The women’s sweep program in Ireland is setting out again to recapture the heights of their achievements in Tokyo four years ago, starting with the November trials. This squad is still building up from a relatively disappointing Paris Olympics and 2025 World Championships, with no A-Final finishes in either of those regattas, but some strong performances at this early stage of the year should inject some confidence back in this squad that will carry them to better results in Los Angeles in 2028. There are seven senior pairs entered in this first open trial of the 2026 season.
Queen’s University Belfast/University of Limerick
This pairing of McAleer (QUB) and Mannix (UL) will be aiming to build on their appearance at the 2025 Under-23 European Championships this coming season with a step up to the senior ranks. Alongside their Irish representation last summer, this pair has domestic success also, with McAleer winning the intermediate double sculls at last year’s National Championships, and Mannix enjoying senior success in 2024, winning the eight and quad. Having tasted international rowing and knowing that winning feeling from domestic success, this pair will be eager to join the senior national squad and take on the challenge of senior international rowing.
Lee Valley/Neptune
This pair of Feerick (Neptune) and Long (Lee Valley) are already based at the National Rowing Centre and have representation at the senior level already, with Long having competed at the Paris Olympic Games in the coxless four. For them, this trial is all about cementing their status as top rowers in the country, beating their fellow National Centre rivals, and staving off external competition from club-based athletes. This is a strong pairing, with Long’s valuable experience as an Olympian and Feerick’s notable wins in the past including the Remenham Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta and the senior single scull at the National Championships. They will be a tough challenge for the outsiders to come up against.
Lee Valley/Skibbereen
This is another National Centre based pairing, Magner (Lee Valley) and Hayes (Skibbereen), which represented Ireland last year at the European Championships, World Cups, and World Championships in the quadruple sculls or coxless four. As is the case with the aforementioned National Centre pair, this pair will be racing to top the rankings. As with Long in the other pair, Magner has Olympic experience under her belt, whereas Hayes joined the Irish national squad post-Paris. A statement result at these early trials could be the confidence builder these athletes need for this Olympiad.
Prediction
Without any academic or employment pressures, the National Centre based athletes should be out ahead of any of the challengers, but the quality of the club-based athletes in Ireland has been improving remarkably in the last few years. That being said, I do believe the National Centre pairs will be the top two on the ranking sheets. I believe that that Long/Feerick pair will edge out the Magner/Hayes pair, primarily as they have a few more years of international experience and high-quality domestic rowing under their belts. The QUB/UL pair will most likely be best of the rest, ahead of the four other pairs entered.
