National Freestyle Kayak Championships 2008
Event 1 of the National Championships took place at Curragower Falls, Limerick over the weekend of the 5th &6th of April.
Thanks to the ESB and some recent rain the wave was working at a good level leaving no excuse for competitors.
With each competitor getting 4 rides (2 counting) each in prelims, the pressure was eased slightly, thus encouraging all competitors to go Big.
Each class was whittled down from prelims to semis (for the mens) to finals where the top 5 competitors had three rides to show what they got. With the best ride counting, this ensured that every competitor pushed past tiredness, the cold (plus an odd case of tendonitis) to unleash their all.
Thanks to
Munster Dive and Canoe - for supplying the winners prizes - www.mdac.ie
Kayaking.ie - for supplying vouchers to ALL competitors - www.kayaking.ie
Everyone who helped out - judging, scribing, time-keeping - its much appreciated
ESB - for the water release
River Deep Mountain High - for supplying the Music system
Great Outdoors - for supplying the judges shelter
Below are the results and the Points standings after Event 1 of the National Championships.
See you all in Clifden for Event 2, the decider of who will be National Champion.
And that brings us to our 2008 National Champions
Congrats to Kim, Moe, Corin, Caoimhe & Dave
2008 Irish Freestyle Champions
Thanks to
all who took part and helped out
and our main sponsors
Munster Dive and Canoe
i-canoe.com
Kayaking.ie
see ye all next year . . .
Moe going right
Neilo throwing down
Bowsie Clifden
Orky
Len judging
Daire drops in
Siobhan wheels left
Jenny dropping in
Louis presents Caoimhe with Jr Ladies Trophy
Louis present Corin with Jr Mens Trophy
Kim recieves Ladies Trophy
National Champions 2008 (minus Moe who was crowned the next day)
Emer receives her i-canoe.com voucher for her second place finish at Clifden
Coring presented wtih his prise for second place in the Clifden event.
Louis presenting Kim with her prise for the No 1 spot at Clifden
Dave gets his reward for his second place finish at the Clifden event
Len in the hole
Judges deliberate
The i-canoe.com Clifden Rodeo, Event 2 of the National Freestyle Championships, took place in Clifden Hole, the weekend of the 19th & 20th of April.
In usual Clifden fashion the wind was howling on the Saturday. The hole was a bit flushy, but it didn't stop some great rides.
All Juniors, Ladies and C1 heats and final were run off on Saturday. The 3 rides in the final, with best ride counting, really made for all finalist to give it there all and go big.
Saturday night saw a few shapes being thrown in Clifden's nightclub. And with a few sore heads, the men took to the water on Sundays late tide.
Again, prelims were cut to finals and the best ride out of 3 took the glory.
A bit thanks too
i-canoe.com - for all th prizes and goodies for all competitors
kayaking.ie - for vouchers for all competitors
All judges, scribes, time-keepers, helpers - everyones help is really appreciated and without which, these events would not be able to take place.
River Deep Mountain High - for the sound system
And the results are
Congrats to all competitors who took part