BUCS Regatta 2013 – Arrival

After the postponement of Irish University Championships, it was with a more palpable sense of anticipation that Queen’s Regatta unfolded last Saturday. Dry, sunny conditions made for some great racing experiences for the first regatta of the season for Queen’s Rowing as well as for the many competing Irish clubs who made the journey to Castlewellan.

Looking at the Men’s Club firstly, QUBBC claimed victory in the Men’s Division One Pairs Category, with their Lightweight Senior Pair finishing first in a mostly Queen’s-dominated ‘A’ final. This was followed by victory in the Men’s Division One Coxed Fours category, with the Queen’s Senior coxed Four finishing first and finally the Men’s Senior Eight winning the Division One Eights category.

Some particularly close losses from the Men’s club too, as in one of the most exciting races of the day, with the QUBBC Men’s Novice Eight finishing second to UCC by a third of a length in the Men’s Division Two Eights, consisting of Novice and Junior crews.

In the ‘A’ Final of the Division One category of the Men’s Double Sculls, the QUBBC/Skibbereen composite featuring Rory O’ Connor from QUBBC, had a particularly tight finish, crossing the line at third, slightly behind UCC.

Looking at the Lady’s Club next, QUBLBC gained some particularly good wins with their novice crews, with the QUBLBC Novice Eight making a convincing win in the Lady’s Division Two Eights ‘A’ final. The crew of the QUBLBC Novice Coxed Four ‘A’ also gave a game-changing performance, entered at Division One level of the Coxed Fours, making it to the B final and winning it, with the QUBLBC Intermediate Coxed Four coming in at second.

Overall, a great days racing for the first big Regatta of the Regatta season and for a good experience and learning opportunity for the Queen’s Rowing Novice crews, as they progress and push on for the many regattas to come.

A full results table will be made available online soon.

A massive thank you is due from the club to all organizors and volunteers at this year’s Regatta- their efforts throughout the day ensured an efficiently run and enjoyable regatta- as well of course to everyone who volunteered to help out in the establishing and dismantling of the course.

Upcoming Events, Races and Reminders

• British Universities and Colleges Regatta 2013: 4th-6th May, National Water Sports Centre, Nottingham, England
• Queen’s Rowing Spring Ball 2013: Wellington Park Hotel, 21 Malone Road, Belfast, Thursday, May 9th, 19:00. Tickets will be on sale throughout the week at £26 each, available from current rowers Rhian Wynne and Luke McCann.