Back on the water

First weekday evening water session of the season. Very encouraging to see the four squads getting out on the water for the first time in a couple of weeks due to the easterly winds that have been stuck over the lake, along with the cold weather that is inflicting itself on all of Ireland and northern Europe. We've not had any significant snow down here but it's still below freezing most nights. We have not been as unfortunate as some, I read that Oxford had been on the Thames 7 times since Christmas, mind you they do have access to Caversham, the GB 2k training lake!
The Winter may still be with us but regattas, usually a sign of Summer are nearly here. The University Championships are on April 13th and Skibberreen Regatta the next day. Having had no real competition for months I am very impressed by the way all the athletes have stuck at it. One of the biggest advances for the 2013/14 campaign will be the inclusion of more formal internal racing at set points in the season and I hope a few private matches, developing on the excellent day we had at Trinity in December. Talking of development  the club now has it's first top end coxless four man shell, a 2010 Hudson, just 32 years younger than the club's other coxless four man shell. We await delivery of a second four in May, once these shells are in the boathouse the squad will be armed with every boat class available providing us with significantly more options than was the case in September 2012.