Rower Anna Brennan bound for world championships in Canada
IN recent weeks, Rowing Ireland’s high performance director Antonio Maurogiovanni, announced his crews that will represent Ireland at the 2024 U19 and U23 world rowing championships. Amongst those selected was Kilkenny woman and New Ross Boat Club rower, Anna Brennan.
The 2024 World Rowing Under 19 Championship will take place in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada, from August 18 to August 25. The senior and U23 world championships will also be taking place here as a combined event. The Royal Canadian Henley Course is the site of the regatta and has hosted multiple world championships in the past including 2010, 1999, and 1970.
Ireland is sending three junior crews to the regatta. Among those Irish crews will be the only two girls selected Moya Knowles of Skibbereen Rowing Club and Presentation Kilkenny Secondary School student Anna Brennan of New Ross Boat Club, who join forces in the junior women’s double scull.
New Ross Boat Club’s head coach, Janet Walsh, has also been selected as part of the coaching staff for the world championships for the third time. This is testament to Janet’s exceptional ability as a coach and is just reward and recognition for this inspirational coach and role model to all who have the good fortune of working with her. It reflects Walsh’s unwavering dedication to New Ross Boat Club over the years, from out on the river on a cold winter’s morning, to traveling all over the country with the club to regattas, she will no doubt be a huge asset to the Irish staff.
Anna currently trains with New Ross Boat Club. The river Barrow, the longest of the three sisters – which after joining the River Nore runs through New Ross – plays host to many of Anna’s training sessions.
Under the watchful eye of Anna’s coach Alan Thomas and New Ross Boat Club head coach Janet Walsh, Brennan has gone from strength to strength since the start of the 2024 season last September. She has been seen training tirelessly on the water and in the gym at the Watershed in Kilkenny.
In the winter months, Anna trains at her home at half five in the morning, clocking countless kilometres on the bike before school.
The evenings usually consist of a long, low rate erg session at home or in the Ergometer room at New Ross Boat Club. As the summer months approach and the evenings get longer and brighter, Brennan is usually found out on the Barrow in the evenings after school, clocking up mileage in the single scull. “These gruelling 10+ sessions a week, showcase Anna’s determination and love for the sport,” said a New Ross Boat Club spokesperson.
“However, these training sessions would not be possible without the help and support of those around her. Anna is a sixth year student at Presentation Kilkenny and has received unwavering support from this school over the last number of years. Anna’s sporting career to date was recognized at the school awards day in May, when she was awarded Presentation Kilkenny Elite sports person of the year 2024.
“From teachers being supportive during a tough block of training, to students showing their encouragement, the school community in Presentation Kilkenny has been an invaluable support to Anna as she navigates the demands of high performance sport.”
Anna’s parents, Martina and Noel, have been the backbone of her sporting achievements all season. National trails took place once a month over the winter months at the National Rowing Centre in Inishcarra, Cork, and Brennan got an invite to all trials and camps.
This involves traveling to Cork on a Friday afternoon with a single scull on the roof, racing Saturday and Sunday, and driving home in time for school and work Sunday night.
“However, this did not deter Martina and Noel, who gladly made the journey to Cork with their daughter. Anna’s younger sisters, Órla and Niamh, have also shown their support to their older sister, taking turns to do an erg or bike session beside her in the dark winter evenings. Anna’s selection for the world championships is testament to everyone in the Brennan household and their commitment to the sport.”
At 16 years of age in 2022 Anna earned her first Irish one- piece and represented Ireland at the Home International Rowing Regatta in London. Here she placed third in the women’s junior quad and second in the women’s junior single scull.
August of 2023 saw Brennan earn her second Irish onepiece, this time for the Coupe de le Jeunesse in Amsterdam. Here 16 countries from around the world competed and Brennan found herself in the Irish women’s quad sculls which won the B final.
Sunday, July 14, 2024, it was a historic day for New Ross Boat Club when Anna won her first National Championship title when she won the Club Women’s Single Sculls Championship of Ireland. “Not only was it Anna’s first Championship title but it was also the first ever championship title win in the 148 year history of New Ross Boat Club.”
Brennan and Janet Walsh have relocated to Cork to the National Rowing Centre with the rest of the Irish team for the last big block of training before travelling to the world championships.
They will travel with the rest of the Irish squad to Canada later next month before a week’s racing commences are Royal Canadian Henley Rowing Course in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada.