Trinity Regatta

May 18, 2024

This was the club's first visit to Trinity Regatta, which was reportedly a slightly different experience from the norm - at least for the non-competitors. CIRC's trailer was located in a car-park beside the club grounds, from which spectators could be seen, sitting on blankets at the riverside, wearing blazers and boaters, and drinking champagne. To add to the unusualness, the concept of a event hospitality tent seems not to have permeated Trinity's Boat Club's mindset - a CIRC parent, who attempted to buy a cup of coffee, was refused because he was not an student, graduate, or staff member of Trinity College.
Regardless of the land-based abnormalities, the running of the competition, both on and off the water, was exactly as expected, and very well executed, so the club happily focused on competing on this unfamiliar waterway. Just as with Limerick and Schools Regattas, a few weeks before, this event was occurring the day before another regatta, which would be held on the same stretch of water. This allowed our younger crews to familiarise themselves with the river before the following day's competition.
One eventful heat saw a CIRC WJ15 quad leading by half a length against another club on the the 2-lane course, only to be impeded by a 2nd crew from the club they were racing. The impeding crew was making its way up to the start line, on a very narrow waterway, without hugging the bank. The resulting mid-race easing up gave CIRC's opponents the lead, with not enough water left for CIRC to catch them. Following a narrow finish, the organisers (very decently) arranged a B final, in which CIRC easily beat their opponents.
The regatta results, as reported to Rowing Ireland, state that Coláiste Iognáid won the Womens J14 & J15 Quads, J16 single scull, J16 8 and Mens J14 & J16 Quads; however, these results are erroneous - There was the only win for a Jes crew on the day - the WJ15 coxed quad .
No club photographers were able to attend this event, so, unfortunately, no photos are available.