Hanly Medals 2020 Awardees

On occasion OCBC awards Hanly Medals to individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to UCD rowing.  On Friday last, 27th November, Hanly medals were awarded to Aileen Crowley and Sean Jacob.

Aileen enjoyed significant success in UCD Colours at National Championship level and has had a fantastic transition to the National team, securing qualification for the 2- for the Tokyo Olympics and recently winning bronze at the European Championships.


Sean took up rowing at UCD and was Mens Captain in 1993/94. He won an Inter VIII and a Gannon Cup in his undergraduate years before moving on to become one of the most successful rowers at National Championship level (21 titles to date). He also represented Ireland at World Cup and World Championship level and was a finalist in the Diamonds at HRR in OC colours.

Sean made a massive impact on UCDBC on re-joining as a Post Grad in 2009 and was instrumental in the Club winning the Men’s Senior VIII National Championship for the first time in 37 years in 2011. He continues to contribute greatly to UCD rowing in a coaching capacity.

Congratulations to Aileen & Sean from your friends and Clubmates in OC.

Rowing Ireland Homecoming celebration for the Rio Rowers in UCD

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Claire Lambe, Sinead Lynch, Murrough O’Brien (OCBC), Paul O’Donovan, Sanita Puspure (photo: UCD Sport)

A great night was had at the Rowing Ireland Homecoming celebration for the Rio Rowers on September 2nd. All 5 Olympians were in attendance, Gary O’Donovan (Skibbereen RC), Paul O’Donovan (UCDBC & Skibbereen RC), Sinead Lynch (St.Michael’s RC) and of course Claire Lambe and Sanita Puspure of Old Collegians Boat Club, Ireland.

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Gary and Paul O’Donovan (photo Jim Heney)

The event was hosted by UCD in Belfield with about 250 in attendance including former Olympians Jaye Renehan and Martin Feely of OCBC, Pat Gannon, Sean Drea, Neville Maxwell and Niall O’Toole, plus rowers and friends from all of the Boat Clubs, as well as the University.

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Claire Lambe (photo Jim Heney)

Speakers were Professor Andrew Deeks, President of UCD, Con Cronin, President of Rowing Ireland and Murrough O’Brien, President of OCBC. MC on the night was Gerry Murphy of Neptune RC.The 5 Olympians were presented with engraved silver salvers commemorating their achievements by Professor Deeks. OCBC provided the salvers.

Sanita Puspure (photo Jim Heney)

more pictures, courtesy of Jim Heney:

OCBC and UCD – Championship Update

OCBC and UCD enjoyed a good weekend at the Champs.

Claire Lambe of OC won both the Womens Single and Lightweight Single, great performance.

The Mens Senior Comp 4X featuring Sean Jacob and Con Collis (with Commercial) also won – according to our records that’s the first Mens Pot in OC colours since 1964. Nice 50th anniversary.

Hopefully more to follow.

In the Mens Senior 4-, Sean and Con were joined by Gearoid Duane and Peter Grogan and were pipped into 2nd by NUIG / Grainne Mhaol.

Gearoid and Peter were fancied in the S2- but had to withdraw due to illness.

The event was, however won by UCD which is an excellent result.

In the Mens 1X, Paul O’Donovan of UCD had a good race and was just beaten into 2nd by 2 secs by Keohane of Lee Valley.

Turlough Hughes of UCD won the Inter 1X whilst UCDBC regained the sought after Novice VIII Pot as well as the Club VIII.

The UCD Ladies also won the Inter VIII.

The UCD/OC Comp SVIII was beaten by NUIG/Grainne Mhaol but it is a great step to have the Clubs competing together in this manner, something we have been working towards for some time.

Also at the weekend Sanita Puspure won the B Final at Lucerne, a very good result.

Finally the UCD VIII that won the Ladies Plate in 1974 had an anniversary rowover on the Sunday of HRR. Nice recognition for the lads who, word has it, enjoyed a great weekend.

UCDLBC sculler Claire Lambe – Silver Medal in World University Championships


Claire Lambe, Kirsten McCann and Nielke Elise Van Hoogenhuijze, medallists in the lightweight women’s single sculls at the 2012 World University Rowing Championships, Kazan, RUS.

We were delighted to hear of Claire Lambe’s success in the World Univestiy Rowing Championships, where she placed second behind Kirsten McCann.

For coverage of her race in Afloat.ie – click here

For coverage of her race in The Irish Times – click here

The Rowing Development Fund was in a position to make a donation to Claire to support her participation in the event, and Old Collegians wishes her in her final year of Mechanical Engineering, as well of course in whatever rowing brings her over the coming months and years.

Supporting Claire Lambe travelling to World University Championships

 

The committee of the Rowing Development Fund (RDF) is delighted to support UCDLBC oarswoman Claire Lambe as she travels to compete for Ireland in the lightweight double sculls, in the forthcoming World University Rowing Championships, which will be held in Kazan, Russia in September.

Claire, who is going into final year of Mechanical Engineering, is an exceptional talent who shows great promise for the future. She has competed for Ireland on a number of times, most recently placing 11th in the World Championships , and in July, placing 4th in the World Under 23 Championships (see above).

We wish here all the very best, and will keep this site updated with news of her competition.

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If you would like to contribute to the RDF to support the rowers of UCD, please send an email to captain@oldcollegians.ie.

Outstanding National Championships for UCD Rowing

UCDBC – Irish National Champion VIII

In a glorious weekend for UCD rowing, the club captured 6 National Titles to make it one of it’s most successful years ever. The trend was set on the first day with a great win in the Intermediate 4+ (Peter Grogan, Colm Pierce, Simon Craven and Emmett Feeley).

 

This was followed by a brilliant win in the Sen 4- over NUIG/Grainne Mhaoil to reverse the result of the Henley clash a few weeks earlier. (Sean Jacob, Gearoid Duane, Finbar Manning and David Neale).

Not to be outdone, Anthony English finished the day with a great win in the Lwt Sculls. On day 2 the success continued with a fine win by Anthony English in Intermediate Sculls.

Following excellent racing conditions on Thursday and Friday, Saturday saw rain and most notably a strong tailwind, which does not tend to favour big, heavy crews such as UCD.
However, the crew were never deflected from the task at hand. They led from the start and pushed further ahead at 500m opening up a ½ length lead. NUIG slipped back at this stage. At the half way UCD were ¾ of a length in the lead and held this position for the remainder of the race. Queens couldn’t live with UCD’s power and speed and fell back. While NUIG took up the challenge again, they were not able to make much of an impression on UCD who went on to win in a time of 5:39 some 3 seconds ahead of NUIG, 6 seconds ahead of Queens and 29 seconds ahead of Trinity.

The Senior Men’s VIII crew: stroke Tom Doyle, Gearoid Duane, Sean Jacob, Finbar Manning, David Neale, Colm Pierce (captain), Peter Grogan, Simon Craven, cox Jennie Lynch, and coach Pat McDonagh.

the victorious UCBLBC Senior VIII

The Senior Women’s VIII proved to be a tighter race however with the Muckross team coming in closely behind.   This victory closes a particularly successful year for the women’s team. UCD’s Laura Gannon said: “We had three goals this year — colours, the university championships and national championships. To win all three is an amazing achievement and we still can’t believe it.”
The Women’s VIII crew: C Tanner, Karen Joy, Claire Ni Reachtagain, Naomi Fearon, Siofra Bennett, Laura Gannon, Laura Reid, A Gilligan and cox Eoin Craven.

Congratulations to all of the crews and coaches and committee members who have have been building up to this over the last 4 years.

(with thanks to UCD.IE for some of the above text)