheartaigh of Castleconnell Boat Club is first off in the senior singles, and will put up a tough fight. Having just won bronze in the quad at Coupe de la Jeunesse this summer, she certainly has the raw talent. However, being a junior in a field packed with experience will make this race tough.
Two more rowers to look out for are the current Irish U23 lightweight double of Áine O’Mohoney of Femoy Rowing Club and Sophia Monahan of Shandon Boat Club. Now racing against each other, they will be hoping to replicate the speed that landed them sixth in Canada at the U23 World Rowing Championships. It will be interesting to see which of these athletes ends up on top.
University College Cork Rowing Club’s athlete Cliodhna Nolan will also make a bid for the win at Muckross. Another proud owner of an Irish unisuit from the U23 World Championships and a gold from the same event in 2020 means she enters this race with the best international racing pedigree. More recently, Cliodhna came second in the championship lightweight women’s singles at Henley Women’s Regatta in June 2024, before improving to gold at the Irish Championships.
Tokyo Olympian Monika Dukarska will also take on the course hoping to come out on top for Killorglin Rowing Club. Despite experience from qualifying in the Irish pair at Tokyo 2020, Monika will be picking up two blades at the weekend to see if she has the speed to match the new Irish talent. Having mainly competed on the coastal scene in recent years it will be interesting to see how that speed translate to flatwater rowing.
Prediction
This will be a tight, competitive race where it will be close between these top five. However, if I were to narrow it down more, I say it could be closest between Nolan, O’Mohoney and Monahan.
Intermediate Singles
The intermediate singles sees only three entries.
First off is Laoise Phillips from St Michael’s Rowing Club, who in the summer of 2023 was selected for the Irish Home International Regatta squad. Going off first she will be sure to use all her racing knowledge to stay ahead of the other two chasing her down. Jane Rodgers from Shandon Boat club goes off second in this category with Amelia Corcoran from St Michael’s Rowing Club following her.
I can imagine it will be a close race between the three and it will be interesting to see how their times will compare to those in the senior singles.
Club Singles
Another three-boat contest, the club singles is also full of promise. The three clubs being represented are Killorglin Rowing Club, Tralee Rowing Club and Galway Rowing Club. Not much is known about any of the athletes racing, but I am sure that they will want to show off the training they have put in these past few months.
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