Great results as Kilkenny Paddlers make pilgrimage to Liffey Descent
Twelve members of Thomastown club competed in K1 category in 65th edition of famous race
A strong sporting history saw another chapter of success added as the Thomastown Paddlers made their annual trip to take on the Liffey Descent at the weekend.
The 65th edition of the famous canoe race was held on Saturday, beginning at the K-Club Estate in Straffan, Co Kildare. From here racers make their way down the River Liffey for 30km to arrive at the finish line at Trinity Rowing Club, Islandbridge, Dublin. Along the way the competitors must negotiate 10 weirs (drops) in the river and more than 300 other paddlers who take on this challenge each year.
This year the Paddlers saw 12 club members take to the field, all racing in the K1 categories. These types of kayaks are the fastest of the individual crafts, however they are very narrow and require lots of skill to keep them upright and moving forwards.
In the Men’s Senior K1 race, the four favourites to make the podium, a group which included Thomastown’s Senan Forristal, broke away early in the race from the rest of the field. Ten kilometres into the race, this group was reduced to just two with Forristal fighting it out with Salmon Leap’s Sean McCarthy for the top spot.
In the end the Kildare man showed his strength to take first place, but Forristal can be very proud of a fine second place in what was a very stacked race. In the same field Anthony Forristal had a fine fourth place finish while TJ Brennan, in only his second Liffey Descent, was ninth.
Crossing the finish line around 10 minutes after the Senior Men’s winners were the Men’s Over 39 K1s. Thomastown Paddlers completely dominated in this field, with four members finishing in the top five.
Donnacha Brennan retained his title from one year ago taking the top spot, with Cathal Treacy in second place. David McCormack and Finbar O’Donnovan were fourth and fifth respectively.
Eighteen-year-old Millie Brennan made her Liffey Descent debut on Saturday and competed in the Senior Women’s K1 race. Millie has been improving all year and powered home to take second place behind a strong French paddler Capucine Martin who took the win. Cathal O’Donovan was another to taste silver on Saturday finishing second in the Junior Men’s K1 section.
In the Men’s K1 Over 49 race Stefan Green, Brendan Sheehan and David Comerford all competed. All three put in huge performances on the day to finish fourth, seventh and eighth respectively.
The Liffey Descent generally marks the conclusion of the canoe marathon racing season each year. There is one more domestic race, this Sunday on the canal at Robertstown in Co Kildare, where some members will be hoping for similar results again. Club activities will then wind down for the dark winter months, before resuming for the 2027 season in April next year.