Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy praised Garda Caroline Ryan for her achievements in rowing at National, as well as International competitions.
Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy praised Garda Caroline Ryan, Pearse Street Station, Dublin 2 for her achievements in rowing at National, as well as International competition during the year at a reception at the Garda Boat Club yesterday (23/7/08) attended by a host of specially invited guests.
Speaking at the event, Commissioner Murphy "congratulated Caroline on creating rowing history by winning the Princess Royal Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta on 6 July 2008 and in so doing becoming the first Irish woman to win a trophy at Henley Royal Regatta and the first Irish person to win an open event there since the Garda coxed four, which included her father Willie and uncle Ted, won the Prince Phillip Cup in 1979.
This is an outstanding achievement for Caroline and an honour for her and An Garda Siochana. Caroline completed the rowing season at the National Championship Regatta in Cork (11/12 July 2008) by winning the Senior Sculling Championship title for the second time. Her previous win was in 2005. In the final, Caroline won in a time of 7min 40sec, over 26 seconds ahead of her nearest rival Virginia Hourihane from Skibbereen. In the Women’s Senior Quad, Caroline joined up with Sheila Clavin, St Michael’s R.C., Majella Bolger, Carlow and Virginia Hourihane, Skibbereen to win the title in 6mins 50secs from a composite Old Collegians/UCD Crew (6.53.9). Queens/Belfast came third.
Caroline has had a very impressive year of competition. She started off the season by winning the Dublin Sculling Ladder on 13 October 07 in a time of 7min 17sec and in so doing finished in 8th position overall and became the first woman to finish in the top ten and also the first woman to finish within 47 seconds of the top man.
Caroline followed this performance by winning the Leinster 5Km Time Trial at Newry on 4 November 2007 in a time of 20min 14sec., which was 51 sec ahead of her nearest rival – Orla Duddy, Belfast.
She also won the first 2Km National Time Trial in Cork 3 February 2008. As the next National Time Trial was cancelled, Caroline next competed in the Tribesman Head of the River Race on 22 March 08, which she won in a time of 16min 32sec.
As the International Rowing season approached, both Caroline and Sinead Jennings, a former World Champion in the lightweight single, were asked by the Irish National Squad to trial at an International Regatta in Piediluco, Italy for selection for the heavyweight single scull position.
However, the battle between Sinead and Caroline proved too close to call – they finished only 0.1 seconds apart, with Sinead taking Silver and Caroline Bronze, behind the Italian sculler G Bascelli, who won in a time of 8.22.00, sixteen seconds ahead of the Irish girls.
As the Irish girls were considered too far off the pace for Olympic selection in the single, they were asked to try the Double Scull and Caroline & Sinead trained for a week at a camp in Piediluco following the Regatta.
National coach, John Holland was happy with how the girls were coming together in the double over the week and they were selected for the first World Cup Regatta at Munich in the heavy weight double scull event. However, following a disappointing performance in the Double at Munich, both scullers were dropped from the Irish Olympic Team and not selected to compete at the Olympic qualifying Regatta in Poznan, Poland in June.
Caroline then turned her attention to a Club Programme and entered Dublin Metropolitan Regatta, Amsterdam International Regatta, Henley Women’s Regatta, Henley Royal Regatta and the Irish Championships. At Dublin Metropolitan Regatta at Blessington on 31 May 2008, Caroline won in convincing style and proved far too strong for the opposition at Blessington, winning the final by 34 seconds, in a very fast time of 7mins 39secs.
At Amsterdam, Caroline had an excellent performance in qualifying direct for the semi final by finishing second behind the World Silver Medallist Mirka Knapcova of the Czech Republic. In the semi final, Caroline finished second behind Freda Svensson of Sweden in a personal best time of 7min 36sec and six seconds ahead of Sinead Jennings. In the final, Caroline had a disappointing performance and finished in 6th position.
Caroline’s next test was Henley Women’s Regatta, where she won the George Inns Cup comfortably beating Hayley Arthur, South Africa in the final by four lengths. Caroline was the only Irish winner at this Regatta. In the Princess Royal Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta, Caroline beat Fran Jacob (Glasgow) in the quarter-final and A Labots from Holland in the semi-final. The final was against Mathilde Pauls, a German born member of the British Team. Caroline won by 3½ lengths in a time of 9min 18seconds and became the first Irish Woman to win a trophy at Henley Royal Regatta.
Club President, Assistant Commissioner Dermot Jennings said "that it was a memorable occasion for me to be present in the Steward’s Enclosure at Henley Royal Regatta to witness this great win for the Club and hear Caroline and Garda being cheered on by the crowd."
Garda Press Office
1505hrs, 23 July 2008.
Ref: 881/'08.
