The waters of O’Briensbridge will be a flurry of activity this Saturday, 12 October, as hundreds of crews take to the river for the annual St. Michael’s Head of the River. With over 500 entries across all events the competition is set to be fierce, none more so than the Junior Men’s eight event which sees six crews; three from Castleconnel Boat Club and three from St. Joseph’s College Rowing Club, go head-to-head down the 3.4km stretch of water, starting at the Castleconnel boat house and finishing at O’Briensbridge.
Castleconnel Boat Club
Looking to seize victory on their home river is Castleconnel Boat Club who crossed the line at last year’s National Championships in fifth place. Three of the six entrants are Castleconnel boats, and their A boat includes three members from last year’s crew. They will undoubtedly look to build on their racing experience last year to try and break St. Joseph’s winning streak.
St. Joseph’s College Rowing Club (The Bish)
The reigning national champions, St Joseph’s College Rowing Club, will want to assert their dominance at O’Briensbridge this weekend with a win in the Junior Men’s eight. This season, however, they have a completely new lineup with no members from last year’s top boat returning. Will the Bish Boys be able to follow in the footsteps of their predecessors and claim the win this weekend?
Prediction
Over the last couple of years, St Joseph’s has consistently proven to be a powerhouse in this event, with multiple national titles to their name. I do think that we will see a continuation of their dominance this year despite their completely new lineup.
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