Trinity in action at the 2012 Regatta
Rory McCarthy
Deputy Sports Editor
Ah rowing! If you have read Paddy Ryan’s excellent preview of the season ahead for the languid rowers then you will know what to expect from the Anglo-Irish cohorts that spend their time putting their bodies through physical torture all in the name of fun. Rowing isn’t a sport. It’s a hobby carried out by the effete chappies of the landed gentry who lived close enough to rivers and streams. What made rowing so hard was some eager beaver just back from the trenches who saw its benefits as fitness exercises for Her Majesty’s Officers and consequently it has been turned into the grueling, exhausting challenge it is today. That man is believed to have been outcast from the upper-echelons of society for introducing working class tenets such as hard work, teamwork and pain to the upper classes.
The Dublin University Boat Club had a great year last year with the Men’s Intermediate 8x going unbeaten all year and the women’s and intermediate teams having a strong showing in the Gannon Cup despite the loss of the Senior Men’s race. Trinity has now gone 5 years without the Gannon Cup and victory is surely to be the main aim of the club this year. Given the strong position the club is in with excellent intermediate rowers ready to make the step-up this is not wholly unachievable. Trinity still hold the balance of wins overall with 35 wins to UCD’s 27. Trinity also won the Senior 8s in the Irish Rowing Championships in Cork at the end of last season and another strong showing at IRC 2013 is not beyond them. The Gannon Cup always takes place around St Patrick’s weekend and if you want to avoid the weary rigmarole of tourists in leprechaun hats, pubs putting shamrock symbols in your Guinness and a crap night out in Coppers to celebrate whatever it is that defines us as Irish then we highly recommend you make yourself available to watch the race this season. For added effect bring a bike to cycle the Liffey’s length watching the rowers undergo a cruel and unusual level of stress and pain.
This promises to be an exciting year for DUBC. With Henley over and the rowing regatta season drawing to a close DUBC, will turn their attentions to defending some of their hard earned spoils of last season. In March, DUBC took the Diana Cooke Cup for best overall club, following strong showings at the Dublin Head of the River Race. DUBC also had arguably their most successful performance at the Irish Championships held in July. DUBC won the intermediate coxed 4’s, the intermediate 8+ and the novice 8’s although hamstrung by missing key performers for their race in the Irish Championship maintained a golden year, not losing. Given many of the rowers for the novice 8s had job commitments and holidays booked this is an incredibly encouraging sign and one they can build on for the upcoming season. DUBC’s primary aim this year has to be winning the senior men’s race at the Gannon Cup. UCDBC have won the race for the last five years and given DUBC’s pedigree and tradition in the race will not allow this trend to continue. All signs lead to a exciting clash of oars in March 2013 when DUBC will seek to add to their 35 wins against the heathen UCDBC. University Times will of course have a full article covering events so ensure to look out for that.
