A CREW from Dundrum Coastal Rowing Club travelled to Cork to take part in the Ocean to City An Rás Mór (The Big Race) at the weekend, taking home first place in the St Ayles Skiff category.
The An Rás Mór is Ireland’s largest multi-craft rowing and paddling race and this year had over 190 craft across different categories participating.
The crew experienced the complete gamut of Irish weather, with driving rain on the start line, large sea swell, strong winds and bright sunshine at various stages of the challenging 22km course.
With the Cork city finishing line in sight, the team, rowing their St Ayles Skiff “Mystic Wave”, powered home, cheered on by the large crowds lining the City Stage section, to finish first in their category.
This was the fifth time Dundrum Coastal Rowing Club has won this gruelling event and club chairperson Emma O’Neill commented: “Everyone in our club is delighted and proud of the team’s win.”
The award presentation was made onboard the Nao Santa María, a full-scale reproduction of the Christopher Columbus 1492 ship that was visiting the port.
County Down was well represented in Cork, with skiffs from Ardglass and Strangford also completing the race with impressive times.
