FlowState Issue 6

National Coaching Development Programme // Slalom World Championships //
Marathon World Championships // Liam Jegou takes Bronze at U23 Worlds //
Bridge the Gap - Women in sport programme launched and more
FLOW
ISSUE #6 DECEMBER 2019
the official magazine of
FOLEY & THOMSEN
FIRST ACROSS
THE FINISH LINE
successful 60th
Liffey Descent
Hendrick makes history in Seu!

A CHRISTMAS MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD
From the Board of Canoeing Ireland, we would like to wish all our
members, clubs, athletes, volunteers, coaches and stakeholders a
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. It has been an extremely
busy and productive year and we would like to share this progress
with you.
In 2019, we accomplished many of our strategic and operational
objectives and Canoeing Ireland is now in a much stronger place now
than it has been in recent years. Many successful events such as the
60th International Liffey Descent have positively promoted our
sport nationally and internationally.
The Board is committed to capitalising on what has been achieved
and will continue to develop a more robust and member-centric
organisation. We have consulted and listened to our membership and
through a number of interactive engagements have learned what
members view as enablers and barriers for the development of our
sport.
A number of initiatives by which to assist and facilitate clubs to
progress have been implemented. We have redefined the insurance
cover for club activities. A club now will have the freedom to
self-determine whether an activity is safe. The activity will be covered
by Canoeing Ireland’s insurance once it has been risk assessed and
approved by the club’s committee. This represents a necessary
change to allow paddlers to improve when compared to the previous
insurance cover.
A new category of Associate membership has been introduced which
will allow parents and other volunteers to become involved in off-the
water club activity. Work has also commenced on a strategic planning
document which will identify potential areas for new club
development, based on amenities within specific well populated
areas. The recruitment of club members with a particular interest in
the future direction and development of clubs to form a Club
Development Working Group is underway.
The Board has explored new opportunities for partnerships where
there are mutual and synergistic objectives to expand activities and
promote paddlesports. In September, Canoeing Ireland and the
Educational and Training Boards Ireland (ETBI) signed a
Memorandum of Understanding with the aim of promoting their
respective activities in order to enhance the sporting and
ON THE COVER: Foley & Thomsen - First Across the Finish Line
Full story on pg 12
educational opportunities available to their members, students and
the general public. The ETBI represents 16 Outdoor Education &
Training Centres (OETCs) across Ireland who provide an outdoor
education service to schools, colleges and youth services in addition
to a range of adventure sports and related courses. The partnership
aims to support and enhance the development of canoeing and
kayaking in Ireland.
Other linkages were established to develop new and existing youth
participation programmes. The ‘Paddles-up’ program remains
popular with young kayakers, while ‘Kayak Attack’, a pilot programme
that focuses on introducing paddlesports in disadvantaged urban
areas will be rolled out during 2020 in line with the objectives of the
current strategic plan. The ‘Good to Go’ programme has received
funding from the dormant accounts fund and the ‘Bridge the Gap’ to
increase the number of females participating in sport has been
funded €80,000 over 2 years
A key focus of Canoeing Ireland’s growth strategy this year has been
to put supports, processes and policies in place to expedite athlete
performance in all disciplines. The High Performance Director, Jon
Mackey, has recently submitted his performance strategy to Sport
Ireland. The plan details the structures that are being implemented
to deliver sustainable and progressive impact. Since Jon started in
the role, he has established good working relationships with Sport
Ireland and the Olympic Federation of Ireland. Significant work has
also been carried out in linking-up with Performance Directors in
other sports. A number of athlete’s conferences have been run and
very well received by the athletes. Jon is currently working with the
Discipline Committees to establish roles, responsibilities and terms
of reference agreeable to all.
This last year has seen exceptional performances and results at an
International level and we would like to congratulate all our athletes
who have competed so well in all disciplines throughout the World
and to those who have supported and assisted them to their
success. The qualifying of a boat at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics by
Robert Hendrick this year was a tremendous achievement. Patrick
O’Leary’s qualification for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic games, Liam
Jegou and Jenny Egan’s bronze medal wins at the u23 World Slalom
Championships and Sprint World Cup respectively have also
showcased our organisation on the International stage.
We are working with Special Olympics Ireland on the roll out of our
‘PaddleAble’ programme which is designed to make the sport of
paddling accessible to participants with disabilities. We also
continue to work with CARA on specific initiatives and learning
experiences for athletes with disabilities. The Inclusion Games were
a great success in 2019 where once again Canoeing Ireland was a
key stakeholder at the event.
All of these successes could not be achieved without the dedication
of the CEO Moira Aston, Canoeing Ireland staff, coaches and the
discipline / technical committees and support from Sport Ireland.
Finally, we could not continue to grow without the sustained
commitment of our strong volunteer
base who are generous in devoting their
time to all aspects of the sport. A sincere
thanks for your continued commitment.
Have a great Christmas and we look
forward to a very exciting 2020.
B Oе
PRESIDENT
CONTENTS
ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT
Senior Athlete Profile - Caoimhe O’Ferrall 4
Peter Egan Wins the Marathon World Championships 7
Hendrick Makes History! Canoe Slalom Senior World Championships 8
PADDLING NEWS
Paddlesurf World Championships & Reports 10
Liffey Descent Report 12
Irish Marathon Team at World Championships, China 14
Canoe Slalom Olympic Race Off & Team Selection 15
Sprint Junior & U23 World Championships - Pitesti, Russia 16
Senior Canoe Slalom Squad Announced 18
THE MORE YOU KNOW
Canoeing Ireland ETBI Announce Partnership 5
High Performance 2019 Report 6
Update on the White Water Course 13
Flat Water Racing Girls Development Training Day 17
Introducing the Women in Sport Programme 19
FLOWSTATE FOCUS
Overload 2019 20
60th Anniversary of the Liffey Descent - Iain Maclean Interview 22
2
3

SENIOR ATHLETE PROFILE
NAME: RORY O’REILLY
DISCIPLINE: KAYAK FREESTYLE
CANOEING IRELAND ETBI
ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP
“Canoeing Ireland is committed to enhancing
and growing participation in paddle sports in
Ireland through strategic partnerships. This
partnership exploits the considerable
synergies between both parties to the
agreement. We are looking forward to working
closely with the OETC’s to this end.”
Brian Ogilvie
– President, Canoeing Ireland
“Both Canoeing Ireland and the ETBI are
committed to creating a strong and enduring
partnership, with shared values and goals. We
are confident that this partnership will assist
with the growth and development of paddle
sports from our youngest participants to our
future Olympians.”
O’Reilly gets his teeth into life on the road as a full time athlete
How often have you woken up on a Monday morning and thought “I wish I could
just quit my job and go kayaking instead?” Well, this is what Rory did.
Rory is a current member of our Senior Men’s K1 Freestyle Team and, until
recently, he could be found working as a dentist on Dublin’s Aungier Street. In
September, he moved into a motorhome and boarded a ferry to England; the
start of a 2-year adventure around Europe.
“We’ve done about 4,650 kilometres so far” reports Rory. Along the way, he has
visited classic freestyle kayaking spots like Nottingham, Plattling, Graz and
Millau to name a few. The primary reason for the trip is to allow Rory to train
more consistently and in a greater variety of features year-round. Over the last
2 years, he would fly to Nottingham almost every 2 weeks to train at the
infamous Holme Pierrepont whitewater course. “I learned a lot in Nottingham,
but it wasn’t easy in the winter” he says. Currently, Rory is based in Southern
France taking advantage of the warmer climate.
Despite the milder weather, living full-time in a motorhome is not without its
challenges. So far there have been 2 breakdowns and 1 break-in! “I’ve never
done anything like this before” he admits. While he always expected a steep
learning curve, he is not easily discouraged. For the coldest part of the winter,
he plans to drive the 7.5 metre, 3.5 tonne motorhome through the alps for some
snowboarding!
So, what does the future hold for Rory? The European championships are
scheduled to take place in Paris in October 2020. This is one of the higher
profile freestyle competitions of the coming season, along with the 3 world
cup events in Nottingham, Krakow and Sort. “Competing more frequently will
be a major focus for me next year. At the end of my 2-year tour, the 2021 World
championships will be held in Nottingham. This is as close to ‘playing at home’
as it will get for a lot of us and I am keen to make the most of the opportunity”.
As the strength of the Irish freestyle kayaking scene grows, Rory looks forward
to bringing his experience abroad home; to compete with the rest of the senior
men and to feed back into the rapidly expanding community.
Moira Aston
– CEO, Canoeing Ireland
“The Education and Training Boards National
Network of provision provides phenomenal
opportunities for learning across all Irish
communities. This partnership further
enhances the quality offering of outdoor
activity provided by the Outdoor Education
Centres across ETBs”.
Nessa White
– General Secretary ETBI
“Since the establishment of the first ETB
Outdoor Education in 1971 the service has
grown and developed enormously providing
programmes in a range of outdoor settings
using a variety of adventure and
environmental activities as the medium for
learning. This MOU with Canoeing Ireland
further underpins our commitment to
providing quality learning experiences for our
communities”.
Anne McHugh
- Chief Executive Donegal Education
and Training Board
Canoeing Ireland and ETBI today signed a
Memorandum of Understanding which
recognises both organisations as
high-quality providers with the aim of
promoting their respective activities in order
to enhance the sporting and educational
opportunities available to their members,
students and the general public.
Canoeing Ireland develops, promotes and
governs recreational and competitive
Canoeing in Ireland for all, through a network
of clubs, activity providers and members with
whom it delivers high performance and
participation training programmes and
events.
Canoeing Ireland aims to be relevant to and
representative of paddle sports in Ireland,
increasing participation and performance in
partnership with a thriving network of clubs,
social, community, educational and
commercial organisations and to continually
enhance our international success.
ETBI represents 16 Outdoor Education &
Training Centres (OETC’s) across Ireland. The
OETC’s provide an Outdoor Education service
to schools, colleges & youth services in
addition to a range of adventure sports and
related courses for individual adults & youths.
The Partnership aims to support and enhance
the development of Canoeing and Kayaking in
Ireland, through:
· The establishment of OETCs as key regional
providers and hubs for Canoeing & Kayaking
· The promotion of canoeing in all its forms
and the promotion of canoeing within
national curricula.
· To support the delivery of high-quality
Canoeing activities across Ireland.
· To provide certified training in skills and
techniques and the promotion of safety.
· To provide a high-quality Instructor and
Coach education system and a training
awards scheme suitable for the needs of
Irish paddlers and compatible with QQI
awards where appropriate.
· To provide regional hubs for equipment,
which may be loaned out to Canoeing
Ireland member clubs and appropriate
educational bodies.
· To promote Canoeing as a life-time sport
and to promote Outdoor Education &
Training Centre courses, Canoeing Ireland
clubs and Canoeing Ireland membership for
this purpose.
4 5

HIGH PERFORMANCE
2019 REPORT
PETER EGAN
WINS THE MARATHON WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
It has been a desk-based year for Jon Mackey. The new HP Director
quips that he was warned about the amount of paper work that the role
involved, “Paddy Boyd mentioned to me before I took up the position
that the role would require extensive paperwork, reporting, budgeting
and filing, he wasn’t wrong!”. However, after a year into the role a lot of
the desk based projects are nearing completion. “Starting out, I found
that we (Canoeing Ireland) had no standardised policy templates to
work from, we had varying descriptions of contracts and codes of
conduct. We had no standardised appeals process for athletes and we
had no centralised database for our carded athletes, but most
importantly we had no joined up strategy for future development”, says
Jon who has undertaken to develop and improve the administrative
aspects of the new performance structure. “Now that many of those
items have been developed and approved by the Board of Canoeing
Ireland, we can start to get bank-side in the New Year and offer hands
on support for those clubs and athletes who are on a pathway to
performance.”
When asked about what accomplishments stand out for him this year,
Jon says building trust with Sport Ireland and the Olympic Federation
were key pieces of work. “I think what many members might not realise
is how our place on the list of supported high performance sports was
in serious jeopardy”. Canoeing Ireland has undergone a period of
rebuilding and consolidation as it strives into its third year of a
recovery strategy. “We were at the lowest point of funding support for
our Olympic sports, another regression would have resulted in the
potential of zero funding. We needed to get our house in order. I’m
happy to think we have achieved this and that Sport Ireland recognise
the work that has been done. The result of this has been increased
support and funding for 2019”. Apart from the broader task of
relationship building, a number of key components of a functional high
performance structure have been established. Those include the
establishment of a High Performance Unit, athlete feedback forums
and most notably the development of a high performance strategy for
Canoeing Ireland.
“The strategy was nearly a year in the making” says Jon, “after
approximately 70 pages covering governance, culture, structure,
talent development, funding and support mechanisms we finally
concluded work on the strategy”. The strategy titled “Pathway to
Performance 2024 and Beyond” gives Canoeing Ireland High
New High Performance strategy
developed “2024 & Beyond”
Standardised Selection Policy
developed and approved with
legal guidance
Performance, for the first time, a definitive direction. Jon mentions
that the strategy in draft form has gone out to a number of key
stakeholders for feedback; “we sent the strategy to Sport Ireland and
the Olympic Federation for feedback, and I’m glad to say the word back
has been very positive”, “there have been one or two suggestions made
and I’m happy to include those suggestions to improve the overall
content and direction of the document” says Jon. Canoeing Ireland
will unveil the strategy – Pathway to Performance Paris 2024 and
Beyond in the new year through a series of meetings with members.
Commenting on its implementation Jon says “In order for a strategy to
be successful it needs to have buy-in from the membership – this is
the association’s strategy and it is important that athletes, coaches
and committees take ownership of it, debate it and offer feedback so
we can all move together with towards the next Olympic cycle”.
What does 2020 have in store?
Jon states that “With a boat qualified in slalom for the 2020 Olympic
Games, our priority will be working with Liam Jegou and his coaching
staff to have him fully prepared for the Games”. Liam was successful in
winning the right to compete at the Olympic Games after securing a
first place finish in the elimination race off which took place in Lee
Valley in October – “It has been a hugely successful year for slalom in
Ireland”. Liam Jegou has had a tremendous year winning a bronze
medal at the u23 world championships. However, it was Robert
Hendrick who made history for the nation as he finished in 11th place at
the senior world championships in Seu in September and secured an
Olympic boat space. “I was lucky enough to be there for world
championships”, says Jon, “Robert was first out of the traps in the C1
men’s category, and I remember running down the bank with the rest of
team watching as Robert glided in and out of the gates. He got to the
finish line and his time popped up on the screen, 95.12. I looked at it
and thought, wow… then I made eye contact with Ike Jacob and he had
his eyebrows raised… we both uttered the words game on!”. Robert
Hendrick had put Irish canoe slalom back on the Olympic map – a day
that will live on in our memories.
Thank you to all the athletes, coaches and committee staff who have
worked tirelessly all year for the betterment of our sport. 2020 will be
an exciting year!
Increase in HP grant for 2019/
OFI grant awarded for the first time
Three workshops held for all disciplines:
Anti-doping, Nutrition & Psychology
Peter Egan races to the top of the world in China
Peter Egan raced his way to the top of the podium to be named
International Canoe Federation Masters World Champion in the
Chinese town of Shaoxing on the 14th of October.
Egan competed in the K1 Men 40-44 age category over a 19km
course with 4 portages. The Lucan canoeist battled his way through
the race to take the win in a final sprint finish to clock a time of
1:25:04.87 – beating current European Masters Champion, Jesus
Rodriguez of Spain by just over nine seconds.
Egan said “I am thrilled to win gold on the world stage”. He is from
Lucan and is a member of the Salmon Leap Canoe Club in Leixlip
Co.Kildare. In his own words “It’s brilliant to win it. I’m over the moon.
It was a very tough battle all the way to the last few meters, I had to
survive the attacks and breaks while in the groups. I tried several
times to make a break but just couldn’t shake them off and knew it
was going to come down to the final sprint in the last few hundred
meters”.
“I struggled at the Europeans Championships in July in France with
the heatwave at that time but the climate here suited me better. It
was cooler and there was a small wind on the lake.”
the final straight. As they came out of the final turn Rodriguez led
with Egan on his side wash, he tried to out sprint him on several
occasions but Rodriguez “closed the door” on him. On the home
straight he had one last chance to make a final challenge on the
Spaniard which he did and breaking out to the left side of the course
did so in a “do or die” last ditched effort, in which he managed to wear
down Rodriguez and burn him off with a final sprint for the finish line.
Egan got the better of Rodriguez to claim the gold medal, after just
missing out on a podium finish in the same event last year finishing
4th.
Peter was delighted to share this moment with the rest of the Irish
Team including parents and his sister Jenny.
Peter was enjoyed a very successful year already, having also won
the Men’s K1 title for the very first time in the 60th International
Liffey Descent having won the Men’s senior K2 on several previous
occasions.
Two athlete feedback forums held
for all discipline
ACHIEVEMENTS:
- Olympic Boat Space Qualified
- 5k Sprint World Cup Bronze
- U23 Slalom World Championship Bronze
Physiology testing at UCD Human
Performance Lab for all disciplines
Athlete centred Appeals Process &
contract developed and approved with
legal guidance
Egan previously raced to a bronze medal at the European Masters
Canoeing Championships over in France back in July, where there
was 38-degree heat on the lake with little to no breeze.
Jesus Rodriguez took the European title on that occasion and it
came down to between Egan and Rodriguez who locked horns on the
final lap in Shaoxing on Monday the 14th of October but the cooler
climate with a light breeze suited Egan more.
Over 19km, the course that Egan battled through consisted of five
laps, four portages and one short lap to finish it out.
In the end there were more than two minutes between
second-placed Spanish-native Rodriguez and third-placed
Uruguayan athlete Jorge Ferrier, it was a dog fight for the top two on
HPU met 12 times in 2019
7

HENDRICK MAKES HISTORY!
CANOE SLALOM SENIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
65th and Hannah in 71st, putting an end to the hopes of
qualifying through the World Championships for the 2020
games for the women.
Day 3 saw further disappointments for the team, with
Caoimhe O’Ferrall in the C1 Women class missing
qualification in the first runs and, although improving
significantly in the second runs, was unable to reach the
semi-final to fight for Olympic Qualification, finishing in
69th. The K1 Men’s team saw similar disappointment in
what was the most competitive heats race of the
championships. Eoin Teague continued his run of
impressive racing with a very solid race in the first runs, but
was unfortunately not fast enough to qualify, seeing him
join Sam Curtis and Oisin Farrell in the second runs. With
the pressure on for the second runs the 3 K1 Men all came
unstuck, incurring penalties pushing them down the
standings and out of contention for the semi-final, with
Samuel Curtis finishing in 67th, Oisin Farrell in 73rd and
Eoin Teague 75th. Putting a heart-breaking end to the
hopes of claiming a nations spot for the 2020 Games at
the World Championships.
Author: Sam Curtis
The biggest event of the year by far for Irish Canoe Slalom was the 2019 Senior World Championships in
La Seu, Spain, which would double as the first qualification event for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
There were 18 nation spots each for the K1
Men and Women, and 11 spots each for the C1
Men and Women up for grabs. With every
athlete in attendance having the same
qualification spots for the Olympics in their
sights it was going to be a cut throat
championships. The Irish team selected for
the event were very much up to the task, all
having made equally large commitments over
the summer, many of whom set up camp in
Spain to make the course for all intents and
purposes ‘home turf’. The first day of
competition featured the team event which,
although had no bearing on Olympic
qualification, was still hotly contested,
despite the usual irrational fear for the safety
of boats and bodies. This also marked a
special day for the Irish Team, entering their
first women’s K1 team for the World
Championships for a long time, which will
hopefully encourage more women to get
involved in slalom. In the racing itself the C1
Men’s category of Liam Jegou, Jake
Cochrane and Robert Hendrick put in a
characteristically strong performance,
resulting in a 10th place finish, with Slovakia
continuing their domination of the C1M team
race. With the new K1 Women’s Team, of
Hannah Craig, Aisling Conlan and Caoimhe
O’Ferrall, unfortunately finishing bottom of
the pack in 17th, but is hopefully the
beginning of new development in this
category. The K1 Men’s team of Eoin Teague,
Samuel Curtis and Oisin Farrell recovered
from a shaky start to finish in a middle of the
pack in 18th.
The next day marked the real business end of
racing with the individual C1 Men and K1
Women beginning the battle for Olympic
Qualification.
The first runs of the C1 men displayed the
kind of racing that was going to be needed to
qualify through to the semi-final, and it was
fast. This was reflected with all 3 of the C1M
missing out on qualification from 1st runs,
despite an outstanding run from Jake
Cochrane who was pushed out of the top 10
by an unfortunate penalty, having to take
another run at it in the second runs. The
second runs themselves were a nail biter, with
Robert Hendrick shaking off a disappointing
first run to be the final qualifier through to the
semi-final. Liam Jegou was kept out by an
unfortunate penalty finishing 33rd and Jake
Cochrane being unable to replicate his first
run performance, finishing in 69th. The same
day saw the K1 women compete in a similarly
competitive heats. This also saw Hannah
Craig make a return to World Championship
competition after the birth of her second
child. Unfortunately the tight margins saw all
three of the women finish close to bottom of
the results sheet, Aisling in 61st, Caoimhe in
There was redemption, however, for the Irish team in the
form of Robert Hendrick. Being the last qualifier for
Saturday’s semi-final Robert was the first paddler off in the
semi, in the position to put down a time for the rest of field
to chase. Showing incredible composure Robert put down
what was a near perfect run for what was his first World
Championships semi-final, attacking the entire run right
until the bottom. This early run made a big statement, with
paddler after paddler failing to beat the time of 95.12
seconds set by Robert. The quality of the run was reflected
in Roberts 11th place finish in the semi-final, agonisingly
just one place away from qualifying for the final, which
didn’t lessen the achievement of what was a truly
outstanding run. This result also ensured Ireland a spot at
the 2020 Olympic Games, finishing as the 9th nation in C1
Men at the Worlds, a massive result for slalom in Ireland,
having failed to qualify any spot for the previous Olympics
in Rio. This result marks the beginning of a new era for
canoe slalom in Ireland, with what is still a young team
producing results and performances of this calibre, in what
is hopefully only the first of our Irish paddlers to make their
mark on the world stage.
8
9

PADDLESURF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
& REPORTS
can do but try put it to one side and get out there and give it
your best. Things kicked off with the individuals. In the
junior category Megan Gamble shone. There was no junior
women category so due to this Megan competed with the
junior men where Megan finished 4thin junior short boat. To
top it all off Megan Gamble was crowned the inaugural
Junior Women World Champion. Well down Megan we are all
proud of you and what an achieved! Next up was Chris
Hobson finishing 2nd in Long Boat, well done Chris, no
doubt it will be the title the next time. Jordan Collins and
Aisling Griffin both made the Semi-finals but unfortunately
did not progress to the finals. Mike Barry, Conor O'Driscoll
and Robbie O'Driscoll were unlucky not to progress further
in the competition. Darragh, Donie and Jerry had some
great highlight waves.
The team final was run over two days with 7 teams. We
finished 3rd on Day One which secured our place in the
team final along with Argentina (first year with a team)
England and the Basques. The Team competition was run in
the break past the pier where conditions were smaller than
the main competition break. It was a tough battle on both
days with all the Irish team giving it everything. We finished
3rd with England in 2nd and the Basque team taking the
win. There is such great team spirit with everyone surfing
their best and helping each other along the way. “One for All
and All for One”.
Irish team was Robbie O Driscoll, Megan Gamble, Aisling Griffin, Mike Barry, Conor O Driscoll, Chris Hobson, Darragh Walsh, Donie Mcloughlin,
Jordan Collins and Jerry O Driscoll. Also, we had a great support in Paul Gamble. Thanks to Nathan Eades and Joey Hall for putting on great event.
The next World Championships will be in Cornwall England in September 2021.
Author: Aisling Griffen
Irish Open
World Surf Kayak Championships
The World Surf Kayak Championships were
held in Huanchaco Peru in July of this year.
Huanchaco is known as the “land of lefts” and
is the place where Kayak Surf originated from.
Peru is a long way from Ireland, so there were
complicated logistical problems for the team
to navigate in order to get to the competition
site. These included a couple of plane rides,
uncertainty at every connection with kayaks,
along with an overnight bus for the
Paddlesurf Team.
The popular beach town of Huanchaco is
located north of the capital Lima and the
Paddlesurf team found themselves there in
the Peruvian winter. It got dark early at 6pm
and was at times chilly at night due to the
wind blowing from the ocean. During the day it
was pleasant never really getting much hotter
than 20 degrees. We had a few days to get
used to the beach break and have a look
around the area. One of the highlights was
visiting Chan Chan a pre-Inca ruins close to
Huanchaco. Surfing wise, highlights were
early morning surfs and watching the
Pelicans glide effortlessly skimming the
ocean.
The Pacific Ocean provided big waves all
competition long. Paddle-outs were tough to
say the least against sizeable waves and
never-ending sets. The World Championships
has an Individual competition as well as a
Team Competition. There are two types of surf
kayak classes High Performance (HP aka
short surf kayaks with fins) and International
Class (IC aka long surf kayaks, over 3 metres,
no fins) With all these categories it takes a
week of competition to complete all these
heats. With the large conditions it made for a
challenging week as competing every day for
a week takes its toll on all competitors.
During the competition sickness spread
through the Irish camp and through many of
the other teams also. There is not much you
September saw the flagship event of the Calendar the Irish Open. Easky left delivered some clean fun conditions on the day with a good crowd with
a high standard of surfing. Great to see new and returning faces to the line-up. Dessie Mc Glinchey took the win in Open short and Kieran Mc Dyre
took in the win in Open long boat. Dessie Mc Glinchey took the win in Master long and short. Brigette Egan won Women’s short and Aisling Griffin
won Women’s Long. Marty McCann won open wave ski and Sofia Lazarescu won Junior wave ski. Olan O'Brien won Junior short and Robbie
O'Driscoll won Junior long. Thanks to Darragh, Donie and Alan for running. Thanks to Mick Feeney who captured some great action shots from the
day. Also, thanks to Chris Skardon for use of https://www.tournr.com/ the tournament running site.
British Open
The end of October saw a busy weekend for Paddlesurf team at the British Open in Wales. The competition took place over 3 different breaks with
a huge variety of swell from small to massive. Megan Gamble 4th in women’s long,3rd in Junior long, 2nd Junior short and won junior women's!!
Brigette Egan 3rd in long women’s 3rd in masters short and won masters long. Chris Hobson won the long boat. Aidan McElhinney came 3rd in
wave ski. Aisling Griffin 4th in short and 5th in long. Jordan Collins 2 semi-finals in long and short. Darragh Walsh 3rd masters long. Jamie Gamble
semi-final finish in short. Well done to everyone who took part and thanks to Ride Surf kayaks for running great event.
Thank you to everyone who has given us support on and off the water this year. For more on Paddlesurf Ireland follow on Facebook and Instagram.
10
11

LIFFEY
DESCENT
REPORT
UPDATE
WHITE WATER COURSE
The Liffey Descent celebrated its 60th birthday on
Saturday the 21st September.
480 contestants lined up at the start line and it
promised to be a hotly contested race across all the
classes. With eleven 11 weirs, the infamous jungle
section, numerous rapids , a 500 meter portage and a
big flood on the river, the scene was set for the thrills
and spills of this famous 30km race. There were
international entries from Argentina, Germany,
Belgium, and Spain. USA, England, Wales, Scotland,
Austria, Denmark, Canada, New Zealand, Czech
Republic.
The Senior K2 class developed into a battle between
the very experienced Neil Fleming/ Barry Watkins crew,
the Argentine crew of Sebastian Vergauven /Sebestian
Jocano and the teenage crew of Ronan Foley/ Nikolai
Thomsen.
The Argentinians came a cropper after having a
problem on Chapelizord weir, which is the last weir
before the finish line. This left the other two crews to
fight it out for victory.
Foley/Thomsen took the lead with one kilometre from
the finish and outsprinted the more experienced crew
of Fleming/Watkins to win in a time of 1 hour 46 minutes
40 seconds.
Argentina taking third place.
Foley stated after the race that it was "a very tough race
from start to finish".
He paid tribute to Nikolai Thomsen a Danish junior
international paddler, stating "it was their first time for
them to race together and winning is an unbelievable
feeling".
The senior K1 class was won by Peter Egan. Egan lead
the race from start and was never passed and won in a
time of 1hour 57 minutes 43seconds. This was his first
time to win the senior K1 class having previously picked
minor placings and has won the K2 class on three
occasions. Donnaca Brennan took silver and Odhran
Mc Nally the bronze.
In the mixed K2 class Jenny Egan and Jon Simmons
completed a treble of victories in this class winning in a
new best time of 1 hour 51 minutes 4 seconds. Deaglan
O'Drisceoil and Aisling Smith were second, and Nicky
Cresser and Alison Chmiel were third.
Malcolm Banks competing in his 44th Liffey Descent
and Dermot Hudson won their respective Master's
classes
The ever green Iain Maclean teamed up with Paul
Murphy to complete his 52nd Liffey Descent. Iain is the
author of the book "The Liffey Descent – 60 Years of
Ireland’s Toughest Canoe Race" which is a fantastic
history of this world famous event since year one. You’ll
be pleased to know copies of the book are still available
in time for Christmas!
Unless you have been living under a rock you have
probably heard that there is a proposal by Dublin City
Council (DCC) to build a Rafting/Whitewater course
in the IFSC in Dublin’s city centre.
Naturally we are delighted to see this project become a
reality. It was great to see the positive and supportive
planning submissions that went in and a little over a week
ago the proposal was approved for planning at the monthly
council meeting.
Those of us in the sport know the benefit an artificial
course would bring for both current and future generations
of paddlers. The ability to plan river trips or training
sessions and know that there will be good quality
Whitewater available will be a new experience for many of
us. While getting out on the rivers will continue to be home,
having a safe, predicable and controlled environment for
those days that there is either too little or too much water
will be very welcomed.
I know that when I first visited an artificial course abroad I
was struck by the level of skill the local paddlers, both
young and old, displayed. A consistent training facility
means that everyone, from new entrants to international
athletes, can learn and perfect the skills they need. It
doesn’t matter if it’s to enjoy the sport in a recreational
capacity by challenging yourself or aiming for Irish
success at the Olympics, the ability to paddle on a regular
and consistent basis is critical to retaining people and
allowing them to progress in our sport.
If a course is such a good idea how come we don’t have one
already you might ask? Going back to the initial planning
for the national sports campus there was space allocated
for a course on site. While the Canoeing Ireland offices are
now in Sports HQ on campus unfortunately the course
never happened. There have been numerous proposals
since, including two projects in Northern Ireland in the
past few years that we hoped would bear fruit. One was
rescue focused and the other was more commercially
focused but unfortunately neither progressed beyond the
initial project stage.
Economic consideration for artificial courses, as with any
venture, are important. Internationally courses of this
nature rely on rafting for the bulk of their revenue. People
are going to pay more for an experience like rafting as a
once off cost as part of a holiday or event than if they are
paying for themselves or their kids to do it every week.
Documents made public by DCC indicate a cost of 50 Euro
a head for rafting while paddling for public sessions was
indicated at 15 Euro. This rate ties in with the Cardiff model
that the council is using but ultimately will be affected by
the level of funding available and if loans are required to
fund the build.
For the Dublin course the location will ensure that the
rafting element will be successful. There was naturally
some initial concern about its suitability as a location and
venue from our side. While the course designer has worked
on numerous past and future Olympic courses and can
obviously design a world class facility, we wanted to be certain that this course
design would meet international standards. At a meeting with the head of slalom for
the ICF in Dublin it was agreed that the course would be suitable for international
events up to and including World Championships
The actual course itself will recirculate fresh water and be entirely contained in
Georges Dock. It will have 250 metres of useable Whitewater with a total drop of 3
metres. The water is going to be pumped up from the bottom of the course using 3
pumps that can vary their output. The maximum flow rate will be 14cumecs (that’s a
lot!!) but can and will be used at lower flow rates to suit different groups and
abilities. There will also be a conveyor belt to bring the rafts and users back to the
top of the course.
An additional element of the course will be a Swiftwater rescue facility. This will
involve several buildings in a streetscape that can be flooded to allow the fire
brigade and Swiftwater personnel to safely train for rescue situations.
No infrastructure grants have been awarded yet and in reality, this is what will
decide where the project goes from here. As with many large-scale projects the
deciding factor on whether this great piece of infrastructure goes ahead or not may
come down to there being the political will to make it happen. There has been some
negative comment on the proposal in the past few days which is unhelpful but with
time we are confident that people will realise the benefits of this great initiative.
DCC intend to go to tender in 2020 on the project with work on site expected to
commence towards the end of the year with an anticipated opening in spring 2022.
I look forward to seeing you all there to enjoy the facility once its open.
Link to CGI representation of the course and facilities
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9xU31yeb9g
Author: Dermot Morely
12 13

IRISH MARATHON TEAM
PERFORM AT MARATHON
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, CHINA
CANOE SLALOM OLYMPIC
RACE OFF & TEAM SELECTION
LIAM JEGOU WINS THE RIGHT TO REPRESENT
IRELAND AT THE TOKYO 2020 OLYMPIC GAMES
Jenny Egan produced a most tenacious performance to finish fourth in the senior women's K1 race.
Having been struck down with a tummy bug a
few days before the race as were so many
other athletes, she hoped the effects of her
illness would subside ahead of the 25.9 km
course with 6 portages.
However Egan went to the start line having
not knowing if she would finish the race. "I
have come all this way and will try my best"
stated the 2017 World Marathon
Championship bronze medalIist
“From the start of the race I was in the lead
group and four eventually broke away- myself,
two Hungarians [Vanda Kiszli and Zsofia
Czellai-Voros] and a British kayaker [Lizzie
Broughton].
“But on the last portage which was about
750m from the finish I got blocked out by one
of the Hungarian's and my boat filled with
water and I eventually finished in fourth place.
“It was very disappointing not to get a medal
but, all things considered, I was happy with my
performance” stated Jenny.
In the Men's U23 race Ronan Foley got off the
start line in the leading group.Disaster struck
2kms into the race,Ronan had just dropped
off the leading group, when a South African
paddler capsized just in front of him as he
passed under a bridge blocking his exit
costing him valuable time in his efforts to
catch back up to the leading group.
Ronan finished in 10th position and with 4
years still ahead of him in the U23 catergory
the future looks bright for him.
The Senior K2 race saw Ronan team up with
his coach Jon Simmons.The start of the race
there was a major collision which included the
Irish boat,Having almost been at the tail end
of the field, they fought their way back to
finish a very creditable 14th overall.
Malcolm Banks and Declan Halton finished
7th and 10th in there respective master's
classes.
They teamed up in K2 just missing out on a
bronze medal finishing in 4th position.
With the dust only settling from the World
Championships it was straight in to the Olympic and
Irish Team Selection held at the Lee Valley White
Water Centre from the 5th-6th October at the
British Open.
All eyes were on the C1 Men who were in a fight to qualify
themselves for the Irish C1 spot at the Tokyo Olympics,
with the winner from the selection event securing the
nomination as the Irish representative for the Games.
Having qualified the spot at the World Championships
Robert Hendrick went into the weekend with one win in
hand, meaning either Liam Jegou, Jake Cochrane or Eoin
Moorhouse would need to win both selection races in
order to secure the Olympic berth. Alongside the race for
Tokyo were the Irish National Team selection races,
deciding the team who would race in K1 Men, K1 Women
and C1 Women in the European Championships in London
from the 15th- 17th of May next year, which will serve as the
final opportunity for these classes to qualify a spot for the
2020 Olympic Games. With only one nation spot
remaining up for grabs at the European qualifier it is
setting up to be another tough battle among the remaining
unqualified nations to claim the spot.
The racing got off to an exciting start, with Liam Jegou
taking the win in the first race of Olympic Selection with
two very quick runs delivered under pressure. With Robert
Hendrick chasing in second and Jake Cochrane in a very
close 3rd. This put a heart-breaking to end to Jake’s
Olympic hopes and set up a race off between Robert and
Liam on the Sunday with whichever athlete taking the win
on Sunday receiving the Olympic nomination. The sun
rose on Sunday to show a very tricky course set for the
final day of the British Open, a great battlefield to decide
the Olympic representative. After the first runs Liam was
sitting in first place, after another very solid performance,
with Robert having it all to do in second runs after
incurring a 50 second penalty in his first run. But it was
still all to play for with the second run still to come. Liam
was unable to better his first run which was still the leading
time, Robert, racing all out with his sights on the win
received another 50 second penalty, ending his fight for
the Olympic nomination in the cruellest fashion coming
straight after an outstanding performance to qualify the
spot for Ireland. With the required 2 wins in the selection
races Liam Jegou will be representing Ireland at the 2020
Olympic Games, and with the qualification process
finished early Liam will have the perfect lead in to the
Games, with plenty of time ahead to travel to Tokyo and
train on site with coach Nico Peschier, on the newly
opened Kasai canoe slalom course. And after a promising
medal at the U23 World Championships earlier this year,
the stage is set for a great performance at his first
Olympic Games.
Author: Sam Curtis
14 15

SPRINT JUNIOR & U23
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
1 ST -4 TH AUGUST, PITESTI ROMANIA
finished for this World Championships giving him a World ranking of 20th. After a year away from the sport Ryan is showing he still has it and with
3 more years U23 the future is by far done and look forward to seeing this young man make Finals in the years to come!
Later on Ronan would line up in the K1 500m, Ronan on cloud nine was in great form but only raced enough in the heats to get through to make the
semi finals. His semi final went really well and in his least favourite event of the championships saw him in to the B final which is still a great
achievement.
Day 3
So after the previous day being overwhelming it was time to get out there and show the world what this young man Ronan Foley could do, up first
was the 1000m A Final. Ronan was looking to go out there and give it his best shot! After what seemed a slow start lined up against the Worlds best
it was looking like the nerves had gotten the best of him, but it was clear he was never going to give up and chased hard very hard! Ronan came pass
some truly world class athletes to finish in a very creditable 6th place! This is an amazing result for this young man and showing a very promising
future for Ronan. The Championships wasn't over yet though and even with this fantastic result achieved by Ronan he still had to race the 500m
B final. Clearly buzzing from his earlier race Ronan got back out there refocused as you could be after the 1000m and had a great race! He got off
to a great start and had an exciting battle all the way to the finish to come in a very close 3rd in the B final only 1 sec behind the race winner. This
gave him a world ranking of 12th in the K1 500m, another great result!
After all the racing at the U23 World Championships Coach Jon Simmons had this to say “ Both the gents have performed very well and the attitude
here has been world class, Ryan was unlucky to miss out on making some form of Final after his time away due to college but he is showing promise
for the years to come. Ronan’s results what more can you say he has proved that with hard work, the correct team around you everything is possible!
Even for such a small team like ours! I hope his 6th place inspires the next generation and also the current athletes showing that we can get the
results at these major Championships!”
FLAT WATER RACING
A small Irish squad of canoe sprinters
attended the U23 World Championships
in Romania, but what a Championships it
turned out to be! The team consisted of
Ronan Foley in the K1 1000m and the K1
500m and Ryan O’Connor in the K1 200m.
Both athletes are from the Salmon Leap
Canoe Club. The team was coached and
managed by Jon Simmons.
The team headed out to Romania on the
Tuesday before the competition with the
racing starting on Thursday morning. This
gave Ronan and Ryan the chance to set up
their boats correctly before the last major
championships of the year.
The Team Leaders meeting was on the
Wednesday morning and all was boxes were
ticked before the racing started.
Day 1
Up first was Ronan in the K1 1000m, Ronan
finished 12th at the U23 Europeans earlier in
the year and was looking to improve on this
result. With a stacked field now consisting of
Senior World finalists from Australia and
South Africa there was going to be some
tough racing ahead for this young Foley.
Ronan had a great heat coming in second
place behind Argentina, this saw him progress
through to the semifinals. Ronan's semifinal
was a tough draw with only the top 3 from 9
going through to the A final, it was time to see
if the time trials from training were accurate
and Ronan was in the form he should be.
Coach Jon Simmons went through the race
plan double checking that all was good with
the athlete and then the boat. Next up – show
time! Ronan was involved in the race early
holding position higher up the field than he
had done in the European’s earlier in the year.
He was looking very strong. In the last 250m
Ronan had a strong pick up and sailed past
the British and New Zealand athletes who
were ahead. Ronan went on to finish in a very
creditable 2nd place and more importantly
qualifying for the A final at his first U23 World
Championships. To say the whole team were
buzzing would be an understatement!
Day 2
Ryan O’Connor was up next in the K1 200m,
Ryan too was looking to show better form
than the Europeans earlier in the year! Again
a big field for the 200m with some real
superstars involved with many athletes who
race U23 also taking part in the Senior
Europeans and World Championships. Ryan
went through his warm up routine and was set
to line up for his heat, Ryan always has a
strong start and was mixing it in the race
really well till the last 40m where he lost only
1sec on the winner to finish in 4th position,
still a great result and a chance to line up
again in the semi finals later on in the day!
Ryan went through the whole routine again
and was ready to give it everything and see
what he was capable of, sadly not the best
start for Ryan which saw him chasing from the
word go! One thing is for sure Ryan does not
give up easily and even though it was a big ask
he chased all the way and only just missed the
B final by 0.4 of a second. This sadly saw Ryan
GIRLS DEVELOPMENT
TRAINING DAY
On Saturday 2nd November Salmon Leap Canoe Club held a girls development
training day. The idea being to get as many girls possible in racing boats and
learn more about improving their technique. The girls were also treated to a
session from world class racer Jenny Egan. Jenny spoke to the juniors about the
importance balancing education and training. Jenny described how she was on
her way to becoming arguably Irelands best ever flat water athlete while
achieving a first class honours Degree from DCU.
There was great interest in the day, in fact a waiting list was formed with the
amount wishing to attend. For the day the girls were split into two groups in the
morning with the younger, less experienced paddlers and then the slightly older
group who have had a bit more time in racing kayaks. National Coach Jon
Simmons was running a technique session with club girls coach Aisling Smith
inside on the paddling machines helping the girls improve the simple aspects of
their stroke, while the other half would be learning from Jenny Egan about her
journey to the top and also at the end they were able to ask some questions on
this and how Jenny has achieved what she has to date. After a quick break and a
swap around with the two groups it was then time for lunch and a chat about what
the afternoon would bring.
For the afternoon it was a water based session where again the girls would be
split into groups Advance/ Intermediate/ Beginner and with the help of the
coaches they would practice what they had just learned from the technical
sessions in the club house. The objective being to feel more confident in the
boats than they had before.
After the day was finished, there was a debrief for the participants. Goodie bags
were handed out, it was fair to say the day was a great success and all the girls
left highly motivated! Thank you to the coaches and Jenny who gave their time
for this day and Salmon Leap Canoe Club for kindly allowing the club house to be
used. We would also like to say a big thank you to Karen Caffrey who was the main
driving force behind the organising the day.
16
17

SENIOR CANOE SLALOM
SQUAD ANNOUNCED FOR 2020
Congratulations to all of those athletes who successfully made the
senior canoe slalom team for 2020. The team selections were held
at the Lee Valley Olympic Slalom Course in London in October. The
Canoeing Ireland High Performance Director Jon Mackey and the
Irish Canoe Slalom Committee were in attendance to oversee the
selection process. A special word of thanks is extended to British
Canoeing for allowing us water time during the British Open to
conduct the selection race.
INTRODUCING THE
WOMEN IN SPORT
PROGRAMME
Paddling on the senior Irish Canoe Slalom team for 2020 are:
Men’s K1:
Eoin Teague
Men’s K1/U23 Men’s K1: Ali McCreery
Noel Hendrick
Ali McCreery
Women’s K1:
Hannah Craig
The Bridge the Gap Initiative for Women in Paddlesports By Emer Carton
Men’s C1:
Robert Hendrick
Women’s K1: Hannah Craig
We would like to take this opportunity to mention the very exciting Bridge the Gap initiative
which was officially launched this December.
Liam Jegou
Jake Cochrane
U23 Men’s K1:
Noel Hendrick
Ali McCreery
U23 Women’s C1
Caoimhe O’Ferrall
U23 Men’s C1
Robert Hendrick
Eoin Moorehouse
Men’s C1/U23 Men’s C1: Robert Hendrick
Men’s K1/U23 Men’s K1: Noel Hendrick
Men’s C1: Liam Jegou
As many of you will be aware, Canoeing Ireland were granted €80,000
by Sport Ireland to help increasing our current female membership
numbers. Currently our membership statistics sit at 66% - 34% in
favour of males. This gap is even wider when you look at the percentage
of females who have taken on leadership roles – 78% - 22% in favour of
males. We aim to bridge the gap between these percentages as much
as possible over the coming years.
Research has shown consistently that the power of having strong
female role models who are an actively positive influence on their
sporting communities is what sways women to find longevity in sports.
This is demonstrated by the Federation of Irish Sport’s 20x20 ‘can’t
see it, can’t be it’ campaign (https://20x20.ie/), and through research
carried out by the long standing UK organisation Women in Sport
(https://www.womeninsport.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/What-Swa
ys-Women-To-Play-Sport.pdf). Based on this research we have made
the decision to invest strongly in a group of experienced female
leaders in paddlesports who come from all disciplines and all corners
of the country. These women will be ambassador’s for other women out
there who are in the sport, joining the sport or thinking about joining.
We will be introducing them to you via Flowstate’s next few issues, on
Facebook and on our website.
Sport Ireland’s Women in Sports team have listed us four key areas for
development; Active Participation, Coaching & Officiating, Visibility,
and Leadership & Governance. Since being granted such funds our
plan for making changes in these areas has been carefully developed
to maximise its effectiveness. The ambassadors for women in
paddlesports are a huge part of making the changes we need to see.
We will be providing a leadership and mentoring training programme for
the ambassadors which will aim to bring out their best leadership
abilities. Their involvement promises to make an impact nationally and
within their smaller communities. Plans for some special events over
the next year, coaching clinics, workshops and programmes have been
discussed already. We look forward to keeping you updated!
Men’s K1: Eoin Teague
Men’s C1: Jake Cochrane
18 19

Dublin, Galway, Kilcock, Kilkenny, Monaghan & Tullamore - a real
all-Ireland group. It was a varied bunch in terms of skills and
experience, with some players having just started this year, and some
with 5 or more years playing Canoe Polo. So the first job of the day,
was to get everyone sorted into their groups, get them introduced to
their coaches, and of course kitted out with their shiney new
Overload! Tee-Shirts.
Coaches
This year we welcomed some new Coaches and assistants who had
completed the new Canoe Polo Coaching programme. Our 14
Coaches worked on and off the water keeping everyone active,
engaged and safe while learning new things. Helping out alongside
our coaches were a team of parents and volunteers who organised
everything, helped younger children in and out of boats, kept
everyone fed and generally kept the show on the road ! All of them
brought a real can-do attitude and contributed to a magical fun and
positive atmosphere all weekend.
too. A ‘Canoe Polo 101s session to explain the basics of the game
tactics and rules was well attended. After the indoor class, adults
were invited to try a game of land polo and test out the offense and
defence tactics they had just learned...using the tractor tyres around
their waists as polo kayaks. The level of learning was debatable and
some released their competitive side, but there were of a lot of adults
falling around the place laughing, or maybe just falling. Either way,
good fun and entertainment for onlookers.
Back to School
A focused rolling session for kids looking to get their hand roll was
most successful ever, with several players getting their hand roll for
the first time. Meanwhile, a paddling clinic, using a couple of
ergometers helped some players refine their paddling, while
beginners learned the basics without getting wet.
Sunday saw a little rain, so it was indoors to the classroom for some
tactics sessions on the white board for older players and an
interactive canoe polo board game for younger players.
Aerial photos credit: Jack Ledwith. Photo credit: Edita Insodiene & Mary Bracken
Overload!
“Overload!” is the annual Canoe Polo camp for juniors. The event builds on
the 5 Junior Development days organised throughout the year hosted in
Kilcock, Mullingar and Monaghan.
On a mid-August weekend, 80 juniors aged 8 to 18 from around Ireland
came together to meet up at the new Mullingar Harbour Canoe Polo club.
With many having competed in the Belfast Junior International
competition the previous weekend, this was the perfect way to spend a
few days with friends, make new ones, learn some skills and remember
what its all about - enjoying the sport.
Who needs boats ?
The day started with some land games to warm up and try new skills.
Games like Xs and O’s with Buoyancy aids and paddles to kick things
off, and then one of the most novel games of the weekend,
Tractor-Tyre-Polo. You may not have seen this before but its one way
you can play polo, without water. 10 huge bouncy tractor tyres were
inflated and each had a polo kayak on top - players passed the ball
among their team mates by hand, with paddles and while it was
difficult to move, was great practice for bracing !
On Water
After a quick land warmup, players got straight down to Polo drills and
skills on the water, focusing on sharpening some ball skills, shooting
and some game tactics. Both sides of the harbour were full of Polo
players all weekend. For our beginners, a lot of boat and ball skill
games, with a good amount of time jumping in and out of boats. For
our older players some tough competitive drills and games.
Big Kids
While the juniors were learning, the parents & guardians were busy
C1 Madness
The sun came back out and the day continued with more land drills
and skills. To wrap up the weekend, our older Juniors competed in the
first ever C1 Canoe Polo Final as an exhibition game. C1 Polo is an
unapproved and probably unwise version of the game, played with
single blade paddles. While Polo players wouldn’t have a lot of
experience using these paddles it was impressive to see how quickly
they adapted. The rules kindof went out the window and not entirely
sure which team won in the end but a rematch is on the cards for next
year.
2020
A big thanks to our sponsors… Waterways Ireland, Braca Sport Ireland,
Saor Usice and Tedi-Sport Ireland. Even bigger thanks to our
increasing number of volunteers who made it all happen.
Overload! 2020 is on 15th and 16th of August, 2020 at Mullingar
Harbour. If you want to get children from your club involved in Canoe
Polo or participate in any of the Junior development events next year,
please email develop@canoepolo.ie
Ready Set Sleep
The action started on Friday afternoon with the ultimate team-building
event …. Putting up the Marquee! Overload is run by volunteers young and
old and our army of Marquee construction gurus, quickly (Ahem) put up
the shelter, canteen and changing rooms for the weekend. With that
done, it was time to organise the equipment and pitches. Dozens of Polo
Kayaks, Buoyancy Aids, Paddles and other equipment arrived on trailers &
roof racks, borrowed for a few days to ensure we had everyone properly
equipped for the weekend.
With 3 Polo pitches setup, gear in place and tents put up, everyone was
ready to get some sleep before the madness begins the following
morning.
Tee Time
On Saturday, players started arriving early and by 9.30am the weekend
was in full swing. Children came from clubs in Athy, Belfast, Cavan,
20 21

Iain Maclean Interview
60TH ANNIVERSARY
OF THE
LIFFEY
DESCENT
Author of the book ‘Liffey Descent; 60 Years of Ireland’s Toughest Canoe Challenge”, Iain Maclean, was awarded in recognition of competing
in his 50th Liffey Descent race in 2017. That same year Iain informed me that he was intent on writing a book about the race to mark its pending
60th anniversary. As race organiser I was naturally intrigued and offered my full support on behalf of Canoeing Ireland. Two years later and in
the weeks before the 2019 anniversary race we celebrated the publishing of his book at a prestigious launch event in City Hall. Having read
the book from cover to cover and seeing the amount of work that was put in to making it a huge success, I decided to catch up with Iain for chat
about his relationship with the race over the years. In a perfect reflection of that relationship, the book became an ideal celebration of a
wonderful home-grown adventure race which celebrated 60 years in glorious sun shine this year.
The Liffey Descent - 60 years of
Ireland’s toughest canoe challenge
is available instore from the Canoe
Centre in Palmerstown or online
here: http://bit.ly/2PqF3hq
When/where did you start paddling?
I first paddled at Easter 1965 on the Quoile River
outside Downpatrick. I was a member of the 4th
East Belfast Scout troop and I had been looking
forward to a hike in the Mournes when a majority
decided canoeing was a better option, so I had to
paddle.
It was a cold weekend and we were camping. The
canoes we had were PBK doubles – lathe and
canvas monsters that required a great effort to get
them to move. Despite the downsides I was
converted and perhaps like all true converts
became a fanatic.
You were involved in the Irish Canoe Union in the
very early days, what was your role?
My first ICU position was that of treasurer which I
accepted in 1968, when still a junior. I served four
years before subsequently serving four years as
marathon officer in the late 1970s and four as
chairman in the early 1980s. Probably the most
significant action I instigated was to turn the ICU
into a limited company to protect its officers from
personal liability for corporate actions. The ICU
was the second sports body after the basketball
association to take this action.
Interview and foreword by Shane Cronin
(Pic: Iain McClean (L) at the 60th Liffey Descent with veteran paddler Paul Murphy) Credit Mick Feeney
What sparked your interest in the Liffey
Descent?
Colourful stories of a flooded river and dangerous
weirs memorably recounted by the late Gerry
Nevin of Belfast Canoe Club inspired my interest.
One of my scout leaders, Joe Fairley, paddled the
1966 race and provided the transport for me to
take part the following year. Only a wimp could
have failed to be inspired by these two gentlemen.
You have been a previous organiser of the race,
when/how did you get involved?
When I was Marathon Officer it fell to me to
organise the race. As I was also racing at the time, I
delegated as much of the effort as I could to
stalwart members of the committee. I think the
best that can be said of my time is that at least the
race was run. My time included the very difficult
year 1978. I was young and far to dogmatic, I have
mellowed since.
Why did you decide to write this account of the
race?
It was at the back of my mind for many years as
others had spoken of writing a book but it came to
the fore following a discussion with Martin Bosher
of Royal Canoe Club a long-time supporter of
the race. I then realised that with the 60th
Liffey approaching, many of the original
participants are still with us but that this will
change in the coming years and stories will be
forgotten.
I had recently retired from consultancy and
had time available and so the opportunity
seemed to fall to me. Nonetheless I would
never have attempted it without the active
support of Mick Feeney and Tom Egan who
both shaped the output.
Why is this a significant race?
No other race has the floods, the weirs, the
excitement and uncertainty. It has a
manageable distance and ready access for
spectators. This is what inexorably attracts
paddlers from around the world. It is not a
sprint, it is not the contrived event that
international marathon has now become it not
even a white water event – it is the Liffey with
its unique challenges.
How did you go about collecting and
collating the data on results?
I started by visiting as many of the older
paddlers that I could find to hear their stories. I
found that memories are not particularly
reliable but the troves of magazines, race
programmes and newspaper cuttings held by
these people contained much of the story of
the event.
The magazines included the UK based
Canoeing Magazine, Kayak and Paddler but
the one that excited me most was “Irish
Canoeist” which ran to two issues in 1962/3
and reports the 1962 race and the first AGM of
the ICU. Bill Hallowes leant me his copies
which I have scanned.
The 1961 race is well reported in the WWKC
Club Magazine from the summer of 1968.
A further key resource was the “Unofficial
Liffey Descent Results 1964-2011” complied
by Declan Ward and Dave Farrell. These were
not complete and considerable time was spent
finding the missing results held by various
paddlers and transposing these into excel
files. Even recent results such as 2013 and
2014 had to be abstracted from Canoeing
Ireland files. The results are important as they
show the number of finishers and where they
come from.
Finally I went to the national library and made a
copy of every newspaper report I could find.
These are mainly Irish Times but the
Independent reported the largely unknown
1963 race.
I watched films and videos of the race but used
these mainly to confirm the course used in
specific years.
If you could have interviewed 2 more people
for the book who would they have been and
why?
I have thought about this quite carefully. It
goes almost without saying that I would have
loved to have interviewed Ernest Lawrence as
he brought so much enthusiasm to the race
and similarly that fine administrator George
Glasgow who had true vision for sport but
sadly both are no longer with us.
If he is still around I would love to have spoken
with Helmut Holzschuster, the K2 winner in
1968, to discover how an Austrian K4 world
champion came to race the Liffey. Likewise I
would like to have met Tim Brabant to have him
describe the difference between winning
Olympic Gold and the Liffey. I think these
answers would be helpful to finding recruits for
future Liffeys.
Having had time to reflect now since the
book has been published, has any new
information come to light that you would love
to have had in advance?
Not really though I have spotted one annoying
mistake! The full extent of Owen Keegan’s
incredible Liffey career and indeed your own
three in a row exploit only came to light close
to printing but were fortunately included.
My biggest regret is how many names remain
only with initials. In correcting the results
many initials were replaced with names but it
was not possible to find all the names. I would
love to see all the initials replaced as this gives
a much more personal feel to the results.
Did you enjoy writing the book?
Yes, I really enjoyed the experience. It was
exciting to visit old friends I hadn’t seen for 20,
30, 40 and in one case even 50 years. Little
seemed to have changed and the conversation
continued from where it had stopped.
Even the slog of going through the results
becomes exciting as each name is an
individual having their own story. Some stories
emerged for me but many sadly remain buried
in the memory of each paddler.
The book launch night far exceeded my
expectation. That the honour fell to me to
address some many famous and fabulous
paddlers was humbling but the atmosphere
was electric.
Would you do it again?
No, I have said everything I can. Every book
represents an author’s opinion, I think there is
plenty of room for someone else to give their
take on the Liffey.
Derek Martin and Bill Hallowes have both
encouraged me to look at preparing a book on
the ICU. Dave Farrell is in the process of
assembling much of the necessary material to
put it online.
I think such a book would be very interesting
but much more challenging to produce as it
should cover many different facets. I hope
someone might produce this book but I am
sure it is a target well beyond me!
Will you be doing the race again in 2019?
Hard to do it again in 2019, but I hope I will be
fit enough to paddle in 2020 the 60th
Anniversary. I am much closer to the end of
my career than the start, but I hope to ensure
that Malcolm Banks has to complete a few
more Liffeys!
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