UCD Success at Reading Regatta

Boat Club success continued on the Thames this weekend at Reading Regatta on a fast-flowing, 1-on-1 knockout, 1,500m course (shortened to 1,100m on Sunday).

The Intermediate squad entered the Senior1 8+ and Senior2 4+ categories and the Novice squad the Senior3 8+ and Senior3 4+ categories on both days. On Saturday the Senior1 8+, after beating London RC in the semi-final, faced a tough challenge against Eton College. With the staggered start and first bend in Eton’s favour, the 8+ found it hard to get into the race and in the end Eton won comfortably.

Two boats were entered in the Senior2 4+ category, the first getting knocked out early by Isis BC, the other reaching the final where they were beaten by Bristol University.In the Senior3 8+, the Novice squad beat Manchester University in the 1st round but were then beaten by a very fast Winchester College crew.

Success was had in the Senior3 4+ category however, where the crew of R Murray, A Curran, D Finnerty, P Murphy & J Lynch(cox) beat Reading RC in an excellent performance.

On Sunday, the Senior1 8+ faced Reading University in the semi-final. Though again down off the staggered start, the 8+ hit its stride well and moved through Reading to win by a length. The last race of the day had the 8+ facing Curlew RC in the final, started by Matthew Pinsent. The 8+ had an excellent start and went on to win comfortably.

In the Senior2 4+ competition, the semi-final presented a UCD ‘A’-UCD ‘B’ faceoff. The 4+ of T Doyle, D Neale, J Graham, K Cunningham & G Daly(cox) were victorious and went on to win the final against Kingston RC.

After a row-over in the 1st round of the Senior3 8+, the novices faced the more experienced Westminister School in the semi-final, where Westminister’s experience shone through and they won by two lengths.

In the Senior3 4+ the success of the previous day was repeated, when the same crew in an excellent performance beat Star & Arrow RC (the feeder club for Leander) in the final.

To celebrate, the coxes are thrown in…