Sunday’s Skibereen Rowing Club Regatta will be the first in a new National Grand League sponsored by eFlow.  The grand league is a series of four major regattas taking place across the country over the coming months.  Almost 1,500 athletes, 300 crews and 350 boats will participate in Dublin Metropolitan, Queen’s University, Cork and Skibbereen regattas.
The League was launched last week by Minister of State Michael Ring who said  “Rowing Ireland has worked hard to develop rowing as a competitive sport in Ireland.  Over the last five years, it has received funding of over €4.6m from the Irish Sports Council, as well as €6.1m under the Sports Capital Programmes, towards the development of the National Rowing Centre in Cork.”
“Rowing Ireland is delighted to have such a prestigious sponsor as eFlow supporting our flagship regatta events,” added Frank Coghlan, acting Chief Executive of Rowing Ireland
“Participation in rowing in Ireland has been growing strongly over the past number of years and sponsorship of this nature is vital in allowing Rowing Ireland to continue its work in developing the sport and in supporting over 70 clubs and 3,000 rowers throughout the island.”
The eFlow Go Row Grand League is the first involvement the company has had with the sport.
Saturday’s English University Boat Race on the River Thames was the most controversial in history with a protester swimming between the boats lucky to escape without serious injury and the race having to be restarted before Oxford broke an oar.  To cap an afternoon of high drama one of the Oxford Crew had to be carried off to hospital at the end of the race suffering from exhaustion.
Tuesday’s other stories
Harrington’s Charity Sponsor Boost
Entries closing for Spar Great Ireland Run
Victory for the little guys at Fairyhouse