FLOWSTATE Issue 1

IRISH CANOE SPRINT ON FORM IN NOTTINGHAM
IRISH CANOE SLALOM IN SPAIN LIFFEY DESCENT REGISTRATION OPEN!
ISSUE #1 APRIL 2018
the official magazine of
Sam Curtis
EYES ON THE PRIZE
Canoeing Ireland fit and
focused for 2018

WELCOME TO FLOW
MESSAGE FROM
THE PRESIDENT
It has been an interesting four months. I took
up the position of Training and Development
Officer with Canoeing Ireland on the 11th
January. The first thing that hit me when I
started in the office was the amount of layers
involved within the two remits of training and
development. It has been a steep but
enjoyable learning curve. The paddling
community have been super supportive and
I’ve gotten to know a fair few of you over the
past couple of months, whether it’s
conversations over the phone or meeting at
events. It has been a very positive experience
so far.
One of the core elements of Canoeing
Ireland’s strategic plan “20/20 Vision for
Canoeing” is to improve communications
across the organisation, from the membership
to the management of the organisation right
down to committees and clubs. Flow State is
part of that improvement. Sanctioned by the
Canoeing Ireland Board of Directors, Flow
State is a member driven communications
tool that will strive to connect the
paddlesports community in all its disciplines
as well as the management and leadership of
Canoeing Ireland.
When the initial concept was floated, the
response from you the membership was very
positive. The result of that positive
engagement is the superb quality of content
held in this, the first edition of Flow State. We
endeavoured to include as many articles from
across our community as we could, and I think
we’ve been successful in that regard making
our first edition of Flow State a solid
representation of what is happening in our
sport across the state. Thank you to all
members, athletes, committees and
instructors who engaged and sent in material
to share.
There are a lot of exciting new developmental
projects bubbling away that I am working on
with various member bodies of Canoeing
ON THE COVER
Sam Curtis
- Irish Canoe Slalom Athlete
- Irish Champion 2018/2017/2015
- 1st place Irish Open 2018/2016
- Irish Champion U23 2015/2017
- Irish National Rankings 1st 2016
- 6th place U23 European
Championships teams 2016
Currently studying for a Masters degree
in DIT and DIT athlete of the year 2015.
Hoping to qualify for the Tokyo 2020
Olympic Games.
Photo credit: Tom Feeney
Ireland. This mag was one of them, other new
projects to look out for in the future are the
development of a junior specific syllabus, a
fresh look at the training centre and a review of
the current awards scheme. All work in
progress.
One of the most important pieces of work that
I was happy to get off the ground are the series
of membership based consultation meetings
that started last week, April 21st. This project
titled “Stronger Together” is aimed at
Canoeing Ireland reconnecting with the
membership on the ground. Canoeing Ireland
is after all, a member centric organisation.
Together we can help build and shape our
sport well into the future.
I hope you enjoy the new digital magazine.
Share it far and wide. It’s good to talk, and it’s
good to share the good-news stories out
there in our community.
Before I sign off, it would be remiss of me not to
mention the great Benny Cullen who did
amazing work as the Development Officer for
Canoeing Ireland for many years previously. I
had a good conversation with Benny on the
phone before I stepped into this role. He had
achieved so much while working with
Canoeing Ireland, but in the usual Benny form
he acknowledged the work that had been done
before him by others saying he was “only
standing on the shoulders of giants.” I guess
it’s my turn now, I hope
to do my little bit in my
own little way.
Thanks Benny.
See you on the water.
J M∾y
TRAINING &
DEVELOPMENT
OFFICER
Dear Members,
Welcome to the first edition of
FLOWSTATE, Canoeing Ireland’s new
publication that showcases the best of
Irish paddlesports.
In the past year alone, Canoeing Ireland
members have paddled in distant
waters, run new descents and achieved
high standards in competition across
all disciplines. New clubs have formed,
existing clubs continue to grow and
many personal goals have been
realised. FLOWSTATE aims to feature
these successes and bring our
paddling community closer together.
The future for Canoeing Ireland is an
open, transparent and member- centric
organisation. Clear and timely
communication is a key element of
ensuring this happens. We envisage
that FLOWSTATE forms part of this
inclusive chain of linking paddlers
together.
FLOWSTATE will be circulated to all our
members however it will also be
available to the wider public as a whole,
including our sponsors and
stakeholders. Here is our opportunity to
combine our tales and stories and put
our best foot forward and present our
fascinating multi-activity sport to
everyone.
FLOWSTATE is member’s magazine and
we need your involvement.
Contributions from individual members,
clubs, athletes and discipline
committees will all be considered for
future editions. The brief of the staff in
the Canoeing Ireland is simple –
compile, publish and promote.
FLOWSTATE is a member’s magazine
and it is up to you to give direction and
help provide the content.
This is a great sport, with a
changing organisation for the better
and with the continued support and
guidance of Sport Ireland. We should
all be proud of our accomplishments
and overall we should be
communicating with each other.
We are growing, we are building, we are
improving. Be part of the team, be part
of FLOWSTATE.
Pl D≠lly
PRESIDENT
CANOEING IRELAND
CONTENTS
INTERVIEWS
PADDY BOYD - INTERIM CEO 5
AISLING CONLAN - SENIOR ATHLETE PROFILE 6
JAMIE O’BRIEN - JUNIOR ATHLETE PROFILE 8
PADDLING NEWS
CANOE SLALOM IN SPAIN 10
DUBLIN WHITE WATER COURSE 11
CANOE SPRINT IN NOTTINGHAM 12
CANOE POLO IN LITHUANIA 14
CANOE POLO JUNIOR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME 15
IRISH KAYAKING INTER-VARSITIES 2018 16
THE LIFFEY DESCENT 19
THE MORE YOU KNOW
INVASIVE SPECIES WEEK 11
PADDLERS & THEIR SHOULDERS - ORLAGH SAMPSON 17
THE LEVEL 1 & 2 - KAYAK INSTRUCTOR 22
REBUILDING YOUR ROLL 24
THE RETURN OF CRANA FEST 25
FLOWSTATE FOCUS
RUSSIA JOURNAL - SIBERIA 26
GRAIGUENAMANAGH CANOE CLUB & THE RIVER BARROW 30
CLUBS & MEMBERS
MEETING
Canoeing Ireland Development Office are
running a series of Clubs and Members
consultations.
The consultations, titled ‘Strong Together’
are aimed at Canoeing Ireland
reconnecting with its membership base.
The first of these meetings took place on
Saturday 21st April for the clubs and
members based in the eastern region.
The meeting was very productive and 16
clubs were represented. There was a lot of
honest discussion and great ideas
floated.
After the meeting Canoeing Ireland’s new
Training & Development Officer Jon
Mackey had this to say;
“Canoeing Ireland is a member-centric
organisation. Our strengths lie in the
combined efforts of our clubs and
members across the island. These
meetings which are in line with the CI
Strategic Plan are all about creating a
forum for members to discuss ideas,
concerns and observations while
providing feedback to Canoeing Ireland
about our services and our overall
direction. Canoeing Ireland also provided
vital information on new legislation and
the Children First act as well as GDPR
(data protection) club responsibilities.
I believe our first meeting was well
received by the clubs that were present.
Our next meeting is scheduled for May
26th in Clonmel for our south and south
eastern clubs.”
3

INTERVIEW WITH PADDY BOYD
INTERIM CEO OF CANOEING IRELAND
Paddy Boyd was installed as interim CEO of Canoeing Ireland by Sport Ireland in May 2017. Paddy has
gained significant experience over many years in sport management. A former CEO of Irish Sailing and Sail
Canada Paddy has brought a certain element of confidence back into Canoeing Ireland. FLOWSTATE got
20 minutes with the man in the captain’s chair.
You’ve been with Canoeing Ireland for the
best part of year now. How would you
describe the past 12 months at the helm
of CI?
I have been made to feel very welcome by
President Paul Donnelly, the Board and staff
and they helped me grow my relationship with
key stakeholders and the wider canoeing
community. It has been an interesting journey,
meeting new people and addressing the
challenges that the organisation faces. While
there are some aspects I wouldn’t care to see
repeated, by and large satisfactory progress
has been made.
When Sport Ireland contacted you about
working at Canoeing Ireland, how did you
feel about becoming involved with a sport
that you had no previous knowledge about?
I hardly knew the difference between a C1 and
a K4 this time last year, but my sailing
background gave me a watersports foundation
that I knew would ease my path into the role.
You served for many years as CEO of Irish
Sailing before moving to Canada to work
with Sail Canada, do you notice much
similarities between your work in Canada
and the work you are doing now at Canoeing
Ireland?
Sports Organisations worldwide have much in
common; a core business of regulating and
growing the sport through volunteer driven
strategy with operations entrusted to
professional delivery. The proper balance of
these elements is critical to the health of the
organisation no matter where the location.
Could you draw on your experiences from
being a new face at Sail Canada when you
first started at Canoeing Ireland?
Settling in is always an interesting phase of
starting a new role. It’s a time for building new
stakeholder relationships and the Canadian
experience was of great help as the Canadian
system of federal government means there
are 10 provincial governing bodies as well as
member clubs in the stakeholder group. Good
experience for starting with Canoeing Ireland!
What was your first ‘organisational’
impression of Canoeing Ireland when you
stepped into the CEO role?
The organisation has been through some
challenging experiences but there was a clear
will at Board level, supported by Sport Ireland,
to move on and restore Canoeing Ireland to
good health. Staff levels had been reduced
and some of the necessary procedures and
protocols were suffering, while there was a
necessary reduction in service levels.
As CEO at Sail Canada, what was your most
memorable achievement there?
As I joined, Sail Canada, in common with other
Canadian NGBs, was reviewing its sailing
training programme. The Long Term Athlete
Development model had been established as
a principle of Canadian Sports Policy and its
implementation meant a new and radical
approach to skill development. It was a
complex process in an administratively
complex environment and I was pleased to
oversee the introduction of CANSail and the
way it embraced modern technology to assist
with its delivery.
I was fortunate to be instrumental in
developing and being a part a professional
staff team that continue to provide the
highest levels of service to the Sail Canada
membership.
What other projects are you currently
involved in?
While my role with Canoeing Ireland is part
time, there isn’t a lot left for other activities. I
am working on a couple of sports projects, one
in the sailing sector and one examining the
possibility of a philanthropic foundation for
sport.
You’re a busy man! How do you unwind on
your time off? Do you still take to the sails?
I have done some offshore racing in the last
couple of years and am considering another
Round Ireland this year(my 6th). There are a
couple of regattas in the calendar as well.
Understanding that your time at Canoeing
Ireland is based on the short term, are you
happy with the progress made since you
stepped into the role as CEO?
There are still some areas that I would like to
address before a new CEO comes on board,
but I think solid progress has been made on a
number of fronts.
In your opinion, what should an NGB be
striving to achieve?
A modern NGB has to cover many bases, from
Child Protection to High Performance, but its
mission is to support, nurture and develop the
sport through the network of stakeholders,
many of whom are volunteers. In this
regulatory age there seem to be an increasing
number of barriers to getting involved and
staying involved and the NGB has a key role to
play here.
What are Canoeing Ireland’s strengths as
an NGB?
People, people and people. The volunteers
that do the grunt work, much of it unseen, at
club and committee level. It is important that
Canoeing Ireland play to this strength.
If you were to describe in one word,
Canoeing Ireland’s current operational
status, what would it be?
Recovering
5

SENIOR ATHLETE PROFILE
NAME:
CLUB:
DISCIPLINE:
AISLING CONLAN
WILD WATER KAYAK
CLUB
CANOE SLALOM
When did you start paddling?
I began paddling with the Malahide Sea
Scouts in 2005 and fell in love with
paddling on Malahide estuary and
completed my Canoeing Ireland level 2
course at the CI training centre under
Conor Ryan in 2006. I joined the CI
junior kayaking school every Saturday
morning during the winter to learn my
level 3 kayaking skills and was invited to
a CI junior trip to the French Alps summer
2007.
How did you get involved with Canoe
Slalom?
In preparation for my trip to the French
Alps in summer 2007 I joined Wild Water
Kayak Club, mainly for their rolling clinics
in St. Joseph’s pool on a Thursday night. I
was taught to roll by Eric Dowdall who
introduced me to Canoe Polo and
encouraged me to attend the U21 Ladies
training days, ultimately leading me to
being selected for the Irish U21 Ladies
team that travelled to the 2007
Europeans in Thurly-Harcourt, France.
During this time I joined the WWKC
Saturday night junior training in the pool
where I met Paul Donnelly, who has
remained a very close friend and mentor
to this day and I hope he’s still around to
teach my kids to paddle!!
As there was not going to be any U21
Ladies competition in the 2008 Canoe
Polo Worlds in Canada, I turned to Wild
Water Racing in the winter of 2008, while
still competing in DCPL and Munster
League for Polo. I was trained by Martin
McCarthy and was selected to represent
the Irish Junior team at the Junior
European Championships in Ivrea Italy
and the Jr Pre-World Champs in
Switzerland 2008. At the Jr Pre-Worlds
I won a Silver medal in the classic event
and won gold in the classic team event as
part of a France-Ireland team with two
French athletes.
In the winter of 2008-09 I began
paddling Canoe Slalom at WWKC with
Simon McGarry, Steve Quinn and Aidan
Rheinisch and made the Junior Slalom
team for the Jr Pre-Worlds in Foix, France
and Jr Europeans in Liptovsky Mikulas,
Slovakia in 2009. In the summer of 2009
I moved to Liptovsky for 9 weeks to be
trained by Michel Cibak, who coached
me from 2009 to 2013 at Junior, U23
and Senior level. During this time I moved
to Nottingham, UK 2010-13 for
University and spent my summers
training with Michel in Liptovsky. In 2014
I moved home to Ireland and began
working with former team mate, now
coach, Eoin Rheinisch.
What are your achievements to date?
• Representing Ireland
internationally in 3 disciplines from
2007 – U21 Canoe Polo, Jr WWR,
Jr/U23/Senior Canoe Slalom
• 2008 Jr Pre-Worlds Gold Medal
team classic and Silver medal
individual classic
• 2011 5th C1W U23 European
Championships, Banja Luka, Bosnia
• 2011 37th Olympic Test Event,
London, UK
• 2012 9th C1W U23 World
Championships, Wausau, USA
• 2015 30th K1W U23 World
Championships, Foz d’Igascu, Brazil
What are your interests outside of
Canoe Slalom?
Returning from shoulder injury in 2016 I
began Track Cycling with Sundrive Track
Team in Dublin and have attended
training camps and races in Anadia
(Portugal), Alkmaar (Netherlands),
Glasgow and London velodromes.
Sprinting down a velodrome at 42 degree
banking at top speed is an adrenaline
rush that I’ve never experienced! While
cycling isn’t the closest sport I could
have chosen for my cross-training, it
gives me the most enjoyment in
cat-and-mouse sprints, lunging for the
finishing line, rubbing shoulders and
digging elbows with my competitors at
top speeds.
I’m also a Leinster rugby supporter and
season ticket holder – if you ever want
me to attend a training or race day on
the weekends, I’ll normally check to
make sure it doesn’t clash with a rugby
match!
Which sporting athlete inspires
you the most and why?
Lolo Jones – USA Olympic hurdler and
bobsled. Lolo has overcome great
obstacles in her family life, financial
situation and adversity to compete at
two summer Olympics and one winter
Olympics. The highlight for me has been
Lolo picking herself up after falling at
the final hurdle at Bejing 2008
Olympics, metres from the gold medal
and then coming back next season and
smashing records. Her social media
accounts are incredibly honest,
inspiring, funny, and relatable and show
the real struggles athletes go through
during training – not filtered and edited
to portray an image she believes her
followers and sponsors want to see.
What is your current training schedule?
Balancing a full time job to fund my
training, going training, social life and
being a normal 25yr old is a real
struggle!
The majority of my training sessions are
done alone due to my unsocial training
schedule, which involves: 7am on the
water at WWKC before rushing to work,
lunchtime gym/watt bike sessions, 7pm
on the water after battling through rush
hour traffic to get to the club after work.
On Saturdays, I generally have a lie
in after a week of early starts,
coffee/brunch, head to Sundrive
velodrome or to Sluice. Sunday is family
day, maybe a spin on the road bikes with
my dad, watching other sports and
falling asleep in front of the tv.
What is the best coaching advice
you have received?
Once you’ve gone through a gate forget
about it. (I used to shake my head every
time I hit a gate as a junior…)
What are your future goals for you
and Canoe Slalom?
Pending selection to the Irish senior
team for 2018, I will this year focus on
the World Cups held in Europe and
racing in the UK Premier division. My
main goals for this year and the coming
seasons is to continue improving,
getting faster, breaking into regular
semi finals at World Cups and World
Championships. To represent Ireland at
an Olympic Games has been a lifelong
goal, but I know there is a lot I need to
improve upon before that dream can
become a reality.
How do you wind down after a solid
days training or competing?
Honestly, the first thing I do when I
come home is dump my wet gear bag on
the floor and collapse into the closest
armchair, sometimes still in sweaty gym
gear, scroll through social media before
having the energy to stand up, hang up
my gear, have a shower, make food and
watching tv/movies before bed.
I try to find the balance between
training and having a good social life. I
find it’s really important for my own
mental health and to get away from
sport, to meet with friends for coffee,
brunch or out for dinner (basically
eating).
If you could offer advice to young
aspiring Canoe Slalom
paddlers reading
this, what would
you tell them?
Just enjoy
paddling and
spending time
on the water
with your
friends!
And stay
safe!!
6
7

JUNIOR ATHLETE PROFILE
NAME: JAMIE O’BRIEN
CLUB: PHOENIX KAYAK CLUB/
PADDLESURF IRELAND
DISCIPLINE: SURF KAYAKING
When did you start paddling?
I started kayaking when I was 4 years old.
How did you get involved with Surf Kayaking?
I use to surf in my playboat and then I
attended a Canoeing Ireland Club
Championship Training weekend with
Paddlesurf Ireland where I met the gang and
I was hooked from there.
What are your achievements to date?
• 2017 Junior IC World Champion
• 2017 Junior IC Irish Champion
• 2017 3rd Junior HP World
Championship
• 2015 8th Junior HP World
Championship
• 2015 12th Junior IC World
Championship
What are your interests outside of Surf
Kayaking?
I like to do Freestyle Kayaking, Marathon
Kayaking and just keeping fit.
Which sporting athlete inspires you
the most and why?
Dane Jackson inspired me as a young
paddler growing up as he has always been
pushing the limits in freestyle kayaking.
Pablo Arrouays has also inspired me the
most with his progressive style on both
waves-ski and in surf kayaking.
What is your current training schedule?
I train 3 times a week with strength and
conditioning sessions, 1 cardio session and
2 on the water sessions.
What is the best coaching advice you
have received?
To just simply “Go and have fun”.
What are your future goals for you and
Surf Kayaking?
To keep progressing in the sport, travelling to
see new places and connecting with people
who share the same passion for the sport. I
hope to promote Surf kayaking to more
people, especially in Ireland as we have the
perfect conditions and training grounds all
along our coastline! I hope to help coach
and share the skills I have developed with
the next generation as others have done
with me.
How do you wind down after a solid
days training or competing?
I listen to music and reflect on what I have
learned from training or competing. I then
switch off by having a good meal and I then
chill with family and friends.
If you could offer advice to young
aspiring Surf Kayakers / Paddlers
reading this, what would you tell them?
Dream big on where you wish to go in your
discipline, work hard on the small things
each session and do not get caught up on
the big things too much, and remember
to always have the craic on the water!
The rest will sort itself out in the end!
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8
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IRISH CANOE SLALOM TEAM
SHINE AT LA SEU D’URGELL
This was a first for a number of Irish athletes
and from the first session this world class
venue did not disappoint. La Seu D’urgell at
first appears small and narrow but it is well
known for its technical whitewater and the
beautiful views of the city and cadÍ mountain
range located a stones throw away from Parc
Olimpic Del Segre. Seu is the venue for the
World Championship in 2019 that will decide
who goes to the next Olympics, Tokyo 2020.
This meant that as well as team selection the
chance to train and gain knowledge of the
course here is critical for those aiming to make
the Olympics. We were staying in a farm house
within walking distance of the course and town.
Seu is unusual because the course is actually
about 100 metres from the main street of the
town rather than miles from anywhere.
While we all associate Catalonia and Spain with
sunshine the course is in the Pyrenees
Mountains about 15 minutes from the ski
resorts in Andora. Warmth was far from
guaranteed. After nice temperatures the first
day or two the weather took a turn for the worst
early in the week making the conditions some
of the coldest that this crop of Irish athletes
have ever trained in. Despite this, spirits
remained high throughout the group, there was
even a highly competitive snowball fight! But
most importantly there were plenty of happy
faces on the water.
People started to arrive to train in the week
before the race with training officially starting
on the Sunday. With over 20 athletes going for
selection and 5 coaches there was a bit of an
C1 Men’s Senior
Liam Jegou - 1st Place
Robert Hendrick - 2nd Place
K1 Men’s Senior
Noel Hendrick - 3rd Place
Pictured: Robert Hendrick
For the first of the two races for this years Irish team selections the team travelled to Parc Olimpic Del
Segre, La Seu D'urgell. Host of the 1992 Barcelona summer Olympic Games.
Irish takeover during training. As the days went
on athletes improved while gaining more and
more confidence on this technical course.
Training before a race is weird compared to a
normal camp. At a normal camp you train hard
and are happy to go home tired. With a race at
the end, particularly one as important as
selections, you need to balance time between
getting better knowledge of the course and the
need to be fresh on race day. The weeks
training was still tough with the coaches
setting challenging moves to test us and
prepare us for whatever race day brought. Your
performance at selection will decide if you get
to race for Ireland over the summer. The K1 Men
class is very tight with team decisions
sometimes being decided by having a good or
bad run on the day.
Race day came very quick, with athletes
focused on what lay ahead. There were one or
two surprise moves in the race course set but
everyone was well prepared and ready to race
against top class athletes and Olympians.
Race day brought with it some super tight
racing and a strong representation from Ireland
in all classes with a number of our athletes
bringing home medals and showing off the true
calibre of the Irish athletes.
DUBLIN WHITE
WATER COURSE
A whitewater course for kayaks is planned to be built in the middle of Dublin's financial
centre.
Dublin City Council has invited tenders for the design of a 250-metre whitewater course
at a cost of up to €15m on George's Dock, beside the CHQ building in the IFSC. The plan
could include a lido, or public pool.
The dock currently has a platform that is used for events such as Oktoberfest and the
childrens' area during the Maritime Festival.
As well as the whitewater course, the council wants to provide a flood water training area
for emergency services, describing it as a "swift-water rescue-training channel, including
urban street scene".
The project brief states: "It is envisaged that the whitewater course will be located around
the edge of George's Dock (which is adjacent to Custom House Quay) with the
swift-water training course and a possible public lido containing a pool in the middle of the
dock, which will be used for canoe polo, flat-water kayak training and other related
activities".
A design team should be in place this summer with a completion date scheduled for 2020.
As part of the project, the city council's office on Custom House Quay would be
re-purposed to provide infrastructure for water activities, including changing rooms,
toilets and staff facilities. Among the other works itemised in the brief are a pumping
station and a canoe conveyor.
The tender states that the successful tenderer would be paid up to €750,000 plus VAT
and should have experience in the design and delivery of artificial white-water systems,
preferably with the use of a flexible obstacle system.
INVASIVE SPECIES WEEK
Canoeing Ireland in conjunction with the
National Parks and Wildlife Services played a
leading role in the recent Invasive Species
week campaign. The campaign was an
initiative by the NPWS to raise awareness of
invasive species and the impact they can have
on our indigenous waterways. Readers will be
fully aware of the impact the recent Cray Fish
plague had on two of our most popular runs on
the River Barrow and the River Suir.
On Tuesday the 27th March members of Wild
Water Kayak Club in Dublin facilitated a
photo-call for the NPWS. The photo-call was
part of that week long campaign aimed at
raising awareness of the Check Clean Dry
protocols for water users.
Thanks to the McInerney girls and Niall Kelly,
all WWKC members, for their support and help.
Ciaran Wrenn, from the NPWS, had this to say:.
“Following the announcement of Invasive
Species Week 2018, NPWS was eager to
work with organisations and agencies that
are proactively involved in biosecurity.
Following initial contact with Canoeing
Ireland, it was clear that the organisation’s
dedication to ensuring that protocols are
promoted throughout its members nationwide
showed that working together for an event
during Invasives Week had the potential to be
a successful partnership.
In order to highlight that biosecurity is the
responsibility of all water based amenity users,
NPWS continued to make contact with other
agencies, and ensured that Waterways Ireland
had input, while also arranging press details
for the planned event, a photo-call. Canoeing
Ireland were instrumental in arranging
practicalities for the photo-call, arranging for
the use of Wild Water Kayak Club, and for
members of the club to take part on the day.
The event received wide coverage on social
media, and also coverage in the national
media. It was a very successful addition to
Invasives Week, and will hopefully provide a
springboard to future inter-organisation and
agency work in the area of biosecurity.”
Pictured: Caoimhe O’Ferral
Congratulations to all that went for selections
for Ireland and good luck in the second race at
Sluice in Dublin.
10
11

CANOE SPRINT ON FORM FOR APRIL REGATTA
Supporting Irish
canoeing since 1976
The weekend of the 14-15th of April saw a very large number of Sprinters head to Nottingham Holme Pierrepoint for the first
regatta of the year. The Clubs that raced were Celbridge Paddlers, Salmon Leap Canoe Club and Kilcullen Canoe Club. This year
was going to be one to remember for all the above clubs. And we are happy to report that all clubs had more than their fair share
of success. - Salmon Leap CC had 4 Masters, 6 Senior and 18 Juniors Celbridge 1 Senior and 6 Juniors competing
Ronan Foley was the sole representative of
Kilcullen CC who has been spending the last
two years training under Coach Jon Simmons.
Jon has been dedicating his life to anyone
who wants to succeed and continues to
establish himself as a coach who wants only
the best for athletes. Ronan was not going to
stop Jon’s track record at the April Regatta
and came away with wins in both the 1000m
and 500m. Ronan said “the 1000m I believed
I could win but the 500m I was doubtful, but
Jon believed in me and went through my race
plan and how I could win, I stuck to it and I am
delighted with my best sprint race to date”. So
Ronan flew the Kilcullen flag high taking wins
in the Boys A division.
Celbridge also came away with some solid
performances. Mathew McCartney put in
some solid performances after a hard winter
grind. He took great wins in the Boys C 1000m
and 500m. Mathew found himself up for
promotion to a more elite division after these
performances and we look forward to see how
his career develops. Evan O’Keefe showed
some exciting results in the 200m and 500m
also doubling up in K2’s to make the most of all
racing available to him, this youngster has an
exciting career ahead of him. Robert
Hetherington also saw some solid races. Aine
white put in some solid performances and will
be looking forward to racing in a stronger
division next time round.
Salmon Leap were strongly represented. Barry
Watkins took a solid 4th in Mens A K1 1000m
and 1st in the 500m. Simon Van Lonkhuyzen
won the Masters division with Iomhar Mac
Giolla Phadraig won the Mens C division.
The Juniors were out in force and this is all a
credit to Jon Simmons and the hard work as
the head coach at the club. Salmon Leap had
Juniors racing in every possible division.
Success came across the board with some
very exciting paddlers to come through the
ranks in the coming seasons. Highlights in the
Juniors racing has to be from Lukas
Butkevicuis, Ryan Magill, Odhran Henson,
Nathon Devine, Adam Foster, Eabha O’driscoll
and Kate Mccarthy.
Head Coach Jon Said “Salmon Leap are in a
very good place at the moment, this has not
happened over night and it’s from the
continued support of the members and
committee that this can happen. I also have to
12
say that without the hard work of other
coaches Matthew Burke and Bearach
O’Casaide it wouldn't be this successful. It’s
great where we are and I’m as excited as
anyone else about the future of the club! But,
as much as I love how we are performing at the
moment there’s a lot more work to be done and
I want the clubs within Ireland as a whole to
develop and see the sport grow. It’s not all
about club competition in Ireland it’s about
Ireland as a nation. I watched every athlete
race from all the clubs and I saw some very
exciting races and I can picture some possible
crew boats that can be internationally strong
in the future. It’s time to work together!!
The Medal tables were strong from both
Salmon Leap and Celbridge taking some good
positions in all the racing. More importantly
there were some promotions in the Junior
ranks from all clubs and fantastic to see. The
Future is very Bright for Ireland in Canoe
Sprint!
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Ireland

IRISH CANOE POLO GOES TO... LITHUANIA
Time to Compete
The next morning, it was up and at it early, for
the start of the competition. The competition
began at 8am and ran through until 6pm each
day, with each team playing 2 to 3 games per
day.
Over the next 3 days, we worked through the
league rounds of the competition. Our under
14s had a tough few games to start but pulled
through at the end with a cliff hanger game
against Lithuanian Team Traku KKSC to get
into the play offs, which as it turned out was
well rewarded.
Bringing Home the Boat
The competition was extremely well run and
our efforts were rewarded with some great
prizes. Kilcock Under 14s were delighted to
make 4th place and for their efforts came
home with a brand new composite Canoe Polo
Boat.
But it wasn’t all Canoe Polo, we got to
celebrate the birthday of one young player
with a traditional Lithuanian honey Cake, and
also celebrated Lithuania’s 100 year
independence anniversary. On the last day,
when the competition was all over, a bunch of
tired players, coaches and leaders headed to
the nearby Druskininkai Aquapark– a world
class indoor waterpark, where they spent time
unwinding, splashing, sliding and smiling.
For most of our players this was their first
International competition and now they’re
hooked ! … Its going to be hard to top that one
- Thanks Alytus SRC, we’ll be back.
Both Under 17 teams players did well in all
games winning some games, drawing some
and all games were close. GKC and Kilcock
just missed out on the play offs, and ended up
playing each other in a high tension 5th/6th
place play off, which Galway won by one goal in
the last minute. (Yes, Galway and Kilcock
travelled 3000km to play each other !).
After we finished all our games, we got to
watch the Division 1 final, where senior players
from local Alytus team and Russia's national
team battled it out in an epic final, with Russia
just pulling ahead for the win.
Its mid February. Its cold. Time to head to the airport and get away from the Irish Winter Weather.
So where better to go than… Lithuania! With temperatures as low as –20 degrees Celsius , for some
crazy reason, it seemed like the perfect place to go.
CANOE POLO
JUNIOR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME
That crazy reason was the attraction of a good
Canoe Polo competition in the beautiful
Lithuanian city of Alytus.
And so on a mid February morning, began a five
day trip for three teams of young Irish Canoe
Polo players. 20 Juniors aged between 12 and
16 from Kilcock Canoe Polo Club and Galway
Kayak Club set off from Dublin for the ‘Alytus
Cup’ - an international competition, featuring
teams from Lithuania, Poland, Russia,
Ukraine, and now Ireland.
Alytus is a city of about 60,000 people in
Southern Lithuania, lying on the banks of the
Nemunas river. But there was to be no river
kayaking on this trip – this competition was
strictly Canoe Polo and strictly indoors -
taking place in the city’s impressive Sports
and Recreation Center, a multi-sport facility
including a 50m indoor swimming pool, indoor
running track and an 8000-seater arena.
Galway Kayak Club entered their “Three Tribes”
team in the Division 2/Womens division.
Kilcock fielded a team of younger players in
Division 3 and a second team of Under 17s in
the Division 2 competition.
Cold Weather, Warm Welcome
With an early start, the group met at Dublin
airport and made the 3 hour flight to snowy
Vilnius. Our hosts could not have been more
welcoming and helped organise everything for
us. On arrival we jumped on our waiting coach
to make the one hour drive to Alytus. We took
over a small hotel, located on the riverside
about 10 minutes from the centre of the city,
and made it our home for the next few days.
Before the competition began we took a tour
of the town, led by our tour guide and Kilcock
Polo Coach, Rimvidas Insoda (Reno). Reno
grew up in Alytus before coming to Ireland, so
knew all the good spots - He took the group on
a walking tour of the city and we got to walk
across the frozen lake where Polo is played
during the summer, but serves as a skating
rink during the winter.
Canoe Polo is the “odd one out” in kayaking
disciplines. It’s the only team-sport in kayaking
and it’s played on flat-water. Two teams with five
players on the pitch at a time, plus up to three
substitutes, play against each other. The aim of
the game is to score goals against the opposing
team over 20 minutes of play.
The game begins with a sprint, where one player
from each team paddles fast to the ball (which
the referee throws into the middle of the pitch).
The sprinter who gets hold of the ball first can
then pass the ball to their team.
And so the game begins…You can pass to your
teammates using your hands or your paddles. In
order, to score a player from your team has to
shoot into a goal which is suspended two metres
above the water.
In addition to building great boat skills (agility,
fast turning and maneuvering is key to playing
the game), the sport is inherently social and a
great way to build communication skills,
leadership ability and game strategy. It is also a
great way to make friends, and participate in the
many national and international competitions
that Irish Polo players are involved in.
The National Junior Development programme
brings young players from clubs around the
country together once a month to learn and play
polo.
This year, the programme has two groups each
with their own coach - a beginners/Under 14s
group and a group for Under 18s and advanced
players.
Our most recent day in Kilcock was a great
success with 40 players from Galway, Kilkenny,
Laois, Tullamore, Kilcock and Wild Water Kayak
Club meeting up for a days training and game
play.
Both groups engage in a structured day of
learning new boat skills, ball skills and game
tactics. Most of the coaching is done on the
water, with some land exercises and also use of
video analysis to watch back over games and
point out opportunities for improvement.
And of course, after the serious business of
learning and playing competitive games, there’s
time to let the hair (and paddles) down and have
some informal fun… At the end of our most
recent session, our Under 14s group played a
game of ‘Rolo’ (which is Canoe Polo without
paddles or rules) – ditch the paddles, forget the
rules and hand paddle around the pitch towards
victory.
These monthly development days are open to
anyone with basic kayaking skills aged between
10 and 18. If you’d like to get involved as a player
or as a club please email develop@canoepolo.ie.
14
15

IRISH KAYAKING INTER-VARSITIES 2018
The 2018 Irish Kayaking Inter-Varsities was hosted by UCD Canoe Club for the first time since
2009. The organisation involved in this weekend-long competition was no walk in the park and was
down to the hard work and commitment of the organising committee.
The competition kicked off in the early hours
of Friday morning with the whitewater event in
Laragh, Co. Wicklow. The levels were on the low
side but didn’t by any means dampen the
spirits of any of the eager competitors. Trinity
College were first up to set the pace for the
race quickly followed by the rest of the fifteen
colleges. Not to be short of any excitement
there were swims, pins and some inevitable
carnage on Jackson’s. Pinnings in the boulder
garden section proved costly for some teams
with others losing valuable seconds on their
descent down Jackson’s. Familiarity with lines
was crucial in conquering the whitewater
course and separated the top teams from the
rest especially when it came to weaving your
way through the boulder garden and avoid
plugging the hole at the bottom of Jacksons.
With any errors proving costly, there was just
seconds separating the top 3 teams with DIT
just pipping NUIG/GMIT to the coveted
whitewater title and Trinity finishing in third
place.
Competitors and spectators swiftly shuffled
to Chapelizod to get a glimpse of the freestyle
competition held on the River Liffey. There
were some excellent moves and some
questionable freestyle moves on display.
NUIG/GMIT were hot favourites heading into
the event and they didn’t disappoint with some
top class flips and tricks and included a
beautiful tribute to their friend David Higgins.
David McClure (WIT) was in super form and
gave a jaw-dropping freestyle display to give
him top spot in the men’s category and
finished well ahead of the field. Shane Little
(DCU) and Luke Whelan (NUIG/GMIT)
completed the top three. In the women’s
division Aoife Hanrahan (NUIG/GMIT)
claimed the women’s title followed by Ailbhe
Tuohy (UCD) and Fia Coughlan (UCC).
NUIG/GMIT reclaimed their title as lords of
the freestyle and was a great tribute to the
high standards of the team with all of their
team finishing in the top 5 in their respective
categories. WIT and DCU were second and
third overall respectively in freestyle.
Saturday was another early start for slalom
racers with them getting to compete at one of
Ireland’s premium slalom courses. The course
was a step-up in difficulty from previous years
and with the added challenge of the course
being set by Irish International Slalom
Paddlers Aisling Conlon and Robert
Henderick. Some tricky gates created a
learning curve for some competitors but
everyone showcased some great skill in their
running of the course. There was some
incredible talent on show with some great up
and coming international slalom paddlers on
show. In the men’s K1 there was less than a
second between Noel Henderick MUCK) and
Sam Curtis (DIT) in the battle for the top spot.
These two were closely followed by Cade Ryan
(Trinity) in third place. On the women’s side of
the draw Michelle O’ Herlihy (DIT) drew on her
slalom experience to take home gold in the K1
category. There was a close battle for second
with penalties and line choice proving a
deciding factor the silver medal. Jayne
Stevens (UCD) just beat Aoife Hanrahan
(NUIG) to complete the top three. Robert
Henderick (UCD) was the only brave soul to
take on the men’s C1 category and took home
the gold medal. Overall UCD were worthy team
winners putting their home advantage to good
use to gain some valuable varsity points.
Everyone was very thankful to the UCD
Intervarsity Committee that the Long
Distance event was moved from its traditional
Sunday morning slot to Saturday afternoon.
The venue was the Leixlip Reservoir where
Salmon Leap Canoe Club kindly facilitated in
using their facilities to run the race. The long
distance race was hugely contested with over
300 people competing across 10 categories
including K1, HP, GP, Sea Kayak, Duo and
Canadian. The course was 5km or 2.5km inn
length depending on the category you
entered. The sheer mass numbers ensured
competitors had more than rocks and sand
banks to avoid. Races were closely contested
with even some judges enquiries required to
determine where the varsity points went to. In
the end UL with their mass numbers in entries
and high placing in most categories gave them
the coveted 100 overall points for the long
distance event. UCD and UCC filled the
remaining top three places.
The fight for the Varsity title was coming down
to the wire and all was still to be played for on
the final day with Polo determining the final
results. Polo was held on the canal in Kilcock
with 16 teams competing in total. For the first
time in a while there was quarter finals
meaning two teams progressed from each
group. Trinity were hot favourites heading into
the polo and were in a closely contested group
A that included local rivals DIT. QUB were a
surprise package and deservedly so made it
out of the group stage for the first time to
progress to the quarter finals as top seeds in
group B with WIT as runners up. Group C was
also closely fought with the top seeds being
determined in the last group match with UL
defeating UCD. In group D standings were a
bit more straight forward with MUCK and
NUIG/GMIT progressing to the quarter final
stages. The quarter finals brought us down to
the top 4 teams comprised of Trinity, DIT, UCD
and WIT. UCD and WIT played well in both
semi-finals but ultimately could not stop the
PADDLERS AND THEIR SHOULDERS
The shoulder joint is the most mobile joint in
the body. It is comprised of three joints and
has multiple muscle attachments.
Some of those muscles are large to generate
force and stability, some smaller such as the
rotator cuff, to stabilise the joint properly so as
to enable the larger muscles to be effective
and thereby protecting the Glenohumeral
Joint and the Acromioclavicular Joint i.e. the
Shoulder joint.
Paddling puts a lot of strain on the shoulder
affecting both the joints and the muscles. The
sheer force that is generated can lead to an
imbalance within the shoulder and the
shoulder blade muscle group.
That is why it is very important to maintain
adequate strength of both the rotator cuff
muscle groups - the small internal muscles of
the shoulder and the larger scapular muscles.
Key exercises to include in any paddlers
routine should be those exercises the work
internal/external rotation of the shoulder, the
supraspinatus and infraspinatus muscle
groups and then moving on to the scapula
itself, serratus anterior strength is very key, as
are middle and lower fibres of trapezius to
stabilise the shoulder blade, the foundation of
the shoulder joint.
The most challenging position for the shoulder
in paddling is when the arm is out to the side
with the hand behind the head.
Sternoclavicular Joint
Scapulothoracic
“Joint”
Orlagh is a Physiotherapist with a special interest in shoulder
injury. She has worked with a host of Irish Canoe and Kayak
athletes including Irish Olympian Eoin Rheinisch.
This “at risk” position with the addition of a
force can lead to the ligaments around the
shoulder to become stretched due to the
repetitive movement and at worst lead to
shoulder dislocation.
A maintenance programme done a couple of
times a week in combination with the paddlers
other strength and conditioning exercises will
keep the shoulder strong and prevent such
injuries occurring.
Acromioclavicular
Joint
Glenohumeral
Joint
Oh ∓n
Unit 3 (Dr. Lacey's & Dr Mansour's Medical Centre), Main Street, Blanchardstown Village, Dublin 15.
info@orlaghsampson.com
MISCP
16
17

goal scoring machines of Trinity and DIT. This
set up an eagerly awaited re-match between
Trinity and DIT. Trinity won their initial meeting
so could DIT upset the odds? The answer was
yes but it wasn’t easy and they were made to
work very hard for their win. Normal time
finished with a draw which resulted in golden
goal. This went right down to the wire with
either team refusing to give an inch. All
seemed to be over for DIT when Trinity were
gifted a golden opportunity to seal the win but
failed to convert. The final few minutes were
pulsating and with less than 10secs on the
clock a shot from the corner squeezed past
the Trinity defence and into the net. DIT came
through an exhilarating final to claim the polo
spoils.
All that was left was to reveal the winners.
Varsity titles over the last decade were few
and far between for many colleges with UL
going for their 9th title in a row. Before the
overall winners could be revealed there were
some very important trophies to be given out.
The Best Female Paddler was awarded to
Jayne Stevens (UCD), best Male Paddler was
awarded to Simon Grennell (UCD), Evan
McArdle Award was presented to the NUIG
Freestyle team for their tribute to David
Higgins and the most Improved Club award
was presented to DIT where they went away
with a stylish EXO creeker. All that was left was
to announce the winners and would anyone be
able to dethrone UL and break their
long-standing streak? As results were
announced it became apparent that 2018
would have a new winner for the first time in
nearly a decade. In third place was DIT, second
place NUIG/GMIT and first place (drum roll
please...) UCD! The battle for the title went
down to the absolute wire with eventually
2.5pts separating first and second place. This
was the first Varsity title for UCD in 25 years
and it was thoroughly deserved.
Big congratulations to all the winners and the
way everyone admirable represented the sport
both on and off the water over the course of
the weekend. A shout out to the Cadet School
who competed in the Kayaking Inter-Varsities
for the first time where they represented their
college in both Long Distance and Polo. The
Varsities community looks forward to them
competing in future. Of course this weekend
would not have been possible without the hard
work and determination of a solid committee
who put in nearly a year’s work to get the 2018
Inter-Varsities up and running. This 3 day
event was run by first time organisers and
great credit must go to how smooth the
weekend.
Until next year - Varsities Out!!!
Check out the link below to watch the video
of the weekend.
https://www.facebook.com/ucdkayakintervar
sities2018/videos/404032203356778/
THE LIFFEY DESCENT
FOREWORD FROM SHANE CRONIN
Pictured: Darragh Clarke
The modern day Liffey Descent hasn’t really changed a whole lot in its almost 60 year history. The
communities & landscape that bank the River Liffey racecourse have changed, some would say
immeasurably. That aside the iconic event that the race has become on the international stage is
indisputable.
We are in very auspicious company with other international world class descent races, the Krumlovsky, Ardeche, Adige,
Dusi & Berg, the unique challenge that the Liffey Descent race course offers is part of that attraction. The other
attractions of course are the almost guaranteed water levels and the Irish welcome.
So what can we expect from the 2018 race?
So this years race takes place 15th September which is strategically placed a week after the ICF Canoe Marathon World
Championships in Portugal. Early indications are strong that given the close proximity of Dublin to Portugal and the
reasonable transfer costs that we will have a strong international entry, we already have some in!
The race is also the first in the 2018/2019 Canoe Marathon Classic Series which has another attraction to international
competitors. See more here: https://www.canoeicf.com/canoe-marathon-classic-series
Iain MacClean competed in his 50th Liffey Descent last year and we marked the significant achievement with a specially
commissioned presentation from Dublin Crystal. I asked him to write a piece on what the Liffey Descent mean to him, I
hope you enjoy it.
Don’t forget to engage with us on all our social platforms and share your Liffey Descent experiences with us!
Thought ideas or suggestions for the Liffey Descent? Send them to liffeydescent@canoe.ie
S≠ C∋n,
Race Coordinator
18
19

I fell in love with the Liffey Descent over fifty
years ago when I first encountered the event
as a young man. I had been regaled with
stories from older paddlers of the excitement
and dangers of the race. Taken with the length
of the race relative to other races of the time
and an aura of magic and uncertainty was
established in my mind and I just had to take
part as I have done almost every year since.
This attitude might seem naïve but bear in
mind this was a time long before the Internet
when car ownership was limited and every
canoe in the country was known.
Since then I have rarely lived close to the river
and have often travelled from afar to take part.
This has helped to maintain the magic for me,
as Straffan Weir has usually been the first
rough water I encounter each year. I do not
recommend this approach but it is one which I
have been unable to avoid.
For many such a level of magic may
no longer exist, but uncertainty continues,
especially for those shooting Straffan Weir for
the first time in the actual event. Such
uncertainty remains a big attraction
especially for younger participants in the
event.
In contrast world class paddlers avoid
uncertainty in their quest to add their names
to the Roll of Winners. The Spanish K2 winners
in 2017 were interviewed after the event
asked, “Why did you enter the race?” The reply
was “to win”.
A wonderful aspect of the event is that that it
caters for both these aspects, along with the
wide range of differing ambitions held by
competitors. These may be as simple as not
falling out or finishing ahead of a colleague
from the same club.
The event has changed with the passing years
although the nature of the river remains
unaltered. The equipment used has advanced
from the soft-skinned kayaks of the very
earliest days, through the era of fragile
soft-topped fibreglass models to the Kevlar
and plastic boats of today. Paddles have
evolved from the symmetrical un-feathered
type, through asymmetric blades, to today’s
hollow shafted “wing paddles” and paddlers
are generally much fitter. This has resulted in
less damage to boats and greatly improved
times.
However real danger still exists as illustrated
by the lucky escape, in 2015, of a UK pair who
had the misfortune to have their boat wrapped
around the bridge pier in Leixlip, trapping the
rear paddler by his legs. The rapid response of
the rescue team ensured that the paddler was
successfully released.
“TOP PADDLERS
CHOOSE CAREFULLY
WHERE TO JOIN THE
LINE AT THE START”
A much larger number of paddlers now take
part from within Ireland and from abroad.
Participation has been encouraged with the
widening of classes from the original three
classes of “doubles” “singles” and “ladies” to
the wide variety of classes today.
I would now like to recall my earliest
experiences as being indicative of earlier
times and attitudes. Having listened to the
stories of senior paddlers which lost nothing
in the telling with the weirs and waves
becoming ever higher and course longer, my
partner and I began to realise we faced a
significant challenge. The challenge was
enhanced by the fact our boat was of K2
dimensions but of plywood construction.
To address these issues, together with other
less experienced colleagues, we decided to
paddle the course a week before the event, to
see where weirs should be shot and portaged.
Of course the river was dry, but this was no
deterrent. In those days the race started in
Celbridge, so we only had to paddle from there
to the last weir at Islandbridge. Even so, this
took more than four hours and all of us were
tired and intimidated by the length of the race.
The following week, the event started with
boat inspection at Castletown House, after
which the paddlers lined up behind Celbridge
Pipe Band and were piped to the river. At the
start line, each boat had been allotted a
position along one of the river banks. When
everyone was in position, the start gun was
fired, and the race was underway. As we were
just paddling the event, we were content to
allow the faster boats make their way to the
front of the field.
Celbridge Rapids was considered to be quite
dangerous and was approached with caution.
Fortunately we experienced no difficulty and
were looking forward to a steady paddle
across the Leixlip Lake to the dam. Everything
was fine until we reached the start of the lake
where St. Wolstan’s Weir made an appearance
for the first time. The scene of carnage had to
be seen to be believed as there were capsized
boats, paddlers and paddles everywhere. The
fastest paddlers had simply hit an unknown
weir and didn’t know how to react. By the time
we arrived, some degree of order was in place
and we were directed down the fish shoot.
At that time, Sluice and Lucan were
considered too dangerous to shoot and were
portaged. On to Wrens Nest, where we were in
time to see our senior colleagues, the tellers
of many stories, removing their K2 which was
snapped clean in two between the cockpits.
At Palmerstown we made the elementary
error of hitting the left hand stopper and
swam. There was no rescue in those days. We
made it to the end of the wall at the other side,
emptied and were ready to go but my partner
had rescued a puppy and had lost his paddles.
I said, “get rid of the dog and I will get paddles”.
Among the many stories I had been told was
“go to the stopper and grab the first set of
paddles you find” This was duly accomplished,
my partner collected and off we headed to
Butt Bridge. Never have the Quays seemed
as long and it was one tired pair that crawled
of the steps in search of Tara St. baths. On the
way up, there was a cry “those are my
paddles!” and I said “give the man his paddles”
and so ended my first experience with the
Liffey.
I suspect, that many younger paddlers have
shared similar experiences down through the
years but with the “hanging arms” now setting
in on the long calm stretch below Wrens Nest
with the thought of Palmerstown ahead
followed by the seemingly interminable
stretch between Chapelizod Weir and the
finish.
Winning the event calls for a different mind
set. World class paddlers have trained
continually for many years and are in top
physical condition, having no concern for the
distance. Such paddlers ensure their
equipment is in perfect condition and know
exactly where to shoot each weir. A major
concern for them is when and where to
maximise their efforts to place to maximum
pressure on fellow competitors.
Top paddlers choose carefully where to join
the line at the start. Their most serious
competitors will be watched, and the
behaviour of the starter noted. A game is then
played between the paddlers and the starter.
This is a game normally won by the paddlers
who start the race as soon as they sense the
starter can no longer hold the line.
It is then flat out to Straffan Weir as getting to
the weir first is vital as only the shoot beside
the steps is considered by top paddlers.
Arriving first provides an opportunity for a
clean shoot and the possibility of a break from
the field immediately below the weir, though in
an evenly matched field such a break is
unlikely as a long way remains to the finish.
Top paddlers tend stay close together
keeping an eye on each other and watching
for possible mistakes or other opportunities
presented by the opposition. Weirs and the
portage provide natural points to attempt to
make a winning move but if the boats remain
close together until the finish, it becomes a
game of cat and mouse. Is it more
advantageous to be in front or to sit slightly
behind on the wash and doing less work?
Either way, the moment to strike for the line is
vital, timing the effort is everything and you
only have to hit the front at the line to win.
The greatest feeling of success falls to the
first K2 who arrive to see no other boat on the
bank at the finish. Watching others arrive and
seeing the bank gradually fill up with other
boats is a unique feeling which very few get to
experience.
Whilst competing provides the ultimate
challenge, excitement starts to build with the
collection of numbers the evening before the
event. Excitement heightens the following
morning as competitors arrive at the car park
in Straffan. The nervous energy is palpable as
everyone gets changed and puts the last
minute touches to the boats and other
equipment to make sure boat inspection is
passed. Many use the opportunity to have a
last look at Straffan Weir, how high is the
flood? Will I get down safely?
The tension continues to build as paddlers
move up to the start. Traffic on the river is
busy with boats bumping and it can be
difficult to find a secure anchor point above
the start lines. Nervous stories are
exchanged and “good luck” is wished. The
minutes tick slowly by until the K2s are called
to the line and the race starts. As soon as the
race is underway, tension disappears and is
replaced either by concerns of winning, if you
are a leading paddler, or of surviving safely to
the finish.
Crowds of spectators throng the main
viewing points, Straffan Bridge, Celbridge,
Lucan, Wrens Nest and Palmerstown. A
surprising number watch from many other
points down the length of the course.
Generally, spectators are keen to encourage
the paddlers, although undoubtedly some
enjoy watching the misfortunes of those who
swim.
What competitors fail to appreciate, is the
scale of the organisation required for the
event particularly on the day itself. The
organisation includes stewards, starters and
finishers together with the huge rescue team
that ensures no serious harm befalls any
competitor. The sense of occasion for the
event is provided by the commentator at
Straffan and later in the event.
What is the magic of the event? It is partly
tradition as the event has stood the test of
time for almost 60 years with undiminished
enthusiasm of the competitors
notwithstanding development of many newer
sports. It is partly the setting of the event
starting as it does in the still largely rural
Kildare and arriving in the increasingly
urbanised Dublin City. It is partly the
contrasting challenge of each weir changing
with the volume of water realised by the ESB
every year. It is partly because the event is
recognised as a World Classic event
alongside those held each year in Spain,
Denmark and South Africa. It is partly
because the event provides a stern test for
elite and also for not so elite paddlers. Finally
it is because it is an annual opportunity for all
paddlers to come together to enjoy their
sport and to reminisce.
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21

THE LEVEL 1 & 2 KAYAK INSTRUCTOR
SHANE McELLIGOTT, AIDAN DORAN & JOHN PIERCE
THE LEVEL 2 INSTRUCTOR
SUMMARY
INTRODUCTION
There have been a number of changes within
the Canoeing Ireland award scheme over the
last few years. One of the areas of major
overhaul has been around the level 1 and 2
instructorships. This article aims to indicate
some of the ways that these awards have
changed. Highlighting the differences
between the level 1, changes to which were
accepted at the TDU AGM in 2013, and level 2
kayak instructor qualifications is important.
Some instructors and tutors (instructor
trainers) are unclear as to the differences in
the overall outcomes of both qualifications
and as a result may still be working from the old
award structure in terms of the course and
assessment. It is essential that all instructors
and tutors have the most up to date
information on these courses and should take
it upon themselves to be informed about
changes to the scheme. We will start with
outlining the reasons for these changes,
before going on to emphasize some of the key
differences in these two awards.
For a long time the level 1 and 2 instructorships
were carbon copies of each other. The only
difference in training was that two modules
were left out of the level 1 course, and in
practice was that a level 2 instructor could
journey with groups and get out somewhere
other than where they got in. It was eventually
decided that a distinction needed to be drawn
between these two awards. It is hoped that
what follows will help distinguish each
qualification as a useful award in its own right.
THE LEVEL 1 INSTRUCTOR
Fun! It all starts with fun! Most people take part in kayaking for enjoyment – to hang out
with some like-minded friends and have an adventure, which ultimately ends with a good
story and fuel for a laugh. The training scheme should be, and is, no different. The new level
1 kayak instructor award is aimed at empowering instructors to connect with this ethos at
an introductory level. The training course is designed around instructors who will be
introducing and challenging newcomers to the sport through games and movement in a
safe environment. The ultimate aim: fun and unconscious learning.
Sure enough, the area in which a level 1 instructor can operate is relatively small, and they
are not qualified to travel distances. These restrictions however do make the award more
accessible to people who have been kayaking for a short time frame and takes some
pressure away from the instructor assessment. This can only mean positive things for the
sport in general and the governing body.
The level 3 skills award is the only pre-requisite for attendance on the two day training
course which looks at framing an introductory session, the use of games for learning
aspects of the sport, evolving games to increase levels of ability as well as the basic rescue
tools which an instructor working within this remit will require. Teaching and learning styles
are explained to a basic level by the tutor on the course, as instructors at all levels within
the scheme need to have an understanding of how people learn. The main emphasis
though is on learning through fun and games, and not on delivering structured EDICT, or
otherwise, sessions. This principle is so key to this award that candidates are not required
to deliver structured teaching as part of the assessment but rather need to show that they
can identify standard deficiencies within their group members and find fun ways of
addressing these. The overall aim for this award is to produce instructors who work on the
fundamentals of kayaking skills as they are applied in a fun learning environment. Attention
is paid to technique but more so to the application of the technique in a “real” situation i.e.
a game. All of this is delivered under a safety conscious instructor in a restricted
environment, which makes this qualification ideal for young instructors, activity centre
staff, and club instructors who want to use the water outside their front door.
The stand out difference in the revised level 1 instructorship is the focus on games and
games development. There are sessions on the course that get the trainees thinking
critically about how to create tasks and games that will be relevant to their groups age and
ability. Later on this creativity is challenged even more when course participants have to
adjust their original idea to be easier for those that are struggling, and more testing for
individuals progressing faster.
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The level 2 kayak instructor programme is designed to build on these skills.
Adding weight to the concept of learning through fun from the level 1
instructorship, the level 2 kayak instructor should be able to dig a little
deeper into the workings of the paddler, boat and stroke. A level 2 instructor
offers basic improvement goals aimed at making the paddler perform to
achieve more control over their craft in order for them to journey greater
distances or move on to a more challenging paddling environment.
The training course pre-requisites are the same as for the level 1 kayak
instructor, however the training course also involves learning/teaching
models as well as exploring the issues related with assessment and
journeying. As this award also allows potential instructors to teach rescue
skills on flatwater there is also a rescue skills delivery section on this
course. The course uses a similar layout to the level 1 kayak instructor, in
that all students practice teaching skills. The level 2 kayak instructor
training also includes aspects of leadership and managing a journey – along
the coast/shoreline – on flatwater.
The level 2 instructor assessment requires a candidate to not only create a
fun learning environment but to also analyse each individual group
member’s paddling and deliver a specific and structured learning sessions
to improve the paddler’s skills. This is all done while taking the group on a
journey, to see the candidate’s leadership skills and how they manage to
teach while leading a trip.
COMPARISON OF THE LEVEL 1 & 2 INSTRUCTORSHIPS
FOCUS
WORKING
ENVIRONMENT*
ASSESSABLE
AWARDS
Level 1 Instructor
- Fundamental movement through fun and games.
- Very sheltered water, Class 1.
- Static sites.
- Level 1 Kayak Skills
* see syllabi online at www.canoe.ie for more info
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The combined training of both levels 1 and 2 gives the instructor the
necessary skills to be able to aid in the development of fundamental
movement skills in kayakers whether that be through creative tasks and
games or more structured and focused learning.
Below is a brief summary of the vision for the entire award scheme followed
by an outline comparison of the level 1 & 2 instructorships.
• The level 1 instructor develops paddling skills through social play,
fun and games.
• The level 2 instructor starts to develop structured teaching
methods, can travel and assess skills awards, as well as having
increased safety skills.
• The level 3 instructor explores teaching styles in more depth, with
the main differences being the operating environment
(river/sea/surf/canoe) and coaching to perform rather than
coaching to learn.
• The level 4 instructor develops critical coaching practice as well
as safe tactics for teaching in more advanced and challenging
conditions.
• The level 5 instructor aims to give candidates the highest level of
instruction, regardless of the environment or skill level of the
paddlers.
Level 2 Instructor
- Structured learning and teaching.
- Journeying and teaching on the move.
- Very sheltered water, Class 1.
- Can journey from A to B with no open crossings.
- Level 1 Kayak Skills
- Level 2 Kayak Skills
- RSR1
- Mentor trainee level 1 and 2 instructors

REBUILDING YOUR ROLL
COACHING TIP
BREAKDOWN
Pic 1: This pic shows a whole lot of paddle
movement but not much happening with the
boat and body
Pic 2: Boat nearly rolled and look where the
paddle is
Pic 3: Always helpful having someone to
provide feedback for you
Pic 4: Back to the fundamentals of developing
a solid hip snap
I wrote an article about developing a strong roll about three years ago, that article was
carried in the TDU newsletter. The advice I received, back then, which made up that article
has helped me greatly in understanding what I needed in order to advance my roll to where
it is now, which is 100 times better than it was and less the shoulder injuries that came
with it. The crux of that article focused on relearning the roll technique, relearning it in a
way that developing the lower body rotation of the roll or "hip snapping" as it's known
colloquially was the key objective.
While that article focused mainly on technique and methods of technique to develop a
stronger lower body rotation I would like to focus this article on creating a road map back
to rolling proficiently. The reason for this is because I've seen so many fellow kayakers and
club members suffer the loss of their roll even on the flat, and I've noticed how their
approach to rebuilding it or even the lack of approach to rebuilding it has caused them to
digress and in some cases take a huge step back from kayaking as they continue to
experience inefficient rolling.
Your roll can falter for many reasons. Mine faltered back then due to poor technique. Even
though I was rolling the odd time, when I needed it most it let me down. This was due to me
putting too much emphasis on the paddle set up and pulling or yanking on the blade in
order to re-right myself. I had poor body rotation which resulted in a shoulder injury that
cost me eight months of recovery time. After a chat with some more experienced kayak
instructors it was back to drill the fundamentals of developing efficient lower body
rotation in the roll - developing a solid hip snap. I prefer the term ‘hip snap’ over ‘hip flick’ - I
think the word ‘flick’ is a poor description of what essentially is a powerful driving of the
lower body - I think ‘snap’ is a more accurate description.
There are many other reasons as to why your roll can become inefficient and some of
those reasons can include developing a mental block in your ability to remain calm under
water but some kayakers simply don't practice enough, and some struggle with low levels
of flexibility and athleticism.
Let's crack that nut from the offset. Athleticism isn't something you hear too much about
when It comes to recreational paddling. But while you don't need to be a super athlete to
enjoy your paddling you can't ignore the fact that paddling grade 3 water and upwards is
nothing less than an athletic experience. It goes without saying then that some will
struggle to develop an efficient roll simply because they lack the dexterity or even the lung
capacity to pull it off. The roll is an athletic movement that combines the use of the core to
drive our capsized body back to an upright position. Our upper body movement including
our shoulders are used to anchor ourselves into a position where purchase is possible
which then allows lower body rotation to kick in. The fact is, poor development of the mid
section can and will hamper your effort to roll efficiently.
The reasons set out above are simply my observations and more importantly my own
experiences. Your roll might be giving you hassle for a myriad of different reasons, the
reasons at this point are not important, what is important is the fact that you are intent on
fixing the issue. With that in mind let's crack on.
Acknowledging the Problem
It's an established fact that before you can begin to address any problem you must first
understand that it exists. Self awareness is one of the most important personal attributes
that any person can have when it comes to performance progression. In their book Top
Dog- The Science of Winning and Losing, Po Brosnan and Ashley Merryman describe
through many interviews with successful sports coaches the world over that describe
their utter frustration of dealing with athletes who refuse to acknowledge that they are
bad at something. These athletes often think that they are better at what they are doing
than they actually are and because of that they will build a psychological barrier between
them and their own personal road to improvement. Excuses, dismissiveness to learning
and a know-all demeanour were undeniable traits in such individuals. Performance
profiling for these individuals was nearly a complete waste of time. See also the
Dunning/Kruger effect for a study carried out in relation to similar human psychological
traits. Once you can come to a personal understanding that you just might be yanking on
your paddle when you try roll or that you may
just not be agile enough to roll you can start to
develop a workable solution as you move
forward.
The reason that I mention self awareness or
simply being honest with yourself in relation
to your roll is that it takes a lot of mental
strength to come to the conclusion that you
may have to relearn how to roll or at the very
least forget everything you thought you knew
about it. To come at this with a completely
open mind is crucial to progression. To open a
blank sheet and become a beginner again can
be mentally very challenging.
Not Back to Basics, Back to Fundamentals
The core of any set of techniques are
built on fundamentals. In my opinion, the
fundamentals to building a solid roll are and in
order of importance;
1. Being comfortable upside down under
water for the duration of your practice roll
2. Lower body rotation
3. Relaxed and disconnect upper body or
torso from lower (movement)
4. Finding purchase/pressure on your
paddle blade
5. Consistent purposeful practice
(patience)
I stress that this list is based on my own
opinion, but I would be confident in stating
that most if not all rolls that fail at some point
lack any one of the points above, if not one
maybe several in sequencing chain of events.
Any return practice to improving your roll must
include all of those fundamentals stated
above and in that order. This is where self
awareness is crucial and an honest reliable
observer may come in handy for when you
need feedback.
The one fundamental movement of the roll
that so many people disregard is of course the
lower body rotation essentially known as the
hip snap or hip/knee drive. I've coached on
countless rolling sessions in the pool and you
would be surprised how many people think
your crazy when you tell them that they're
hip-flick isn't strong enough. You advise them
to put away the paddle and use methods and
tasks to develop a stronger more fluid lower
body rotation, they reluctantly agree, they use
the bar of the pool three or four times and then
go back to swinging the paddle under water
and pulling their deck for the duration of the
session. This one time a person even blamed
the boat they were in, so swapped it for
another just to get the same results. The point
is this, developing a strong and fluid hip-flick is
the gold to progressing your roll so spending
the majority of your practice time on it simply
make sense. Drill your fundamentals
consistently.
Identify the Issue and Work to Make it Better
Whatever happens to be the reason that your
roll is faltering be sure to identify it. Too many
times paddlers diagnose the cause of their
rolling problems as just being down to lack of
practice. While this may be the case more
often than not the roll has actually faltered
because of practicing bad technique. Be sure
to have this bad technique identified both by
CRANA FEST IS BACK
Inishowen’s hugely successful river kayaking event, CranaFest, is returning to Buncrana
on the 20th – 21st of October 2018.
CranaFest 2017 had to be cancelled due to the devastation caused to the home of
CranaFest (Swan Park) by last August’s floods and therefore it’s return has been eagerly
anticipated.
Crana Fest is a 2-day event based on the Crana River in Swans park for all disciplines of
kayaking; sea, lough and river from Grade 2 to Grade 4.
Established in 2009, the event has grown to become Ireland’s premier whitewater event
that’s open to all abilities and attracts participants from all over the world.
Adrian Harkin from Inish Adventures who organise Crana Fest, said this “For Crana Fest we
include a variety of skill sessions with top coaches from all over Ireland and the UK. Over
the years Crana Fest's reputation has grown and attracted paddlers from all over the world
to experience the event. Many who attend return year after year to enjoy the craic and the
experience of the entire event weekend. Some continue their stay to enjoy the Wild
Atlantic Way that surrounds us”
For more information on Crana Fest check out the website www.cranafest.ie don’t miss it!
yourself and by your trusty observer/helper.
There is nothing more time wasting and
demoralising than practicing bad technique
over and over and wondering why you're not
getting any positive results. To add to that, the
more time you train your body to something
incorrect the more time it takes to untrain it
and to retrain it to perform the correct body
mechanics of the technique. Quickly identify
the problem area and start to fix it. Take that
part of your roll fundamentals and drill it
consistently until it is super strong, avoid the
"roll more often" advice especially if your roll is
missing some fundamentals. Break it down
and build it back up. This is where patience and
correct feedback is key.
Feedback
Concise and honest feedback is critical when
it comes to performance improvement. You
need to have a solid understanding of what
you are trying to achieve and most importantly
if you have someone helping you by observing
and giving you feedback you need to trust
their ability to identify issues, spot potential
mistakes and deliver information in a positive
useful manner.
Four top tips to help you on your journey..
1. Keep a diary
2. Ask questions
3. Buy a play boat
4. Stay honest with yourself avoid
being an excuse maker
Enjoy and be patient with yourself :)
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25

SIBERIA
RUSSIA
JOURNAL
A journey to the
Kitoi & Biluti Rivers
Derek Murphy on his expedition
to Siberia
In January I got word from my friend Nini that
she was planning a kayaking trip to Siberia
with Two-blades adventures and I was immediately
interested. Having done some
researched on youtube, the Kitoi and Biluti
rivers was the plan for the 9-day expedition. I
had a mixed bag of emotions, I was apprehensive,
nervous, excited and cautious to say the
least.
To sign up for the trip you needed to give a
detailed account of your own paddling experience.
After a few days I got word from Thomas
of Two-blades that I was confirmed to join the
trip in August. And so my training for the trip
began that day. From my winter training in the
gym, to flat water sprints, as well as running
numerous rivers in Voss on a daily basis over
the course of the summer. The training paid
off, as I had my highest ranking finish in an
extreme kayaking race during ekstremsportveko
festival in Voss. I finished 14th and 12th in
the two kayaking events.
Planning:
A good friend and expedition paddler Rob
Wilson gave me a note book to record my
experiences from the trip. I would use this
notebook to log inventory for the trip, what was
needed; gear, clothes, first aid, camera etc.
What was luxury to bring, to do lists, my training
plan, final gear list and also to use this diary to
log my experiences from the trip.
I had a 4 piece breakdown paddle, so I
researched the best way to carry this in my
Toro. I took out my centre pillar and cut in the
form of the paddle in the foam. I hadn't done to
many expeditions so it would certainly be a
learning by doing experience, which I really
enjoyed the idea of. I knew it was going to be a
steep learning curve in boat packing on the
first few days.
The Trip:
I flew out to Irkutsk, Siberia with Aeroflot
airlines. It was expensive flying with my boat so
Egor managed to sell it for me by the end of my
trip there. That would save a lot of hassle but I
would lose a bit money on the boat in the end.
When we landed, Egor and Max (Whom I knew
from a previous paddling experience in Italy,
coincidently enough) picked us up at the
airport. The first night, we went out for dinner
and pre-packed our boats for the next day
departure. Egor took our passports as we then
found out we would be crossing the Mongolian
boarder (which was a bit of an unexpected
surprise).
26
27

The following day Egor informed us that we
would have a 6 hour bus ride to the put in
(more like 9hrs, this would become a common
theme with Egor).
A common thing Russians do for the journey
to the river is to drink. So we stopped off at a
supermarket on the way to the river. Max told
us that it was compulsory to buy alcohol for
the trip and drink on the way to the river. And
Being a long journey it didn't seem like a bad
idea, so we all bought beers and vodka for the
drive and river trip. I was a bit reluctant to buy
vodka as I’ve had not the best of experiences,
but when in Russia do as they do right?
Max started off the bus party with a round of
vodka, and to my surprise the vodka was
incredible. The best I’ve ever had. It was like a
fine single malt whiskey, well maybe not that
great although super smooth to drink.
We stopped a fair few times on the way to the
river, crossing the Mongolian boarder was a bit
of a milestone. The military presence there
was noticeable, and they were very skeptical of
us. They wanted to know what we were doing
and why but this was mostly down to the
Americans in our group.
Egor was interrogated further at a military
base but after a short wait we were on our way.
When we finally made it to the put in, the river
was low. It was comparable to a low volume day
on the Avonmore in Wicklow and scraping
down Jacksons. We didn't care, we made it to
the river!
There was a scramble to pack our boats, as the
drivers wanted to leave almost immediately.
This was a difficult task after drinking along
the way. We split the food for the trip into 12
piles and everybody took one. I put on my
drysuit quickly and packed my boat, very badly,
along with 6 litres of beer and a litre of vodka,
to try make it downstream to our first camp
before it got dark.
We made it to our first camp just before dark,
everybody was in full work mode, collecting fire
wood, unpacking their boats, finding a place to
sleep and then helping out Egor and Alona
with dinner. It would be the only night with
fresh meat, chicken legs with potatoes,
garnished with onions, garlic and carrots. This
would become a familiar combination, only
without the chicken and potatoes.
Our routine would be the same for the next 9
days, wake up around 0800, make a fire, boil
water for tea or coffee but to not make
Pictured: Derek Murphy and Egor Voskobynikov scout the Portage Rapid on the Kitoi
breakfast without Egor or Alona as the first
day Max made the porridge, only for Egor to
complain that it was bad. Russians don't mess
around with saying how it is.
The first day was a super low water run that
would involve getting out of our boats and
walking in the river every so often as we didn't
have enough water to navigate through the
streams.
After a few hours paddling, Alona was on the
lookout for a place to have lunch. We stopped
and took off all our gear as it was still incredibly
hot over 30 degrees. Lunch was a high
fiber/protein bread with salami and mustard
dressing along with some fruit and nut mix.
After lunch, we paddled for a few more hours
before we reached our second camp of the
trip. We quickly got into our camp routines,
everybody had a job and helped each other.
Camaraderie is a great thing that happens
during a trip, even being complete strangers.
Our camp was picturesque spot for fishing,
swimming and drinking what was left of our
beer. Tonights dinner and for the rest of the
trip was canned beef in a fatty substance
(similarities to dog food), along with rice,
garnished with chopped onions, garlic and
carrots. After dinner around the camp fire we
listened to Egor as he told us about the
following days ventures. The good news was
that tonight it was going to rain and we hoped
it would bring up the river a little bit.
The next morning we woke up to rain, clear
indications that the river rose nearly doubling
its volume and looking milky chocolate colour.
After the routine of packing down camp, What
followed was putting smiles on everybody's
faces. We were greeted with class 3+ boulder
garden style river running for around 1km. Then
we approached the portage and began our
scouting.
The portage reminded me of rapid number 4 on
the lower Rauma in Norway but not as big. My
nerves got to me so I dealt with those by taking
my first roll with a loaded kayak in the eddy
above the rapid. It went well up until I came to
the crux move, I didn't make it too the right to
ride down the dragons back, staying left and
subbing out going deep as Egor said would
happen, only to resurface and quickly rolling. I
was the only one to run that rapid
The next “portage” was runnable for the whole
group, while scouting Egor said to me “OK, you
me we go together and set safety for the
others” I was still buzzing from the first rapid
and didn’t disagree with the big Russian. I ate a
protein bar to calm myself while also trying to
remind myself to eat often.
After Egor and I paddled the line while most
looked on, Alona was next. She dropped in fine,
had a nice line but got knocked by a
submerged rock in turn flipping. She then tried
to roll but her paddle snapped. Being a solid
paddler that she is, she rolled on one blade and
paddled to the side. The first bit of carnage on
the trip.
The rest of the run was more boulder garden
class 3-4 with similarities to the Cataract on
the Soca river, with multiple lines but obviously
being aware of were you were and aware of the
others. Half way down we met a group of
catarafturs paddling down and scouting as
they went downstream. They were wearing
homemade flotation devices and neoprene
suits, it was a funny site but one we would
encounter again during the trip.
After the boulder garden section came to an
end it was long flat water sections that
awaited us with the odd surprise rapid with a
monstrous hole hiding in precarious places.
The next day we woke to a clear day, the rain
had stopped and now the river was pumping a
proper chocolate brown river. Our routines
began from the moment we woke up. We ran
some big volume class 4 the whole day and it
was a day that everybody felt that the trip was
starting to come together. There was smiles all
around on that day.
Egor style of leading on the river was starting
to shine through, he lead from the front and
Alona covered from the back of the group.
Every so often he looked behind and checked
everybody was there. The first 3 paddlers had
the advantage of having seen Egors line on a
rapid, the rest of the group had to quickly
adjust their tactics after interpreting how the
first in line reacted. It was nice that Egor´s
style of leading was not too mothering, it was
more paddling with friends which was nice.
One of the rapids of the day gave some memorable
moments, it caught Egor out and most of
the group too. I threaded a fine needle through
2 massive pour overs and cleaned it. I came
through and noticed both Nini and Toby ended
up in one of these holes getting worked. They
both hit each others boats and Nini was a little
bit concussed. One of the American girls
noted that she “couldn´t read the whitewater
fast enough”. The portage around the canyon
was soon approaching and it was be a
welcome break from the river.
I took it upon myself to help Nini with her gear
and in doing so I carried all my gear on the boat
carrying system to the half way point, around
50-60kgs in the 30 degree heat. After 10
minutes I wanted to give up. But I kept going. In
the end the camp was magical, sitting on a top
ridge overlooking a 50ft waterfall of a tributary
river that went into the Kitoi. A well-deserved
Pictured: Derek mid rapid on the first canyon of the Kitoi
wash in the river afterwards was needed.
The next day we lowered our boats over the
edge of the cliff and took our time walking
down a steep cliff path down to the river. From
the previous day Egor told us if we were not
certain of what we saw of the rapids we should
walk the section. After we successfully
navigated this section, we met up with Nini.
She decided to sit out the previous section
because of yesterdays action. We split up into
2 groups for the rest of the gorge section, first
group going ahead and scouting, The second
group arriving to scout and see the first group
run the rapid. We worked together to explain
lines/tactics and to make good decisions. This
was one of the better sections of the trip,
boxed in canyon, class 4, big lines, multiple
lines and massive hole to avoid or not to.
What was interesting was Egor´s river leading
style, every rapid that required most of the
group to scout, Egor turned to me and said “ay
Derek, its OK, we go now if you want”. The style
of the river already had me at ease and I was
loving it. So most of the time I was keen to
follow Egor. We eventually exited the canyon,
long stretches of flat water were waiting for us
before we finally reached the confluence of
the Biluti. Camp was based at the confluence,
where the blue waters of the biluti finally met
the silty waters of the Kitoi. It set us up for a 2
day hike up the biluti valley to paddle down this
pristine river. Everybody was relaxed as they
knew after the hike the trip was nearly over
with only 100kms of flat water to the take out
ahead.
28
29

GRAIGUENAMANAGH
CANOE CLUB
& the River Barrow
The River Barrow is one of the finest sections
of rivers in the Country. From Borris to St
Mullins it is a very gentle slow moving river
wrapped in stunning beauty. Visually along
the path of the river there is woodlands and
ruins all set in a valley. The area is surrounded
by Mount Lenister, the Blackstairs Mountains
and Mount Brandon, and there is wildlife in
abundance with birds, otters, deer and a wide
variety of fish.
The section from Clashganny to
Graiguenamanagh is roughly a distance of 4
kilometres taking in 3 weirs varying from 4 foot
to 10 foot in height and a grade 2 rapid, which
makes it possibly the best run of river for the
white water paddler. It’s also a renowned area
for instruction and assessments for both
Kayaking and Canoeing. Depending on water
levels these weirs and rapids can become
more challenging and its always a great
section to practice your skills, from catching
eddies to ferrygliding and rescues.
Graiguenamanagh Canoe Club was founded
by 6 individuals from the area who discovered
that kayaking was an exciting fun way to get
out on the water and meet other like-minded
people. A committee was established in 2015
and with some funding from the Kilkenny
Leader Programme our club was formed.
Our members ageing from 12 years to 60
years plus with a focus on having fun, learning
new skills, making new friends while being safe
on the water. At present our club has evolved
so much that our activities extend to camping
trips, coast steering, surfing, family days,
beach barbeque evenings, hill walking as well
as kayaking and canoeing. And with a lot of
these get togethers follows the banquets of
much loved home baked cakes, buns and
sambos, washed down by that all important
cup of tea!
We love to entertain and show our hospitality
to any paddler who drops in to visit us,
everyone is welcome. Every day is a good
paddling day in Graiguenamanagh Canoe
Club and we look forward to our clubs future
growth.
Our club runs from April to the end of September
with weekly paddles and Sunday trips. We
love the fun social element that comes with
paddling but we also strive to progress our
members skill levels with ongoing training
courses from RSR 1 & 2 and Level 3 & 4 skills
training which always helps to make learning
easy. Games night has become one of our
main events on the calendar, it seems to bring
out a very competitive streak in EVERY
member and it’s the one night of the year that
everyone manages to attend without fail.
Our sub members group the “Winter Paddlers”
definitely cannot be referred to as “ fair weather
paddlers” as they take to the water at every
opportunity whatever the weather hail rain
sleet or snow. Throughout the winter they take
on new rivers with new challenges, find adventure
on the seas and develop their own skill
level paving the path for the new summer
season in the club. So when it comes to the
clubs 1st night in April the agenda is always
jammed packed with new adventures and
events already planned.
New members are always welcome once you
have completed a Level 2 river skills course,
we run courses at the beginning of the club
season, with a Canoe Ireland Registered
Instructor. All equipment and gear being
supplied.
NEW BEGINNER COURSES FOR ADULTS
CAN BE BOOKED ON EVENTBRITE.IE
LEVEL 2 KAYAKING: fully booked
29th May - 1st June / 7:00pm - 9:00pm
LEVEL 2 CANOEING: places available
5th June - 8th June / 7:00pm - 9:00pm
https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/learn-to-canoebeginners-course-tickets-44519019586
LEVEL 2 KAYAKING: fully booked
25th June - 28th June / 7:00pm - 9:00pm
https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/learn-to-kayak
-june-course-tickets-44519314468
Junior Courses will be advised at a later
date: Juniors must be aged 12 years+.
Course fees are €130 which includes a
years club membership and CI Insurance.
Make sure to keep up to date with our events and paddles by following us on Facebook
@ https://www.facebook.com/graigcanoeclub/
31

in aid of
Come and join the fun!
The Liffey Odyssey is a leisurely 8 kilometre Canoe tour on the River Liffey
through the heart of Dublin from Islandbridge to the East Link Bridge. It is
being run as a fundraiser for CMRF – Crumlin (Crumlin Children’s Hospital)
and proudly supported by Dublin Port Company and I-Canoe.
This event is open to the general public - however all participants must satisfy the organisers they have sufficient ability to participate.
Open Canoes are the preferred craft, however, it is open to other craft that use a paddle such as Kayaks, Sit-on-Tops, Stand –Up- Paddle
Boards, Dragon Boats and Rafts. It is primarily intended to be a fun day out to raise much needed funds for Crumlin Children’s Hospital. All
proceeds in aid of Our Lady’s Children Hospital Crumlin and National Children Research Centre (CMRF- Crumlin).
To make a donation go to our secure Facebook Page www.facebook.com/liffeyodyssey/?fref=ts
To participate in the 2018 Odyssey register online: https://liffeyodyssey.clr.events/event/126804:liffey-odyssey-2018
PROUDLY SPONSORED BY:
Date: Sunday 29th April
Start Time: 12.00
Duration: 2 – 3 hours
Registration: €10 per person
All proceeds to CMRF