Peter Egan (front) and Sean Butterly in action at the Liffey Descent
Over 400 paddlers take part in Liffey Descent
THE Liffey Descent took place last weekend with over 400 paddlers taking part in the competition with the 30km course beginning at the K Club in Straffan before concluding at Islandbridge.
Lower water levels added to the challenge for this year with winning men’s duo Adrian Boros and Finn Harris making note of the water levels.
“We weren’t expecting such low water,” said Harris, a noted figure in Irish marathon racing.
Harris is a young 20 year old from Wicklow who is among the top competitors in the country at the minute while his partner Adrian Boros is an experienced competitor in his own right and a world championship medalist.
The two secured gold in the open K2 category with a time of 2:14.42. Their nearest rivals were Peter Egan and Malahide teenager Sean Butterly who reached the finish four minutes later.
Tom Brennan earned another title in the Men’s K1 after a sprint finish. Aoibhín Ní Bhroin won the Women’s K1, while Fergus Cooper and Eileen Kelly clinched victories in the large K1C category.
Another notable story from the competition would be that of Mark Henderson.
A wheelchair user, Henderson finished the race in a solo kayak for the second time. Not only his participation but his high standard of racing shows what is possible in the sport of canoeing/kayaking and highlights how accessible it truly is.
