Loughros Point rowers shine for Ireland at the Coupe de la Jeunesse Beach Sprints

It was a proud and unforgettable week for Loughros Point Rowing Club as three of its young athletes — Erika Morrow, Brendan Shaw, and Oisín Mooney — pulled on the green jersey to represent Ireland at the Coupe de la Jeunesse Beach Sprints Regatta in Cádiz, Spain.

The event brought together Europe’s best junior coastal rowers, and the Donegal athletes rose to the challenge with determination and heart.

Erika Morrow, racing in the Mixed Double Sculls with Jack Tuite from Neptune Rowing Club, delivered a superb performance — storming through the time trials and into the quarter-final stages before being narrowly knocked out by one of the top-seeded European crews. Their precision, pace, and composure earned them huge credit and showed the growing strength of Irish coastal rowing.

Brendan Shaw and Oisín Mooney also battled their way through to the quarter-finals in the Junior Men’s Double Sculls, putting in gutsy, technical performances in challenging coastal conditions before bowing out after a close head-to-head race. Their progress to the final eight was an incredible achievement against world-class opposition.

The Irish team’s success wouldn’t have been possible without the dedication of Dáithí Gallagher, who travelled as boat handler and worked tirelessly behind the scenes to keep everything running smoothly.

Leading the Irish delegation was Team Manager Shaun Molloy, who said it was “a privilege to lead such a passionate and committed group of young athletes. They did Loughros Point, Donegal, and Ireland proud.”

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Also part of the Irish support team were Amy Shovlin, Cian Sweeney, Emma morrow and Teresa Keeney, all from Loughros Point, who played key roles in helping to coordinate and support the 16 Irish athletes throughout the event.

For those unfamiliar, Beach Sprint Rowing is one of the sport’s most thrilling formats — athletes sprint from the sand to their boats, race around a short course of buoys, and finish with a run back up the beach. It’s fast, exciting, and soon to become an Olympic sport at Los Angeles 2028.

When the team returned home to Ardara, they received a warm homecoming celebration, with family, friends, and club members turning out in force to welcome them back and celebrate their achievements. The atmosphere was electric — a moment of pride not just for the athletes, but for the entire Loughros Point community.

A heartfelt thank you goes out to everyone who came out to support the athletes, both in Spain and at home. Your encouragement, good wishes, and pride in these young rowers mean the world to them — and it’s that community spirit that keeps Loughros Point Rowing Club moving forward.

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Cádiz was another milestone in the club’s incredible journey — and for these young Donegal rowers, this is only the beginning.