The countdown is on as Get Rowing prepares to welcome a record-breaking 74 crews to next week’s Grand Canal Blitz in Dublin.

May 2 will see 16 schools battling it out in crews of 5 secondary students for Gold, Silver, and Bronze Medals in a wicked-fast 200m sprint regatta for total beginners. None of the rowers are members of clubs—yet!—and they’ve only been on the water for the first time within the last 6 months.

Six schools will be competing for the first time, and a number are back as per tradition. The 74 crews from 16 schools is a sizable up-tick over 2023, which saw 56 crews from 13 schools.

All kilometers rowed will also count toward Get Rowing’s exciting Catch Us If You Can initiative, where schools are competing in challenges issued by Ireland’s top high performance rowers in the lead-up the the Paris Olympics this summer. The athletes are paired with schools and making weekly videos to cheer on students across the country, who are competing to win a Concept 2 rowing machine for their school. With three weeks left in the contest, the Grand Canal Blitz will surely result in some schools surging past the competition.

  • April 26th, 2024