Conditions were good for today’s racing. Photo: Rory McCarthy
Rory McCarthy | Deputy Sports Editor
The late Trevor West, a stalwart of sport in Trinity College, remarked that the best way to watch the Dublin Boat Race was with a pint in one hand and your back to the river. Those who chose to engage in the more commercial and touristy attractions that the city offers this St. Patrick’s Weekend will have missed out. This was a cracking boat race, complete with drama, crashes and top quality rowing between the two universities. The event was given a later than usual start time of 12.45pm as well as being put to the Saturday, and as such drew a larger than usual crowd that befits such a regal event as this. Tourists and Dubliners flocked the two banks of the Liffey in glorious if fresh conditions to watch the races unfold.
The Dublin Boat Race consists of four races, the first of which was the Sally Moorhead Race between the women’s novices. Trinity’s fresher’s boat started this race brightly racing out of the blocks building up a strong lead ahead of the UCD boat. Trinity had one the toss from this regatta and elected to use the North Bank as their starting point, which offered a marginally shorter route. In rowing more than any other sport, the margins are massive and can have major repercussions. As such it was relieving to see Trinity maintain the strong lead with cox Kirsty Patterson barking orders at her team. They crossed the mark two kilometres later at the Guinness Store House opening Trinity’s account for the day and seeing Trinity claim back-to-back titles in that race for the last two years. It should have set the tone for the day.
The second event was the men’s novices race the Dan Quinn Shield. This was a classic race complete with drama, tension and even crashes. UCD’s crew approaching the O’Donovan Rossa Bridge entered the wrong arch, which under the rules was an automatic disqualification. Stewards did not disqualify UCD, as they had been informed of a possible hindrance under this arch. However crucially they had not entered Trinity’s arch but rather an unlisted arch which in truth actually extending their distance to the finish line. Despite the error UCD showed their superior fitness as they gradually pulled away from the tiring Trinity crew. To make matters worse, the steering gear on Trinity’s boat was causing trouble and eventually gave way seeing Trinity crash into the side bank after the Rory O’More Bridge just a few hundred metres from the finish line. It was a cruel blow and one that drew matters level for the course of the day. Despite UCD’s misdirected navigation skills they were worthy winners having built up a healthy lead before the Trinity’s boat skidded into the granite bank causing considerable damage to the oars and the bow of the boat.
With the novice races out of the way and the score level at one race a piece the senior teams were up next. Trinity had a relatively inexperienced crew with four racing in their first Colours. Gill Crowe, Georgia Richard, Katie Phelan and cox Niamh Williams were all competing in their first Colours race. UCD by contrast had an exceptionally seasoned team with only two rowers making their senior debut and Siofra Bennett racing in her fourth Colours. Trinity started slowly and while they were in contention up until the Four Courts. The UCD team with its greater experience and tactics marshaled excellently by cox Ciara McGowan began to draw away much to the delight of the swarms of UCD students cycling along the banks of the Liffey cheering on their college. UCD ran out worthy winners by half a length. It was tough for Trinity but with the younger profile of their team there is hope that DULBC can add to their thirteen wins, the last of which was in 2010. With that UCD took the lead in the overall race two-one.
The Gannon Cup hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for DUBC in recent years. They last won the title in 2007 and with UCD strong favourites they needed a superhuman effort to rebalance the days events at the Liffey. The race started tightly; really tightly. It was a classic, Trinity’s team with Will Hurley, Luke Acheson and Patrick Jacques battled hard, but it became very difficult for them.
The two crews had only half a length between them by the Father Matthew Bridge, however there was a sense that Trinity were only in it due to the benefit of the North Bank. From Mellows Bridge, the UCD crew pulled ahead with every stroke as the Trinity team visibly tired their backs arching with the strain. Every repetition was burning into the sinews of the muscles. Trinity’s cox Clementine Yost was audible from both sides of the river urging her charges to make one last push to catch up with the UCD team. However the UCD boat was slowly tipping ahead putting distance between the two crews. The cohesion and precision of the UCD was awesome and seeing the Trinity crew tire seemed to give them extra incentive to pull ahead. They reached the finish line running out winners by twenty metres in a classic boat race that gave the cheering crowds as much entertainment as excitement.
UCD retain that Gannon Cup for the sixth year in a row, all the more remarkable when one considers the number of debutants in their boat. Patrick Moore, Michael Bailey, Adrian Sheehan and Joseph Nihotte all without question will add to their first Colours victory in the future. For Trinity it was another harrowing defeat and it must have been tough for them to see them fall short again. However they can take considerable solace in how well they performed keeping pace with the UCD boat for such a long distance. It would be futile to engage in predictions about the future for Trinity in this race, they still hold the balance of wins thirty-four to thirty and a rivalry will always throw up surprises. One thing is certain is, looking past the tacky commercialism and tackiness of St Patrick’s Weekend it would be hard to find a more unique and enjoyable way to celebrate the festivities than by watching the Dublin Boat Race.
