Masters rowers from Tipperary enjoyed busman's holiday in Venice

On Sunday, May 28, 20 adult masters from Clonmel Rowing Club took part in the Vogalonga rowing event in Venice.

This event dates back to 1975 when a group of friends took part in a regatta in the lagoon and canals of Venice. The regatta took the form of a non-competitive rowing event as a way of protesting against the deterioration of the city and the adverse effects of wave motion caused by motor traffic in the lagoon.

This simple spontaneous act of indignation led to what is now known as the Vogalonga.

Clonmel Rowing Club’s participation in this event follows on from the club’s participation in the Traversee de Paris on two earlier occasions. This involved a 30k row along the Seine through the heart of the city.

Getting the boats to Venice was no easy undertaking. As well as four boats for Clonmel crews, the club’s international event co-ordinator, Tom O’Donnell, arranged for an additional four boats to be transported for four crews from ANL Rowing Club in Lisbon.

As well as the eight boats the trailer was also loaded with 64 oars, lifejackets and other essential supplies. These were towed by club members Brendan Wall and Helen McNamara on a 4,600 kilometres round trip by road and sea from Clonmel to Venice.

The 32k route started at St Mark’s Square, heading out into the Venetian Lagoon and to Burano Island, returning to Venice and heading along the Grand Canal to the finish line. This route brought the rowers past many Venetian landmarks including the iconic Rialto Bridge.

The water around this bridge was dyed green, which may have been part of a more modern day protest. This stunt hit the international headlines and the Clonmel rowers were inundated with text messages from home asking if they had anything to with this!

The event has grown over the years. This year more than 8,000 rowers of all ages from all over the world took to the water in 2,000 craft.

Clonmel Rowing Club had four touring boats taking part, each carrying a crew of five.

They were surrounded by a variety of crafts including dragon boats, gondolas, other traditional Venetian craft (on which the rowers stand up), ocean-going rowing boats, peddle boats, paddle boards, kayaks and canoes. The event created a great spectacle for those along the canal banks.

The Clonmel crews comprised rowers of varying levels of experience and the trip was entirely financed by these crews.

Patricia Mathews only took the sport up last year. She told us, “I was very apprehensive setting out but once we got going it was an amazing experience. It was the trip of a lifetime”.

CLUB LAUNCHES ITS ONLINE WEEKLY LOTTO

Clonmel Rowing Club has been a local institution in our community for an impressive 155 years. With both junior and master members, the club has fostered a love for rowing among generations and provided a platform for athletes to excel.

However, like many clubs, Clonmel Rowing Club requires support to ensure its continued success.

To meet this challenge head-on, the club has decided to launch an online lotto. We kindly ask the community to rally behind us by signing up for this exciting initiative.

By participating, you will not only have a chance to win fantastic prizes but also contribute to the club’s mission of maintaining up-to-date facilities and preserving a cherished sporting heritage.

Sign up today and show your support.