Over 400 athletes to compete at Indoor Rowing Championships this weekend

Over four hundred rowers including athletes from the United States, the UK, Germany and Italy will take part in Rowing Ireland's Indoor Championships which takes place this weekend at Trinity College's Sports Centre this Sunday 13 November.

Rowers across all age groups, from twelve to seventy, will compete in the one day event.

The two in-form athletes are Eamonn Joyce from Cork Boat Club and David Neale from UCD. Eamonn Joyce holds the current record for the fastest official Irish 2000 metre time at 5:59.3 and is making a comeback after a few years away from the sport. However UCD's David Neale is also expected to mount a strong challenge for the record. Overall the Men's Open category is dominated by entries from UCD and Trinity

Rowing Ireland Development Officer and event organiser, Lisa Hayden, says "The number of school teams has almost doubled this year with 12 schoolgirl teams and 23 schoolboy teams - some coming from as far as Kerry to take part. We also have athletes competing from the US, UK, Germany and Italy."

"Internationally, indoor rowing has moved from being a rower's rehabilitation warm-up tool to being considered as a sport in its own right which is now practiced by millions globally every week."

Rowing Ireland has introduced a new award system called Time Award Bands or TABs for this event. The TABs are wristbands made up of different colours and will be awarded to all competitors after their race but will vary depending on their result The illusive yellow band will be awarded to anyone who breaks the 6 minute 2000 metres.

The event, which is being sponsored by O'Driscoll O'Neill Insurers and includes prizes for each record breaker, will take place from 10:30 am to 4.30 pm at the Trinity College Sports Centre this Sunday 13th November.