St Michael’s Head of the River marks the start of the new season this year, providing the first opportunity for highly competitive racing. This means that it also provides the first opportunity to see who has had an effective start to the year and who has had a slightly slower start. This race will by no means dictate who will come out as the victor at the Irish Rowing Championships, but it will be a good indicator to the crews racing of their initial speed as they move on with their season.
St Michael’s
St. Michael’s has consistently ranked among the top three eights, securing the championship in 2023 and finishing third in Cork in July. Many of the athletes in this group are newcomers, having progressed from the Junior 16 category. Notably, Cox Kate McNamara led the Junior 16 girls’ eight to a commendable third place in their category last year, alongside four other talented girls who comprised the Junior 16 eight. This crew possesses significant potential, and I eagerly anticipate their performance this year against other teams.
Castleconnel
Castleconnel has established itself among the leading women’s eights in Ireland, achieving notable success by securing a second place position in the Junior 16 eights and finishing fifth in the Junior 18 eight. Numerous members from the Junior 16 eight have now moved up in their clubs first eights which include Meabh Kelly, Ruby Corbett, Emily McEntee, Amy Roberts, and Rose Cunningham. This season, they are fueled by a renewed dedication to improve their standings and pursue success in their competitions and place higher than the Junior 18 eight crew from last year. This crew appears promising, with many returning members from last year, suggesting they may exhibit even greater potential than before.
Prediction
I believe that both teams possess robust lineups for the future, and this event will provide them with a clear understanding of their standing in the competition. However, I anticipate that Castleconnel will narrowly surpass St. Michael’s in this race, considering their performance in this category last year and their overall performance as a Junior 16 eight last season.
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