Fife beach will host Home International rowing competition

A new rowing competition between the four home nations is coming to St Andrews this month.
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The inaugural Home International Rowing (HIR) Beach Sprints will be hosted by Scotland through a partnership between the University of St Andrews, Scottish Rowing, and Fife Sports and Leisure Trust, and will take place on Saturday, August 20, at St Andrews’ East Sands.

Teams from Scotland, England, Ireland and Wales will compete in Beach Sprints, an emerging international discipline that starts with a sprint on the beach of between 10m and 50m. The athletes then enter a boat which slaloms around two buoys, turn around a third buoy at 250m and row straight back to the beach before one of the rowers exits the boat and runs to the finish line.

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Teams of four junior athletes and four senior athletes will compete across the day in coastal solos and mixed doubles, with 26 races in all taking place between noon and 2pm and from 4pm to 5.30pm.

Action from the Saints Coastal Regatta, which included the selection event for Home International Coastal Scotland team.Action from the Saints Coastal Regatta, which included the selection event for Home International Coastal Scotland team.
Action from the Saints Coastal Regatta, which included the selection event for Home International Coastal Scotland team.
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Between the two blocks of racing, Saints Sport at the University of St Andrews will put on some display racing and fun activities so the St Andrews community can get involved. This new international sporting event, with food and drink vendors, a DJ and commentator alongside the races and beach activities, promises to be a great day out for all the family.

The HIR Beach Sprints is an exciting addition to the rowing calendar and one that it is hoped will create a clear pathway into Great Britain’s and Ireland’s national teams in the future.

The University has invested heavily in establishing a coastal rowing programme by purchasing equipment including two coxed quadruple sculls, two single sculls and one double scull. Scottish Rowing recognises the University’s ambition to become a centre of excellence for rowing in the UK and has made a significant financial contribution towards expanding its fleet of boats.

The action will be fast and furious as the Home Nations compete at East Sands.The action will be fast and furious as the Home Nations compete at East Sands.
The action will be fast and furious as the Home Nations compete at East Sands.
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Dr Fergus Knight, Saints Sport assistant director, said: “We’re excited to be hosting this UK-wide event. The HIR Beach Sprints presents a great opportunity to learn how to put on an international standard event, showcase the town and demonstrate the University’s high aspirations in coastal rowing.”

Ailsa Martin, University Boat Club President, added: “Beach Sprints is an exciting emerging discipline. The University Boat Club has taken to the sport with early success, showing great promise for our members to take their skills to the next level and potentially strive for future international success.

“In our early development of the discipline in St Andrews we wish to build and support a wider coastal rowing community and hosting the Home International Rowing Beach Sprints present a great way to share the dynamic and exciting event with other like-minded rowing clubs and athletes.”

Lee Boucher, Scottish Rowing Head of Performance Pathway & HIR Management Committee, said: “Scottish Rowing is proud to be partnering with the University of St Andrews. We have been hugely impressed with the ambition of the University and all of the local partners.

“St Andrews has a wonderful history of hosting world-class sporting events and we look forward to seeing Beach Sprints coastal sculling added to this programme.”

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