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What happens when you put five rowing machines in Skibbereen Community school sports hall and connect them up to a laptop and a big screen…….the first West Cork Get Going…Get Rowing indoor blitz is what unfolds!

The excitement was rising when Mr O’Mahony Skibbereen Commuity School principal welcomed the 150 students from both Schull Community College and Skibbereen Community School, their teachers, James Kirby from Cork Sports Partnership and the Rowing Ireland event team of Denise Walsh, Ellen O Mahony and Emily Dulohery to the school.

In his welcoming address Mr O’Mahony spoke how rowing has become an intregal sport on offer in Skibbereen Community School and on how he he has seen first hand how rowing is continuing to grow in popularity since the O’Donovan brothers success at the 2016 Rio Olympics..

The format for the seven race card indoor blitz was thirty teams of five completing 2000m as quickly as possible in relay format. Tension levels quickly began to rise as race one began and the team members started jumping on an off the rowing machines each trying to put in as much power as they could muster for their part of the race.

Get Going…Get Rowing Community Coach Emily Dulohery stated that serious thought was put into the tactics of each race strategy and there was plenty of discussion in Rowing classes before the blitz as to what is the best approach to the relay race was………Would it be each team member does one 400m segment or is it better to do two 200m segments twice?

On the day Denise Walsh was on hand to offer top tips on going fast to each of the teams and was very impressed with all the enthusiasm and eagerness that was on display from each of the participants. Both Dominic Casey Rowing Ireland High Perfomance Coach and Sean O’Brien Skibbereen Rowing Club Captain were both in attendence of the first West Cork Get Going Get Rowing indoor blitz in a bid to encourage each student to keep putting in the power right to the finish line! In addition Cork Sports partnership who have been involved with the programme from its inception traveled to the west of the county to support and encourage all those involved.

With a total distance of 60Km completed over the duration of one hours racing action…… 60KM/hr!!!!!!!!

Stars of the future for sure. Watch this space for Paris and beyond ! Bonne Chance