Kilkenny woman to represent Ireland in the upcoming European championships

A gruelling training schedule, strict diet and huge commitment will hopefully pay dividends in the upcoming European Dragon Boat Championships.
Kilkenny woman, Jane Tynan is a member of the team who will proudly paddle for Ireland later this month.
The mother-of-two, who lives in Danesfort is competing in the senior category (over 40’s).
She will be competing in the European Championships with the Irish Women’s Dragonboat team. The team are travelling to Brandenburg, in Germany, to compete in the thirteenth European Dragon Boat Federation (EDBF) European Nations Championships from August 23 to 26.
“I got involved in dragon boating through a friend around five years ago and I have never looked back. There are 22 people on a boat and there is great camaderie,” said the 53-year-old.
“You are relying on the river to be friendly and you never know for sure how it will be so it is important to get your training in while you can.”
Jane is an active person and by her own admission ‘always likes to do something’.
“I started running more about ten years ago when I got involved in the JJ Reddy Run in Danesfort and I am still on the committee but these days I am most likely to be out paddling,” she said.
The Irish Senior team competed in 2016 in the European Nations in Rome and returned home with silver and bronze medals.
Jane explains that the key to successful paddling is ‘about balancing’ and adds that weight and size are also important factors.
“I love the total adrenaline rush of it. It is a sprint sport and there is pure power in it. I also love being part of a group of women that are completely connected and share the same goal.
“We have put in the hard work and have been training up to nine times a week and sometimes two times a day. We have had extensive training since last October and we have perfected our technique so fingers crossed we will do well in Germany.
“We were delighted with our wins in Rome and we will be hoping to win again,” she added.
To follow the progress of the Irish International Women’s Dragon Boating team in Brandenburg see www.facebook.com
/IrishInternational
WomensDragonBoatTeam or at twitter.com/IrishDBT