BBCThe coastal County Antrim village of Glenarm has this weekend hosted the All-Ireland coastal rowing championship.
The last time the yearly event was held in Northern Ireland was in 2013 when rowers descended on Carnlough, just around the coast from Glenarm.
Organisers believe over 10,000 people have attended this year’s three-day competition.
Thirty-six rowing clubs are participating with 550 crews, attracting rowers from all over the island of Ireland.
Elaine Nelson from Glenarm Rowing Club says the event has grown since beginning in 1992, adding this year’s event is one of the biggest to date.
“Because we are so big now, Carnlough couldn’t accommodate us,” she said.
She says while hosting the championship is great news for Glenarm, it is even better for the wider community and the tourism industry as people are booked “as far and wide as Belfast, Carrickfergus, Ballycastle and beyond”.
The championship features rowers of all ages with an under-12’s category and a legend’s category, which is for those who are 60 plus.
Visiting teams were certainly enjoying the sunshine and the comradery at the event.
Sister and brother Doireann and Colm Kelly of Flesk Valley Rowing Club in Killarney enjoyed some sibling rivalry as 14-year-old Colm told us that 16-year-old Doireann had won a gold medal in one of her races.
“He’ll have to work really hard now to prove himself now,” Doireann laughed, adding that it was hard work but the gold medal was “the cherry on top”.
George Livanos from Kilmacabea Rowing Club in Cork described the water conditions as “perfect”.
He said he had never visited Glenarm before but said he was, “coming back, especially if it’s this sunny all the time … which they’ve told me it is”.
For those who were visiting within Northern Ireland, it also proved a popular day out.
Mervyn Wallace who lives nearby was spending his second day at the championship with his son-in-law Lionel Date.
“We were here yesterday and the craic and the atmosphere was absolutely superb, and so we came back today again.”
Coastal rowing will soon make the world stage with Beach Sprint Rowing, a version of coastal rowing set to feature in the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
