Killyleagh rowers get a boost as novices take part in tasters

Killyleagh rowers get a boost as novices take part in tasters

10 May 2017

KILLYLEAGH Coastal Rowing Club’s ‘get wet taster day’, designed to provide people with an opportunity to try their hand at skiff racing at the town’s harbour, was a major success.

Last Saturday’s event was graced by fine summer sunshine as 19 people took to the water in a St Ayles Skiff for the first time and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

Buoyed by the success of the initiative, the Rowing Club is now drawing up a participation programme for its new ‘get wet’ members and aims to provide sufficient training to enable people to feel confident enough on the water to take part in the Skiffie Strangford Lough Festival which takes place at Delamont Park this July.

The success of last weekend’s initiative comes on the back of Killyleagh Rowing Club’s success in a recent competition in Portaferry when the team defeated world skiff champions Dundrum by a single point in what was a very exciting competition. 

And there was more good news when a recent application to the Awards for All programme proved successful, allowing the Killyleagh Club to purchase its first built skiff, complete with safety equipment which will be ready for collection next month, just in time for its Skiffie Strangford Lough Festival at Delamont Park.

Later this month, a team from Killyleagh will be representing Northern Ireland at the Dutch Skiff Championships when a 16-strong team will be heading to the Netherlands.