News Archive – 2007

December 31st, 2007
As most of us prepare for New Year’s Eve celebrations, the Senior squad are preparing to do battle against each other in singles in the sunshine of Seville, where they are on training camp. Today, they are contesting for the Pineapple Cup, awarded each year to the Club’s fastest sculler at Trial VIIIs. In honor of this, and to keep up with my commitment of adding a little Club history to the page every Monday, we take a look at the history of the Pineapple Cup. From the Irish Times, Tuesday, August 7th, 1951:
“The Diamond Sculls. Sir- In ‘An Irishmans Diary’of Saturday last it is stated that the Diamond Sculls race at Henley Regatta has not been won by an Irishman for more than forty years.
The late Major Charles V. Fox, rowing for the Brigade of Guards Club, also won the Diamond Sculls something over forty years ago. The handsome gold cup which he won for this race was, after his death, very kindly presented by his sister to the Dublin University Boat Club, and is now in their possession, together with the other cups which Trinity Boat Club crews have won outright in bygone days.
His brother, the late William Fox, rowed for Trinity College, Dublin, as an undergraduate in the eight which won the Thames Cup at Henley in 1903. Both brothers were in the Egyptian Service. Charles served for a time in the Southern Sudan area, and came south on safari on political duties to Gondokoro, which was then incorporated in the Nile Province of Uganda, where I met him serving as M.D. to the 4th Battallion K.A.R. Their parents resided in Dublin, but I am unable to state if they were relate to the present winner of this race. Yours, etc. J.C.R. Dublin, August 6th, 1951.”
December 31st, 2007

It is with much regret that the Boat Club has to share the news of the passing of Frank Trufelli, on December 22nd. Frank rowed in the Senior VIII in 1956 and lived in Portrush, Co. Antrim. The Club extends its condolences to his family during this difficult holiday season. Donations in lieu of flowers can be made to the N.I. Chest, Heart & Stroke Association c/o James McMullan & Son, 22 High Street, Ballymoney, Co. Antrim, BT53 6AQ. -gcm

December 17th, 2007
As the oarsmen of DUBC break for the Christmas holidays and prepare for their training camps in Seville and Cappoquinn in the New Year, we follow on last week’s look at the DUBC crews who were travelled to race in the US in 1876 with a review of one of the races they took part in on that tour against Trinity College, Cambridge in September of that year (Note: Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader to view).

December 10th, 2007
In order to provide some insight into the vast and glorious history of the Boat Club for oarsmen and friends of DUBC who check this website, I will be adding something of interest relating to the Club’s past or its former members every Monday. So, watch this space! I begin by including a link to a New York Times article dated June 24th, 1876. The article sheds some light on the early days of the Boat Club and the rivalry that existed with the older Rowing Club, as both clubs prepared to send crews to the Centennial Regatta in Philadelphia that year. It also gives a sketch of training conditions at the old club in Ringsend. (Note: This article requires Adobe Acrobat Reader to view). -gcm

December 4th, 2007
DUBC will once again have its annual Christmas Commons in the Trinity Dinning Hall on the 13th of December, with reception to follow. All those attending are to meet at 6pm sharp on the steps of the dinning hall for the annual photo. Dress is strictly black tie. All current members are encouraged to attend. There are also tickets available for those past members who wish to join us for the traditional DUBC Christmas cheer. Tickets are available from this Wednesday in Boat Club Rooms, 17.0.01, between 12 and 6. The price is 50 euro, which includes both the meal and reception. -gcm

November 20th, 2007
The latest issue of Trinity News has two articles of interest for current and past Boat Club members, which can now be viewed online.
In the first, you can read Rob Swift’s review of DUBC’s recent performance at the London Fours Head.
In the second article, the Admiral interviews James Lindsay-Fynn, discussing his rowing career at Trinity and its impact on his recent World Championship success. -gcm

November 2nd, 2007
London Fours Head:
DUBC will race the Fours Head on the tideway tommorrow. The Senior squad has been split into a coxless Four of Osborne, MacDonald, Tindal, and Calnan and a Quad of Doherty, Hevernan, Kerlin, and Swift for the event. Any London based Old Boys are encouraged to come out and cheer for both boats. -gcm

October 30th, 2007
The Admiral would like to apologize to Maria Duneava, who received Junior Colours, but whose name was absent from the list of Colours posted on this website. -gcm

October 30th, 2007
DUBC Massacre
The annual Boat Club Massacre will take place tommorow, Weds the 31st of October. The evening will kick off in the Pav at 7. Tickets are on sale today and tommorow in the Arts Block -gcm

October 26th, 2007
Last night, DUBC held its Annual General Meeting. The following officers were elected for 2008-
Captain: Joseph Calnan
Vice-Captain: Timoth Harnedy
Hon Secretary: Alexander Floyd
Hon Treasurer: James Byrne
House and Grounds: Stephen Friel
John Aiken was also elected for another three year term as Chairman of the Long Term Committee.
In addition, the Club also adopted its new 5 year strategic plan, a copy of which will remain in Boat Club rooms for perusal by any member, current or past. Thanks were extended to Tim Coote for his amazing work in developing the plan.
Colours were also awarded by the outgoing Captain. They are as follows:
Novice-
Donal Finnerty, Paul Dunphy, James Byrne, Nick Kenny, Richard Mulligan, Graham Melia, Peter Mckenna, Tom Ormond, Cormac Carty, Sophia Ward
Junior-
Jools Hand, Kevin Cunningham, Brendan Guildea, Gerard Duffy, Michael Daly.
Senior-
Joseph Finbar John Calnan
Eoghan Gerard Kerlin
Rory William Horner
Edward John Roffe-Silvester
David Brian Cummins
Herny Francis Nicholas Tindal
Eoin Patrick MacDonald
Sean Martin Osborne
Gavin James Doherty
Robert Anthony James Swift
John Jospeh McCabe
Gabriel Clay Magee

October 24th, 2007
The Annual General Meeting of the Dublin University Boat Club will be held tommorow, Thursday the 25th of November 2007. The meeting is scheduled to take place at 5.15pm in the Hamilton Building, lecture theatre 3, the Panoz Institute. Attendance by all members, current and past, is encouraged as incoming Captain Joe Calnan’s generosity knows no bounds and he is sure to buy a round for all who attend. -gcm

October 16th, 2007
This past weekend saw the official start to the rowing season as the senior squad took part in the annual Dublin Sculling Ladder in Islandbridge. All returning oarsmen were encouraged to participate and the results show that the focus that head coach Pattison has placed on single sculling is paying off, with Guildea(joint 9th place), Doherty (joint 13th place), and even last year’s cox Magee (joint 17th) placing in the top 20. Interestingly, these three beat all the returning oarsmen from last year’s Senior 8 including Calnan, Swift, Kerlin, MacDonald, Laird, and Osborne, in that order. This is a particularly good result for Guildea, who now appears set to make a legitmate challenge for a place in a top boat after being dropped from the second 8 at the Champs last year. Doherty should also be encouraged, as three years of dedication are begining to pay off and he should consider himself a contender for a place in this year’s top 8. Also, well done to ex Captain Andrew Coleman, wearing the Ultramarine and Old Gold of Lady Elizabeth, who placed fourth overall just 3 secs behind Irish squad member Eugene Coakley. Full results can be viewed at the IARU website. -gcm

October 16th, 2007
Read about DUBC’s performance at Henley and Champs in the latest issue of Trinity News.

October 8th, 2007
ATTENTION: ALL NEW NOVICES OR ANYONE THAT WOULD STILL LIKE TO JOIN THE BOAT CLUB
Groups B and C will meet outside the sports center at 6pm. Please be ready to train and in appropriate kit (shorts and runners, etc). If you are not sure of your group, come down along to the sports center at 6 and we’ll sort you out. -gcm

October 4th, 2007
ATTENTION: All New Members
The tour of the boathouse is tommorow. We’re going to meet in Front Arch at 1pm. Anyone is welcome, brings your friends. You’ll get a chance to meet the coaches and check out the boats and gym. Plus, we’ll also be running our erg competition, so you can even win a cash prize to buy a few pints for your new found friends during the pub crawl after the tour!
If you can’t make it Friday, we’ll be meeting again Saturday at 1pm in Front Arch to go down to the boathouse for the first introductory session in the boats, so just come along then with a pair of shorts and runners. -GCM

October 1st, 2007
FRESHERS WEEK
It’s the start of another season all ready. Don’t miss your chance to join DUBC this year, stop by our stand in Front Square all week. Plus, take a shot at the erg competition, it’s open to all new members. Whoever pulls the fastest time over 100m wins forty euro!! -gcm

September 3rd, 2007
World Rowing Championships, Munich
Yesterday, in the final of the World Rowing Championships former DUBC Captain James Lindsay-Fynn and British Lightweight 4- came through a field of strong competitors to claim the title of World Champions in a thrilling performance. With this win they have firmly established their presence at the highest level of International rowing, certainly marking them as one of the best crews in the world and placing them among the leading contenders for the ultimate prize, an Olympic Gold medal. Congratulations to him on such an amazing achievement. According to the DUBC reporter on the scene in Munich, D.B. Cummins, the race was “pure class” as GB were behind at the halfway point, though all crews were quite close. Cummins could barely contain himself as he phoned in from the winners podium where the medals were being presented. He described how the GB 4- just kept pushing harder and harder in the last thousand meters until they gained the lead coming into the finish. Despite the Herculian effort already laid down, they then found some untapped reserve of energy that their competitors had no answer for as they sprinted for the line and won the race by a quarter of a length. Certainly, a great performance for the ex-DUBC oar and one that all DUBC members, current and past, should be proud of. We wish him the best of luck as he prepares for the ultimate sporting contest, the Olypmics. Well done James and good luck -GCM

September 1st, 2007
World Rowing Championships, 2007. Munich
James Lindsay-Fynn and the GB LW4- continued their succesful run in Munich yesterday with a strong performance. They placed first in their semi-final which also saw them competing against the Irish Lightweight 4, who came sixth. Next up for James is the A final on Sunday where they face China, Italy, France, Canada, and Denmark. Meanwhile, the Irish 4 will race the B final where they can still qualify for the Olympics. Best of luck to both crews. Also in attendance at these Championships are Senior DUBC oarsmen Cummins and Kerlin who I had hoped would be able to provide live updates of all the racing action. However, it would appear that the pair has yet to find the racing course, best of luck to both of them as well -GCM

August 27th, 2007
World Cup World Rowing Championships 2007, Munich
Current GB oarsmen and former DUBC Captain James Lindsay-Fynn progressed through the heat today in the Men’s Lightweight Four in Munich. The four, which lead all the way to finish ahead of Germany and Russia, will next race on Wednesday in the Quarterfinals. His Four has had a very succesful year and we wish him luck in the last event of the season. Further results from Munich are available here atWorldRowing.com

July 13th, 2007
Henley has come and gone and once again there were many positives for DUBC. The Senior 4+ had a very gritty race into heavy flow against a bigger Colgate University 4 in the first round and, after leading by a length at the barrier, could not maintain that lead and overcome the disadvantage of the current and went out in the first round on Weds by 1/2 length. This is a slim margin, considering that some pundits where gauging the effect of the flow anywhere from 1 to 2 lengths for an 8. The crew all agreed that it was the best row they had had in their short time together and give full respect to the strenght of Colgate.
Unfortunately, it was this very same University that was to end the Senior 8s run this year as well. It is a shame that two small Universities should have to battle it out with each other, but the fact that they were both able to field a strong squad of Senior oarsmen is a credit to the strength of both Boatclubs. After two comfortable wins on Weds and Thurs, the Trinity men had their first test on Friday against Colgate. As in the 4+ Colgate had the advantage of the Berks station and the flow, which, due to the massive amount of rain this year, was unusually strong. Being well rested, the men in Black and White went off the start with their usual vigor, only to find that it took everything in their power to pull them level into that current. At this stage, Colgate seemed to move away without any extra effort. However, as the flow shifted into our favor, the Trinity men rowed strongly and narrowed the gap. Coming through the Steward’s Enclosure, however, that meandering current that is such a unique part of the Henley course once again favored Colgate and Trinity knew that they would need un unbelievable wind to turn the tide. However, it was too much to ask of a crew who had given everything in the heroic battle early in the race, and they were not able to move through the strong Colgate crew as they have done to so many Irish crews this year. Fair play to Colgate for an excellent race.
Still, while this years 8 where dissapointed not to make it past Friday, we must not forget that no other Irish University was even represented in an 8 at Henley. There are many positives to take away from this strong performance and these will stand out more and more as the slightly bitter taste of dissapointment fades into memory. They are a strong crew, no doubt one of the best DUBC crews in recent memory. They built on last years success and have gone on to win at Senior level all year. The 8 is faster than last year. They have medalled at Gent, twice. They are all dedicated oarsmen who have unselfishly sacrificed for the pride of DUBC all year. I am personally proud to have rowed with them all, well done to every one. The focus now shifts to the Irish Rowing Championships in Cork. DUBC has entered Senior, Intermediate, and Novice 8 as well as Senior and Novice 4+. We also have both a Novice and Intermediate 1x entered. The main focus will be the Senior 8 on Saturday, and the Novice 8 today. Good luck to all crews -GCM

July 1st, 2007
On Friday evening, the Trinity second 8 attempted to qualify for this year’s Temple Challenge Cup. This 8 is comprised mostly of our novice squad, who are in Henley trying to stay sharp in preperation for the Novice Championships. However, because two members of that crew are in the Senior 8 and because other less dedicated oarsmen have abandoned the club when it needs them the most, they were short of the full requirement needed in order to row. Luckily, Ali Floyd was present and volunteered to row. This left one open spot to be filled. It dawned on Novice Coach John Mohan that the Captain and cox of the Prince Albert four was eligible to row, and, was not unfamiliar with the rowing stroke, having only switched to coxing after rowing the two years previous. Grudginly, the ultra-light agreed to sacrifice for the crew and eat a few meals in order to prepare for his first sweep race of the season!! If the 8 was succesful in the qualifier, it would put the Captain in the rare position of coxing and rowing in two seperate events at Henley. However, it was not meant to be. The 8 got off to an extrememly fast start and hit their target rate of 36 and we’re flying past the barrier when the strong winds and a loose rudder, plus perhaps some questionable steering, brought the boat too close to the booms, causing blades to smack of the marker posts. The middles four did their best to carry on while stroke and 2 put their blades back in their gates and the 8 was back moving as fast as possible, but the damage had been done. When the times were posted, Trinity ‘B’ missed out on qualifying by 3 secs. No doubt, without the incident, they would have qualified easily, but some things are not meant to be and it will allow those oarsmen to refocus themselves on their true goal- the Novice pot, while also allowing the Prince Albert 4 to focus on its task this week. -GCM

July 1st, 2007
The draw for Henley has been done and is now available to download online here at the HRR website. In the Temple Challenge Cup, Trinity College ‘A’ will face off against Lady Margaret, Cambridge. The 8 have been training well and are confident that they are well prepared for this race. Meanwhile, in the Prince Albert Challenge Cup, the Trinity 4+ will be up against Colgate University ‘A’ (USA). Colgate ‘A’ were in action yesterday at Reading Town Regatta with mixed results, loosing to Rochester Institute of Technology (USA) in one event while beating their own ‘B’ crew in another. Also, in the Prince Albert, ex-Trinity oarsmen Kevin Devlin will be racing for his new institution, the University of British Columbia. Not much is known about his crew, but they face a strong Durham four in the first round, so we will see rather quickly whether or not they are up to scratch. -GCM

June 24th, 2007
The oarsmen of DUBC will bid farewell to Irish waters and make their way to (hopefully) calmer waters tommorow in Henley as they begin their final preperations for the HRR this year. Any and all old boys and friends are welcome to come down and support the crew as they take part in the long standing DUBC tradition of training on the waters at Henley before that major event. This year we have 12 Senior oarsmen entered in two events- the top 8 in the Temple Challenge Cup and the top 4 in the Prince Albert. We also have a strong contingent of Novice oarsmen who will be joining us in England in order to prepare for their run at the Novice pot in three weeks time. We look forward to seeing you there. -GCM

June 11th, 2007
Last Saturday DUBC took part in the now annual Lomac Tiles University Boat Race on the river Lagan, competing against Queen’s University. Much like last year, the weather was absolutely brilliant on the day and this only added to the excellent atmosphere of the event created by Jim McMullen and Lomac Tiles.
Once again, the Trinity men were primed for an excellent day of racing and they did not dissapoint. The first race for the men was the reserve race, though in fact it is exclusively for first year novices. Having suffered defeat at the Gannon, only those first year oars truly dedicated to DUBC had perservered by this stage. With such an excellent crew of second year novices this year, the first year crew knew that this day would be the highlight of their season and they were well prepared for it by coach Ali Floyd. Unlike last year, they learned their lesson from the loss to UCD at the Gannon and had trained tirelessly with this day in mind. Their efforts were not to be dissapointed. The Novice men went off the start ahead and never relinqueshed their lead, coming home over a length ahead of their northern counterparts. They rowed well and it is agreed that there is much potential in the crew for next year, we look forward to seeing them all back again in the fall.
The Senior 8s race was the last event of the day. After watching the senior women of DULBC win their race, to the delight of their coach, ex-Trinity captain Andrew Coleman, the Trinity men took to the water with full confidence that they would equal that feat. After having the better of the Queen’s men throughout the year, it would take a herculian effort to overcome the crew in black and white at this stage of the year. But this did not deter the men of the Lagan, especially in front of their home crowd. With the first bend in their favor, Queens went off the start like men possesed, hoping to maximize their advantage and put Trinity on the backfoot. After a few dodgy strokes, the Trinity men settled into a rhythm and maintained their cool. They executed coach Mark Pattison’s race plan with razor sharp precision. Having weathered Queen’s onslaught, they had negated the Queen’s advantage by 50 strokes and just continued to pull away down the course, increasing their cover with each stroke. QUBBC put up a valiant effort, but the Trinity men continued to slip away and, with the last bend to their favor, they pushed through to the finish ahead of Queens by a 2 length margin. It must be said that both crews rowed well and while Trinity had the advantage this year, we can be sure that it will only provide more fuel for the QUBBC fire for next. This year would have been a clean sweep for the Trinity crews had it not been for an unfortunate crab in the novice ladies event by next year’s captain elect, a mere 100 meters from the line! This gave Queens one vistory on the day and perhaps helped ease the pain of their other defeats. Well done to Queens and a huge thank you to all the Trinty and Queen’s supporters who turned out on the day, including the Lord Mayor of Belfast and the college Secretary, Michael Gleeson. Lastly, thanks again to Lomac Tiles and Jim McMullen who have made this event possible. Each year, the event is bigger and better and I hope that it will continue to be a highlight of the Trinity rowing calendar for years to come. -GCM

June 7th, 2007
On Saturday 2nd Blessington lake played host to Dublin Metropolitan Regatta.
DUBC entered three crews in the Senior VIIIs event, making up a whopping half of the field, and a Novice VIII comprised of first-year oars.
In the Senior VIIIs final, DUBC A raced strongly to take the pennant by three lengths, whilst DUBC B secured second place, putting Commercial Rowing Club and Belfast Rowing Club to the sword in the final 500m. St Michael’s and DUBC C completed the field. This 1-2 further shows the depth of talent that Coaches Pattison and Mohan have been developing this season.
In a potential preview of the Novice Lomac Tiles race on the 9th June, the DUBC 1st-year Novice boat beat QUBBC B, but both Senior and Novice Queen’s crews will have the luxury of home water on Saturday, so both encounters should prove exciting.
Your support is encouraged on the banks of the Lagan this Saturday, as per the timetable below.
RJAS

May 26th, 2007
It is with great regret that the Club announces the passing of one of its’ most cherised members, Vice-President Dr. Norman Furlong. Norman passed away in his sleep last night, the 25th of May. Those who know him best know that he had been ill for some time, though he continued to live his life with the same toughness and temerity that characterized his rowing.

During his time in the club, Norman was recognized as an excellent oar who, after demonstrating his potential in the Senior 8 as a replacement, maintained his seat there and was eventually promoted to the stroke seat of the top boat. After a succesful rowing career, he left Trinity with a degree in Medicine and opened a large and succesful practice as a GP in Athlone. He further served his community through his longstanding involvement with the Waterways Ireland program. He also continued to support the Boat Club, not only by becoming a Vice-President, but by opening his home at Coosan Point each year to the Trinity crews competing in Athlone Regatta. No doubt many Trinity oarsmen have fond memories of the hospitality he and his wife showed the Club year after year. He will certainly be missed.

Norman is survived by his wife, Rosemary, and son, Alan. A memorial service will be held this Thursday, May 31st in Athlone, though specific details are tba. Condolences may be sent to- Rosemary Furlong, Coosan Point, Athlone, Westmeath.

May 23rd, 2007
This past Monday, the Captain of the Club travelled to Belfast in order to meet the Captain of QUBBC for the annual challenge for the Lomac Tiles University Boat Race, which will be held June 9th on the Queen’s University Boathouse.

As the media assembled, the two Captains stood face to face and the Queens man challenged the Trinity man to “bring nine good men and true” to the Lagan on the day to row over the 2112m course. The Trinity Captain unflinchingly accepted the challenge, setting the stage for another battle between the two clubs for the Lomac Tiles trophy.

Last year was a brilliant event, with support from both Universities, as well as the Lord Mayor of Belfast. This year is should be no different and we hope that all Old Boys and friends of the Club will come out and support us on the June 9th, especially those in the Belfast area.

May 23rd, 2007
A Schedule of Events
LOMAC TILES UNIVERSITY BOAT RACE 9TH JUNE 2007

Race Day Schedule:

11.30am All Universities at QUBBC in LOMAC kit

11.30am MCB & RBAI Junior 16 Race

12.15pm MCB & PBC Girls Race

12.30pm Guests arrive, champagne and canapé reception

1.00pm MCB & RBAI Junior 18 Race

1.00pm Toss for Stations (3 x tosses)

1.45pm Novice Women Race

2.30pm Novice Men Race

2.45pm Senior Women crews launch (with commentary)

3.15pm Senior Women Race

3.30pm Senior Men crews launch (with commentary)

4.00pm Senior Men Race

4.30pm Presentation of medals and trophy (all races)

5.00pm Food / drinks served in marquee

6.30pm Event finishes

May 19th, 2007
Captain’s Election-
Last night the annual EGM for the election of next year’s Captain of DUBC was held at the Boathouse in Islandbridge. The meeting was chaired by President Robin Tamplin, with Captain Gabriel Magee present and Admiral Ed Roffe-Silvester acting as Secretary. Also in attendance were Vice-President and former Captain Donagh McDonagh, who agreed to count the votes, as well as LTC Chairmen John Aiken, Head Coach Mark Pattison, and Assistant Coach and ex-Captain John Mohan.
The Captain’s Election seems to continually provide some sort of controversy or excitement in recent years, but this year saw four strong candidates put themselves forward for the coveted position who all seemed to have a thorough respect for each other, which eased the tension somewhat. Also, with his Honor present to count the votes, surely no one could question the honesty of the nights precedings. For once, the election seemed set to be a rather tame affair.
However, the natural order of things at DUBC was put right when, just as the meeting was about to be called to order, mother nature reared her ugly head and unleashed a series of gusts that would intimidate any sane rower. This caused a stir among the 31 oarsmen that were there to vote on the night, as well as those supporters gathered in attendance, who all rushed to the windows just in time to see a launch that had been left too close to the weir (heretofore known as Rosie II) being carried out into the Liffey. While most looked on in shock, agile oarsmen Brendan Guildea proved to be a man of action and boldly braved the cold Liffey water in an attempt to catch the craft before it went over the weir. His efforts were in vain, however, and the boat slid over the edge just out of his grasp. Luckily, it became safely stuck just below and, after an Expeditionary Force led by the Admiral determined that it was secure for the moment, the decision was made to rescue it after the important business at hand was settled.
Thus, the meeting was called to order and went off without a hitch. J.F. Calnan was elected to the position of Captain for the next season. Having the business of the evening settled, the meeting was ajourned and the Rosie II was hauled back up over the weir without any damage done. Congratulations to Joseph Calnan on his election and well done to all the candidates. -GCM

May 19th, 2007
Some good photos from Trinity Regatta are available at the Coaching Ireland website, located under the Rowing section here. Thanks to Paddy Doran for the link.

May 16th, 2007
Gent, Belgium- DUBC does the double.
The DUBC Senior squad travelled to Gent this past weekend to compete in the 29th International Belgian Championships held on Saturday May 12th and the 88th Gent International Regatta on May 13th hosted by KRSG. After a dissapointing race at Trinity Regatta, the crew had re-focused their energy with these races in mind and had much to prove, so they went into the weekend with high expectations, while at the same time aware that the level of competition would be much higher than anything faced yet this season. Those expectations were met and more than surpassed however, as the ten oarsmen and coach returned to Dublin with a medal from each day, making it the best Trinity result in Gent ever.
The squad arrived on Friday after a very early start to build the boat and have a quick paddle, before getting to bed early for the heat at half 10 on Saturday. We arrived at the course rested and ready to row, regardless of the strong tailwind that greeted us. These conditions made for fast times as DUBC pushed through their heat in a time of 5:58.13, beating Agecroft, Oxford Brookes, and the French crew Gravelines US Aviron. This put DUBC into the final with the faster Brookes crew who had already dispatched Moseley, St. Michaels, and a Belgian National Team 8. Leander also won their heat, while Osnabrucker RV from Germany made the final as the fastest loser.
The conditions were still windy and overcast as Trinity, Oxford Brookes, Leander, and Osnabrucker lined up for the final. It was a quick start and all the crews were in the thick of it over the first 250, fighting for positions. Osnabrucker began to distance themselves, however, leaving Trinity to battle it out with Brookes and Leander. These three stayed locked in battle through the middle of the course until all the crews began to sense the finish line and Trinity began their wind. As the rate climbed, the men in black and white began to build a frenetic energy that saw them edge into the Brookes lead while battling tooth and nail with Leander. The last 50 strokes saw the Trinity men go a bit mad to sustain their lead over a tough Leander crew and they crossed the line unsure of the exact finishing order. As the lactic began to pool in their legs and the deep breathes began to ease air back into tired lungs, the announcement echoed down the course that DUBC had done enough to hold of the charge of the pink hippos by the slimmest of margins and take the bronze medal! The final order was Osnabrucker- 5:53.51, Oxford Brookes- 5:56.94, DUBC 5:59.83, Leander Club- 6:00.22. The crew went home happy and tired to prepare for the next day.
Sunday saw DUBC in action once again against stiff competition. This time, however, the crew was shuffled slightly to allow Laird and Doherty a chance to race, as the bow pair of Cummins and Swift from Saturday’s crew stepped out. This gave Coach Pattison a chance to test a different combination, as well as the fitness of returning oarsmen Laird. He was not to be dissapointed. Due to an earlier start, the DUBC crew went into the heat slightly lethargic and, although they were in the thick of it off the start and built up a commanding 3/4 l. lead over London Rowing Club, they slipped during the middle of the race and allowed London back into it just after halfway. Clearly, it was a race between London and DUBC, as Henley RC were not able to keep pace. However, after London were able to battle back when Trinity took their foot off the gas, they used that momentum to power through to the finish and pip the boys in black and white at the post. This was obviously dissapointing, but Trinity’s quick time saw them into the final as the fastest loser and they were spoiling for revenge. The wind had changed to a headwind by the time of the final and Trinity knew the times would not be as quick as the day before when they lined up on the start against KR Sport Gent, Agecroft, London, and a bigger, stronger Leander boat. They knew their speed was good from the heat times, but also knew that there could be no mental lapses this time, especially in mid race pace. After a long weekend, the Trinity men had six more minutes of work to do and they knew it had to be the six hardest of their lives if they wanted to keep up with Leander and settle the score with London. As the umpire signalled the start, the Trinity men were, as the standing orders dictate, like dogs off the leash. All the crews were neck and neck through the first 20 strokes, although Leander might have been a seat up. After stern preparation, the Trinity men knew they needed to be decisive and when the call came, they pushed on and began to move through London RC. As ex-Lizzie man and London cox Tim Jackson urged his crew on to battle back just past the half way point, memories of the heat came flooding back and always vocal 7 man Kerlin shouted out to his crewmates a stern warning not to “let London back in this one!”. Cox Magee wholeheartedly agreed that half a length up was no place to rest and called for another push. As the 8 men from Dublin University began to put the pressure on, the London crew began to slip from sight as first their four seat, then their three man disappeared from the periphery. A weekend of shouting from the bank had taken its toll on Coach Mark Pattison and his instructions had to be reckognized through the Chair as John Aiken urged the men on in his stead. It was at this stage that the strong Leander crew began to see Black and White creeping into their comfortable lead as the distance between themselves and Trinity began to diminish under the strained efforts of that almighty push. But the home team was not to be outdone and the boys from KRSG upped their rate and started charging for the line, urged on by a large crowd of home supporters following the race on bikes. Trinity started its wind up earlier than usual, leaving no room for doubt, as the three leading crews all took the rate over 40 for the last few hundred meters, with Londong trying their best to get back into medal contention. By the line, Leander(6:09.73) had responded well to the Trinity(6:12.68) push and were able to win by almost a length. Sport Gent(6:13.38), while closing the gap, didn’t have enough gas in the tank to match the Trinity wind up lead by stroke Calnan and finished half a length off the men in black and white. London RC(6:15.82) finished in fourth, about a length off Trinity, which took some of the sting out of the loss in the heat. Agecroft(6:24.57) rowed well, but were off the pace in fifth place and one wonders if they will now give former Trinity man O’Neill the shot in their 8 that his long, hard training seems to deserve.
Regardless, after crossing the line the Trinity men were ecstatic to stand beside the men of Leander on the winners podium and receive their medals. They knew they had rowed well and exceeded all expectations for the weekend and there was no shame in coming second and just a length behind such a strong and experienced crew. The fact that the Leander cox congratualted them on a ‘hell of a push at the 1250′ meant almost as much to the tired oarsmen as the silver medals that they now wore, but the highlight had to be the seal of approval by Coach Pattison as he bought the crew one (and only one!) round for a job well done.
While the coach and squad are all pleased with this performance against some top notch competitors, they know that the season is far from over. While the crew has many positives to take away from this weekend, they also now know the level of crews that they are going to be up against come July, and the work that must be done between now and then. Hopefully, the sweet taste of success will only serve to whet the appetites of the squad rather than satiate the hunger that will drive them on to victory in Henley. They now know what is possible, but must be aware that it is only possible if boat speed and dedication increase over the next 6 weeks. -GCM

Gent Crews-
Sat-
Cummins (Bow)
Swift
Macdonald
Tindal
Horner
Roffe-Silvester
Kerlin
Calnan (stroke)
Magee (cox)

Sun-
Macdonald (bow)
Doherty
Laird
Tindal
Horner
Roffe-Silvester
Kerlin
Calnan (stroke)
Magee (cox)

May 16th, 2007
Attention all members-
An EGM will be held this Friday, May 18th at 6:15 in the Boathouse at Islandbridge for the purpose of electing the next Captain of DUBC. Nominations are as follows:
J.F. Calnan
R.J.A. Swift
H.F. Tindal
G. Connors
M.F. Daly

May 4th, 2007
Attention all members- The nominations for the election of the next Captain of DUBC are now open. Anyone who wishes to run for the coveted position may sign their name to the sheet in front arch, along with the names of those who agree to propose and second the candidate. Nominations will remain open until 7pm next Friday, the 11th of May. After this time, the nominations will be closed in order to allow them to be displayed for one week prior to the election, on May 18th, in accordance with the regulations set forth Article 15 of the DUBC Constitution. Good luck to all potential candidates. -GCM

May 1st, 2007
1/5/2007-
This past weekend saw some of the best and brightest crews from both Islandbridge and the UK take to the Liffey for Trinity Regatta. On the water, the event was a mixed success for DUBC as the Novice Eight continued its domination by avenging the loss to UCD at Queens Regatta with another convincing win over their A boat. The event had a wide entry as crews from Hughes Hall, Cambridge, as well as Thames Rowing Club came over to compete. The final of the novice eights event saw Trinity beat Thames convincingly, though it should be noted that Thames performed very well, as it was only their first race of the season! The novice eight then squared off against a bit tougher competition in Intermediate Eight final against a more experienced UCD crew. They rowed well but where unable to overcome them in the end, though it is clear that they are now rowing above novice level and could be competitive at intermediate by the end of the year.
The DUBC Senior Eight did not fair as well, losing a tough race to a good Commercial crew in the heat, setting up an all Commercial final. However, in the end, Commercial’s second Eight chose not to row…perhaps a testament to the strength of that top boat which was comrpised wholly of senior oarsmen, with a few ex-internationals thrown in for good measure. DUBC also welcomed back senior oarsmen Paul Laird, who is returning to the mix after over a year off. He raced in the Senior Four with the Admiral Roffe-Silvester, stroke Eoghan Kerlin, and a big bow man in the shape of Rory Horner. However, the combination, having only one previous spin together, was also not able to overcome a Commercial boat. Again, valuable lessons were hopefully learned by the men of DUBC as they now turn their focus on Gent and, ultimately, Henley.
Off the water, the Regatta was an absolute success, as the Irish weather decided to co-operate and provided a lovely day. A large crowd of spectators were in attendance and the Regatta luncheon and tea were also well attended. The highlight of the luncheon this year was the speech by the special guest on the day, the American Ambassador and former Harvard oarsmen, Thomas C. Foley. Many thanks to the hard work put in by the Regatta Committee again this year, as well as all the friends of DUBC who made this possible. Hopefully, this success can be bulit upon for next year.
The attention of the club now turns towards Gent, were the top Eight will be selected to compete on both the 12th and 13th of May.

April 27th, 2007
Read the latest club news in Trinity News: UCD losers again as rowers set their sights on Henley Regatta and
Trinity take top prize at Queen’s Regatta

April 26th, 2007
Just a reminder to all our supporters that Trinity Regatta will be held this Saturday, April 28th. This year, in addition to crews from around Ireland, there will be crews from both Hughes Hall, Cambridge as well as Thames Rowing Club taking part in the event. The regatta starts at 10am with racing throughout the day, culminating in the Men and Women’s Senior Eights events, taking place at 18:05 and 18:00, respectively. The weather looks to be good and surely it will be another brilliant day for both rowers and spectators. Hope to see you there – GCM

April 23rd, 2007
This past friday saw the University Championships return to Castlewellan after last years races were held in Limerick. DUBC had its sights set on the Wylie Cup with Eights entered at Novice, Intermediate, and Senior. However, because of a tight racing schedule, the decision was made that the Novice A boat would not race the Intermediate level as initially planned. This left them well rested for their Novice race, which they won convincingly over the only serious competition, UCD A, to become University Champions. This meant that the Wylie Cup would be determined by the Senior Eights event, which saw DUBC matched up against UCD, Queens, and Galway. Having bested UCD and Queens convincingly up to this point, the Trinity men felt the race would ultimately come down to a dogfight between themselves and NUIG. It was a bit of a shock then when we were taken off the start by the three other crews. However, by the 500 meter mark Trinity and NUIG had left the other two crews behind and were locked in battle with NUIG holding Trinity at bay at about 3/4 of a length. We were able to close that distance to half a length by the finish, but no more. The poor start on the short course, as well as clean and controlled rowing by Galway, proved too much to overcome on the day and allowed Galway to once again retain the Wylie Cup. Coach Mark Pattison was encouraged by the result, however, as it shows us the improvements made from last season, as well as indicates the work that still needs to be done. -GCM

April 23rd, 2007
This weekend also saw DUBC in action at Queens Regatta on the lake at Castlwellan on Saturday. Once again, we entered our novice A squad in both Novice and Intermediate categories in the Eight in order that they might gain some valuable racing experience against some tougher competition. We also had a Novice B Eight entered to race, comprised mostly of first year novice oarsmen. The Novice B squad did not make it out of their heat, but they rowed hard and finished half a length down on Queens B, which sets up an interesting rivalry that will no doubt be renewed at this years Lomac Tiles Boat Race. The Novice A boat raced brilliantly all day, winning their novice heats comfortably as well as qualifying for the final of the Inter Eights. This put three Trinity Eights into the finals at Novice, Inter, and Senior. Meanwhile, the Senior squad had decided to put their training in sculls to good use and had entered 6 of its members in the intermediate singles category, as well as splitting into two quads for the inter 4x, while cox Gabriel Magee competed in the novice single event. Two of the scullers were able to make it through the heats out of the large field of inter singles into the final, where ex-Trinity Captain Stewart King was able to overcome DUBC’s Rob Swift in the last 200 meters while at the same time holding off Rory Horner’s late charge to win the event for UCD. A short time later, the quads where in action, but neither of the two boats could overcome a more experienced Commercial 4x in that final.
Because of some tight scheduling, the Trinity men had to go directly from the 4x final into the 8. However, the tired bodies were bolstered by oarsmen Sean Osborne who is back from his year in Russia for a brief visit home and was keen to prove that he has indeed been training in that frozen environment. He slotted into the 5 seat for the race, with novice oarsmen Tindal and Macdonald replacing the admiral, Roffe-Silvester, and John McCabe from the previous days line-up. With the new line-up in the boat the Thomas Dudeney quickly made its way to the start for the final of the Senior Eight event against last years rivals from Inniscarra, BRC, as well as UCD. Determined not to make the same mistake twice, the men of DUBC had a much quicker start. However, BRC were spoiling for a fight and were able to get off a half length ahead, while UCD were quickly outpaced. Once again Trinity found themselves behind on 1500 meter course. BRC, fresh and well rested, took advantage of the tired DUBC oarsmen and pushed their advantage to a length with only 500 meters to go. The Trinity men seemed to be fading fast, with call after call searching for the push that would bring them level failing to produce the result. However, we were far from done and as the rate was called ‘up 2′ for the final wind to the finish line, Trinity experienced that magical moment where everyone in the boat acts as one and the boat began to move. As I assured the crew that we were finally gaining, stroke Joe Calnan looked over his shoulder for proof of this. Upon seeing that it was indeed true and with the course quickly running out, he took the rate up into the upper 40′s over the space of a few strokes and, miraculously, 7 man Eoghan Kerlin was some how able to go with him. The rest of the crew responded in kind as the rate climbed into the stratosphere, with the encouragement from the coxes seat that there were only five stokes left and they needed to be the hardest. Both crews crossed the line with neither one clear who had won, but with mutual respect both gave the other three cheers and waited for the official announcement. There was a palpable sensation of disbelief when it was announced that men in Black and White had come out ahead, simply because of the margin between the crews at the 500 meter mark. The smile on President Robin Tamplin’s face was enough to assure the crew that they had done enough and his high praise for stroke Joe Calnan’s final sprint was especially rewarding, considering Robin’s reputation for reeling crews in. I suspect that it may have been slightly reminiscent of his own famous ‘long haul back from Remenham’ in the Ladies. The final verdict in this case, however, was only 6 inches!
The only downside to this fantastic race was that it put enormous strain on both Tindal and Macdonald, who had to get directly out of the Senior Eight and into the Novice Eight for their next final. After a long day of racing at both Novice and Intermediate, there simply was not enough left in the tank for the Trinity men to overcome UCD and they lost the Novice Eight category. However, it must be remembered that they had consistent success over a long weekend of racing and gained very valuable experience. While they did lose that final race, they will no doubt be that much more primed to exact their revenge at Trinity Regatta this Saturday. Hope to see you there. GCM

April 17th, 2007
Regatta season officially commenced for the oarsmen of DUBC this past weekend with both Neptune and Commercial Regattas taking place on the 14th and 15th of April, respectively. DUBC entered a Novice A and Novice B crew on both days.
On Saturday, the Novice B crew, composed mostly of first year novices, had a tough draw in the first round against a much more experienced UCD A crew. Undaunted, they rowed hard and were neck and neck up to the bend on the north station at Islandbridge. However, they could not maintain the speed and eventually lost the heat. The A crew, however, cruised to an easy victory over Waterford, UCD C, and Queens B before meeting UCD A in the final. They got off the start well and stormed to a two length victory to claim the Novice category.
On Sunday, the entries for the shorter course of Commercial where much smaller, essentially turning the race into a home regatta, as most of the out of town crews had departed. This time the crews were mixed a bit more between first and second year novices to test different combinations. The result, however, was much the same as the DUBC A novice 8 finished ahead of UCD B in the final by a 1 1/2 lengths, having bested UCD A in the semi-final. Again, the second Novice 8 rowed hard, but could not overcome more experienced competition. This first test shows the speed and depth of the Novice squad at this stage in the season. It also is a welcome reward for those second year novices who toiled long and hard last year without the success that they are now enjoying. The seeds planted last year are now beginning to bear fruit and will hopefully be in full bloom by July. Well done.
Although the Senior squad had hoped to race both in the singles and the 8, it was just not feasible, and so, they decided that their time would be better spent in Blessington preparing for this weekends Univerity Championships and Queens Regatta on the 20th and 21st respectively, in Castlewellan. -GCM

April 17th, 2007
Here’s a look ahead at some upcoming dates to mark on your calendar-

20/4/07- University Championships, Castlewellan Lake

21/4/07- Queen’s Regatta, Castlewellan Lake

28/4/07- Trinity Regatta, Islandbridge

12&13/5/07 – Gent International Regatta, Belgium

02/06/07- Metro Regatta, Blessington Lake

09/06/07- Lomac Tiles University Boat Race, Belfast

16/06/07- Athlone Regatta, Coosan Point

2-8/07/07- Henley Royal Regatta

13&14/07/07- Irish Rowing Championships, Inniscarra

April 12th, 2007
The Trinity Regatta prospectus for this year is now available. The regatta takes place on Saturday, April 28. Inquiries can be directed to regatta@tcd.ie.

April 2nd, 2007
This past weekend, the DUBC Senior 8 attempted to compete in the London Head of the River race. However, after only 30 crews went off, the event was cancelled due to poor weather conditions when the Leander second 8 sunk. It was, naturally, dissapointing for the crew and coach not to get to race, however, many good training sessions were had on the tideway in the days leading up to the event, so the trip was not a total loss. The Club would like to thank those Old Boys who attended the dinner in London Rowing Club again this year with the crew. We would especially like to thank Chris George and David Hickey for opening their homes to the crew during the week.
Meanwhile, back in Ireland, the first and second year novice crews were on their second training camp of the year in Cappoquin! Thanks once again to Jim Murray for his help in organizing this. Hopefully, these excursions will bear fruit shortly, as the Club now turns its attention to the upcoming Regatta season, with Neptune and Commercial Regattas up next on the 14th and 15th of April.

March 22nd, 2007
On the tenth of March, the annual Gannon Cup race was held once again. After strong performances during the Head season over UCD, the Senior 8 was a favorite to win and they did not dissapoint. UCD put in a courageous row, but were unable to seriously threaten the powerful Trinity men, who finished 2 1/2 lengths ahead. This is the second year in a row that Trinity have won the Gannon Cup and now, with that race behind them, they can focus on their next target for the season- London Head on the 31st.
The novice men were less succesful in their race and were unable to capture the Dan Quinn shield. They rowed hard, but luck was not on their side. Still, there is much potential in the crew if they remain dedicated. There was also a novice B race held above the weir earlier in the day, though they too were unsuccesful in their attempt to defeat the rivals from across the river. However, they also showed potential that is yet to be fully tapped.

March 5th, 2007
05/03/2007 This weekend, the DUBC Men’s Senior 8 travelled to the Annual Erne Head of the River. This was a special occasion, as it marked the 50th time that the event was held. It held even greater significance for the men of Trinity, who hoped to equal the feat or their predecessors from 1957 who won that first Erne Head. On the day, four members of that original crew returned to watch Trinity once again capture the Head by beating an upstart Commercial crew by 13 seconds to record the fastest time of the day at 19 mins and 3 sec.
This race also leaves the crew in a confident position heading into this Saturday’s Gannon Cup Race, due to the fact that they once again bested UCD’s top 8 (this time by a margin of over a minute). However, the crew are wary of placing too much emphasis on these results and know that there are no guarantees when racing below the weir.
This year’s first year Novice squad are also well prepared for their race next Saturday and are looking to take some of the sting out of last year’s defeat.
The Gannon Cup will be held this Saturday, March 10th at 15:15. The Dan Quinn Shield for Men’s Novice 8′s will be held at 14:25. Both start at O’Connell Bridge. We hope to see you there.

February 21st, 2007
Read about Trinity’s recent racing success in the latest issue of Trinity News.

February 19th, 2007
This weekend DUBC travelled to Belfast for the Lagan Head of the River. After a lackluster row at Neptune Head the week before, the Senior 8 felt that they had much to prove. It was also the return of native son and former QUBBC rower Eoghan Kerlin, who found himself in the stroke seat for his first return to his old stomping grounds while wearing the black and white.
Kerlin lead the crew to a strong performance, attacking the course and domintating the competition while rating a steady 32 throughout most of the race. While perhaps not a clean and tidy row, the crew proved to themselves how much potential there is still to be harnessed, crossing the line over 20 secs ahead of BRC, with QUBBC a further 10 secs back.
It was also a good day for the second year Novice crew who took their third pennant in as many races by winning the Novice category. The first year Novice crew showed their potential by placing second in the category, ahead of both UCD and QUBBC crews. This is obviously a good start to the season and bodes well for the Colours and Lomac Tiles races, though there is still much work to be done.
Next up is the Erne Head of the River. 50 years ago wooden boats were packed on trains and Trinity sent their best men north to win the first ever Erne Head of the River. In two weeks time, we will see if DUBC can once again match that feat.

February 12th, 2007
Read Trinity News’s report on Dublin Head: Senior eight misses gold at Dublin Head of the River race and the Boat Club Colours nominees at Trial Eights.