November Update

The club has been back in full flow now for a couple of months with athletes returning from their summer break as well as new students settling into life in Belfast. The club has great strength in depth this year with a senior squad nearing 80, while beginner recruitment went well yet again with over 400 prospective beginner athletes showing interest in getting involved.  

Earlier in the summer – Academy scholar Amilia McAleer competed at the U23 European Championships and came away with a fantastic 4^th place in the women’s 8+. This is the first time an athlete has gone from being a complete beginner to a U23 international over the course of their study – a fantastic achievement and proof that the development process of Queen’s Rowing is having some success.  

Elsewhere on the continent 6 members of the men’s club were selected to represent the GB Universities team at the European Universities Regatta in Bydgoszcz, Poland. Highlight results would include the lightweight double of Adam McKinley and Benedict Weis who fought their way to a bronze medal as well as the lightweight pair who competed fiercely in the a-final. This capped a fine season of lightweight rowing for the boys with 5 BUCS medals picked up across lightweight events and now a European Universities medal to add to the collection. This was particularly momentous for Adam who has gone from being a complete beginner in September ‘22 to a 2-time national champion and European medallist in September ‘25.  

Further afield in Shanghai, China – Nathan Timoney (M2-) and Konan Pazzaia (M1x) had been selected to represent Ireland at the World Rowing Championships. Nathan, after a season disrupted through injury battled his way to the a-final with Queen’s Alumni Ross Corrigan where they secured a great 6^th place finish. Konan went well in his heats including setting a personal best of 6:45.99 before a difficult ¼ final lane draw meant that he progressed to the C-final.

Konan also went on to win the directors challenge quad at Head of the Charles the following month with some of his Rowing Ireland teammates, capping off a season which included his first senior international medals. While Academy cox Murphy Stearns took home Silver in the Masters 40+ 8+ representing his home club Marin Rowing Association, California.

The clubs are now preparing for their first event of the new season at Erne 4’s Head this weekend which kick starts a busy month of events for the club including the first set of national trials and our own head of the river race and annual dinner. Tickets for those who wish to attend and join us in celebrating our success are available on the LVBC website. The club will also be hosting a boat naming ceremony on 13^th December during festive head for all who wish to attend. Some naming rights are still available at the following link for anyone who wishes to support the club – Boat Naming – Queen’s University Belfast 

It was a fantastic summer of racing for the club and for all the athletes and coaches involved. Onto the 25/26 season – starting this weekend!