Dublin's Neptune Club reclaimed the men's senior eights National championship plus 10 other titles at the National Rowing Centre, Inniscarra Lake, Co Cork, over the weekend. The championships were watched by one of the biggest crowds seen at an Irish regatta for many years and competition was of the highest standard with perfect rowing conditions.

Neptune won the men's coxed and coxless fours, coxless pairs, quadruple, double and single sculls at senior level, plus the intermediate coxless pairs, single sculls and at novice level, the eights and cox fours.

The men's senior double sculls was a composite crew with St Michael's. University College Galway Boat Club won the women's senior eights championship by just a canvas from Neptune.

UCG also won the men's intermediate coxed fours title. Dublin University LBC won four titles.

Meanwhile, Greg Searle continued his record-breaking form as he pushed himself all the way in the final of the single sculls at the British Championships in Nottingham.

Searle broke his own record, set on Saturday, by a further two seconds and it would surely have been quicker if, he had not had to row a semi-final in the morning.

"I am in the best shape of my life," said Searle. "I did a physiology test two days ago and it was the best one I've ever done.

"I need to work on a couple of things, both technically and mentally, before I am able to win major regattas but I am happy with my progress."

Searle finished the course in 2:51.48 and added: "I really raced out there today. In Lucerne, I just rowed but today I actually raced. I was focused and maybe could have been sub 2:50.00 had it not been for this morning."

He will still need to improve, maybe as much as 10-15 seconds, if he wants to reach the main final of the World Championships but Aiguebelette has a history of blustery conditions, slowing times down.

His strength has never been in doubt and the other rowers in the field will know of his power over the last 500 metres of the course, after he and his brother Jonny won the Olympic coxed pairs regatta in Barcelona.