750 canoeists from Ireland and abroad took part in the 52nd Great Outdoors Liffey Descent on Saturday 8 October 2011. 30 million tonnes of water were released by the ESB for the event which brought the river up to flood level, transforming small rapids into foaming white water.
Starting at Straffan weir at the K-Club Co Kildare, the Great Outdoors Liffey Descent wound its way through Maynooth, Celbridge, Leixlip, Lucan, Palmerstown and Chapelizod before reaching the finish line at Memorial Park, Island Bridge. Neil Fleming was the first to cross the finish line with a time of 1:49:11 while in contrast there were still competitors crossing the finish line well after the four hour mark.
Ken Costigan, owner of the Great Outdoors, said they “were delighted to support the Liffey Descent. It a huge event in the paddling calendar and integral to the development of the sport here in Ireland. The event today was a huge success. A great mix of people took to water, from those racing the 28km with aspirations of winning a medal to those who took part on a recreational basis. It was brilliant to see so many people take to the water. A huge amount of credit should be given to the Canoe Union for organising such a well run event.”
In order to complete the 28km course, competitors had to negotiate their way down 11 weirs. The biggest challenge of the day came at Palmerstown weir where a log in the water resulted in a large number of capsized boats. A large number of rescue personal were on hand throughout the course of the event ensuring the safety of all of the participants.
Check out all the action here:
