Fermoy Rowing Club’s Ellie O’Reilly and Gill McGirr became the the first Irish girls pair to win gold at the Coupe de la Jeunesse last Saturday at the Hazewinkel regatta course in Belgium. Having displayed their ability at the recent Irish championships, Ellie and Gill blitzed the opposition to finish almost 10 seconds ahead of Great Britain in second, with Italy crossing the finish line in third.
The pair were one of four crews on the Irish team at the Coupe de la Jeunesse, with 13 nations from around Europe competing over two days. Speaking to The Avondhu, Eolann Sheehan, Fermoy Rowing Club Captain, said the pair's successes on the water this season makes them ‘one of the most successful Junior pairs Fermoy has ever witnessed, if not the best’.
In a six-boat straight final on Saturday afternoon, Ellie and Gill lined up on the water alongside competitors from Great Britain, Italy, Belgium, Czech Republica and Spain. Leaving the blocks in third place, the Irish pair drew level with Great Britain for a share of the lead by the 250 metre mark and moved into the lead by the 500 metre mark.
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