Dundrum rowers world champions for third time

Dundrum rowers world champions for third time

6 July 2022

THE members of Dundrum Coastal Rowing Club are world champions once again.

The club has won the St Ayles Skiff Rowing World Championship for the third time.

Dundrum travelled to Kortgene in the Netherlands to compete alongside 54 other skiff rowing clubs from around the world.

Dundrum were joined by four other Co Down clubs — Sketrick, Strangford, Killyleagh and Ardglass — to compete over a 2km championship course for six days of intense racing.

Incredibly, all five finished in the top 15 at the end of the week.

It turned out to be a nip and tuck battle between Dundrum and Sketrick.

Dundrum got off to a fantastic start, winning gold in the 60 plus ladies final on the opening day, but it was Sketrick who ended the day as front runners after winning gold in the under 40 men and 280+ men races.

Over the next couple of days the overall standings could not have been closer with Dundrum and Sketrick picking up gold medals in other categories.

It was not until Thursday that Dundrum started to pick up the pace, highlighted by their 40+ men winning gold in an incredible time of 11 mins and 26 secs — a new championship record.

The championship went down to the final day with both Dundrum and Sketrick equal on points based on their top seven results.

With only two finals remaining, it was Dundrum’s U-26 female crew of Chloe Connor, Caoimhe McMullan, Shannon Connor and Eve Thompson that sealed a historic overall victory.

It was a fantastic achievement for the club who won their first world championship at Delamont on Strangford Lough in 2016 and retained the title in Stranraer in 2019.

Club chairman Andrew Boyd said he was delighted and congratulated all of his team-mates.

“To get three in a row is a remarkable achievement for a small Co Down club,” he remarked.

“The venue was fantastic and it was great to see so many people in the grandstands.”

He added: “Dundrum would like to congratulate all of the participating Down Coastal Rowing Association clubs that represented our part of the world so well, all finishing in the top 15.”

For Sketrick it was a case of so near and yet to far, losing out to Dundrum by just one point — 107 to 106.

Formed six years and comprising a group of friends, it has competed in the last three world championships. In 2019 they also finished second behind Dundrum.

Sketrick stalwart Stephen Armstrong said: “Normally it’s only the top six races that decide the overall winner but the organisers had to look at the top 11 races before the winner was found, the result could have gone either way.”

“He added: “We would like to thank the Killyleagh and Strangford clubs for lending rowers to compensate for Covid, work and travel absences.”

Dougie Marr, chairman of the Down Coastal Rowing Association, congratulated Dundrum, Sketrick and all the other competing local clubs.

“Collectively our clubs dominated the top quarter of the results and we were led by Dundrum who were best in the world for the third time running. They were closely followed by Sketrick in second place, Strangford in joint fifth, Ardglass in 12th and Killyleagh in 13th,” he said.

“This was a great success both in terms of the competition and socially with us renewing old friendships and making new ones.

“Hopefully our local clubs plus Scottish clubs which were not able to compete in the Netherlands will be able to come to the DCRA’s SkiffieFest Regatta at Delamont on July 30-31.”

The highlights for the Strangford club included a silver medal in the open women’s event, a bronze medal for the over 60 women on day one, and 15 individual medals for the juniors on the final day, including silver in U-17 mixed and bronze in U-17 boys, U-17 girls and U-19 mixed  — combining with Killyleagh. 

Meanwhile Patrick McGurnaghan won gold in U-40 men’s race combining with Killyleagh and Sketrick.

Club chairwoman Natalie Reilly said: “I am so proud of the involvement and achievement of Strangford Coastal Rowing Club members who ranged in age from 12 to 76 and included the youngest competition cox in the event.”

Ardglass Coastal Rowing Club were attending their first ever world championships and were delighted with their results. 

Their party comprised Stefano Crispi, coach, Farina Thompson, Niall Bradshaw, Lisa Byers, Marco Abrate, Dawn McCullough, Chris Feenan, Georgina Feenan, Phil Healy, Meabh Curran, Una McCann, Lesley Forward, Cadogan Enright and Joseph Dooley.

Club secretary Lesley Forward said: “As a newly formed club we had only a handful of members with us competing. Out of 25 races throughout the week we only had the capacity to enter 10 of them, qualifying at heats stage for seven of those 10 and finishing fourth in four of the world final races.

“We are unbelievably proud of our members and supporters for all their efforts to get us to the worlds. It was a big task for our small club and everyone had a part to play. 

“For the rowers who competed in Kortgene, they trained hard and rowed with their hearts. The amazing support and words of encouragement throughout the week has   overwhelmed us. Thank you to everyone.”

Lesley added: “We throughly enjoyed our first Skiffie Worlds. Well done to Dundrum and also the other local clubs for their great success. It is fantastic for the Co Down area to be so well represented by the coastal rowing scene.”

Killyleagh Coastal Rowing Club also had a successful championship.

Club chairwoman Ann Fee said: “Everyone gave of their best and quite a few records were broken.

“We didn’t enter teams in the U-40 races, but two of our members formed composite teams with Sketrick CRC and both Vicky Porter and Euan Campbell rowed in the U-40 races to win gold for Sketrick.

“The medals kept on coming with our U-19 mixed team excelling in their class and also winning gold medals. This was followed by our U-26 mixed team achieving silver and our U-26 men, U-9 men and U-19 women all winning bronze medals.”

Ann also congratulated Dundrum on their success and all the other local clubs for taking part.

She added: “We look forward to Skiffie Worlds 2025.”