Castleconnell Boat Club to host Head of the River event this weekend

CASTLECONNELL Boat Club will host their 2024 Head of the River event this October Bank Holiday weekend.

The event, which takes place on Saturday from 9am until 3.30pm, will feature some 550 crews from 22 clubs all over Ireland.

The crews will race 3 kilometers from World's End to O'Briens Bridge in this time trial event.

This means crews will take a flying start from the boat club every 15 seconds and row up the River Shannon for 3 kilometers until the finish near the Limerick Slip at O'Brien's Bridge. Results are tracked and then posted in real time, but it isn't until all
crews in a category have finished racing that they learn whether they've won the coveted pennant for their race category.

The highlight of the day will be a special category of mixed recreational coxed quads with rowers from CriúBlu, a team of special needs athletes from Galway.

This is the first time the Castleconnell Head has offered a category like this, there will be four of these boats in the water about mid-day.

Other race categories will accommodate 8s, octuplets, 4s, quads, pairs, doubles, and single sculls; competitors will range in age from 12 to 80+. All will launch from and return to World's End.

All are welcome to the boat club to enjoy the day's racing. Loads of food and warms drinks will be available throughout the day. A parking plan is in place for the surrounding community, which includes a road closure from Charco's Pub to World's
End.

Castleconnell Boat Club is located at the World's End, Castleconnell, V94 662A.