Jubilant scenes after first All-Ireland title success for Whitehead Rowing Club

Whitehead Coastal Rowing Club members are celebrating success after bringing home one gold and two bronze medals from the All-Ireland Coastal Rowing Finals in Dingle, Co Kerry.
By The Newsroom
Published 7th Sep 2023, 11:35 BST
Updated 7th Sep 2023, 11:44 BST
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The club was set up in 2018 and has gone from strength to strength over recent years, developing strong community links and now boasts more than 60 members and a growing Junior squad.

Over 25 rowers travelled to Dingle with Whitehead entering 10 club crews and three composite crews in races.

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Jason Greenwood, Whitehead head coach, said: “After a two days of intense racing in challenging conditions, the club came away with three medals. Bronze in the Men’s Veteran and Ladies’ Veteran and the first ever All-Ireland title and gold medal in the Mixed Veteran, which led to jubilant scenes.

Gold medal-winning Mixed Veteran crew, left to right: Michael Millar, Jason Greenwood, Beverly Gaston (cox), Lheanna Kent and Gina Patterson. Photo submitted by Whitehead Rowing Club.Gold medal-winning Mixed Veteran crew, left to right: Michael Millar, Jason Greenwood, Beverly Gaston (cox), Lheanna Kent and Gina Patterson. Photo submitted by Whitehead Rowing Club.
Gold medal-winning Mixed Veteran crew, left to right: Michael Millar, Jason Greenwood, Beverly Gaston (cox), Lheanna Kent and Gina Patterson. Photo submitted by Whitehead Rowing Club.

"Having only starting rowing in 2022, a crew of Under-16 Girls performed admirably finishing right in the mix of a big field of 14 crews, all racing side-by-side.

"A composite crew containing rowers from Whitehead Coastal Rowing Club and the Castle Rowing Club, based in Ballygally, were just a whisker from winning a medal in the Under-16 Boys’ race, finishing in an agonising fourth place.

“After a great weekend, every club went away knowing that there is a new force to be reckoned with in Irish Coastal Rowing, Whitehead.”

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Bronze medal-winning Women’s Veteran crew, left to right: Caitriona Hudson, Beverly Gaston, Michael Millar (cox), Lheanna Kent and Gina Patterson. Photo submitted by Whitehead Rowing Club.Bronze medal-winning Women’s Veteran crew, left to right: Caitriona Hudson, Beverly Gaston, Michael Millar (cox), Lheanna Kent and Gina Patterson. Photo submitted by Whitehead Rowing Club.
Bronze medal-winning Women’s Veteran crew, left to right: Caitriona Hudson, Beverly Gaston, Michael Millar (cox), Lheanna Kent and Gina Patterson. Photo submitted by Whitehead Rowing Club.

Whitehead Coastal Rowing Club has continued to grow and now hosts its own regatta event in June and the annual Islandmagee Challenge in September, which sees clubs travelling from across the region to compete in the gruelling 10 mile row from Browns Bay, Islandmagee, to Whitehead.

For more information check out the club’s Facebook page