Liffey Descent 2016 - Application/Qualification Process?

FirstinLastout

Hi Folks,

Just looking for some clear information regarding the above event and the qualification process for it as info is not entirely clear.

I am hoping to have a crack at it this year using a Canadian/Open Canoe with a mate riding shot gun with me.
We've both experience kayaking but that was many years ago and never competitive just recreational.

I've used a Canadian Canoe a number of times over the last few years and I'm hoping to have my own near start of summer with the intention of using it for exploring local lakes & sheltered bays on fishing & camping trips.
Both of us are confident in the water with 1000's of water hours logged through either swimming, scuba diving, free diving and surfing and our standard of health would be above average in my case and excellent in my buddy's case.

The Liffey Descent is something I've always been aware of from a young age as I'd a number of cousins in the Salmon Leap club so it was an annual trip up from Sligo to watch & support them.... but now I reckon that it's my turn to have a go, all these years later.

Looking at last years application form it required you to have either completed the event within the last number of years, so not applicable to me, or have completed 3 WW races.
This is what I'm wondering about. What, where and when?

Do I have to be a member of a club or can I enter as an individual?

As I'll be doing it as a team, I guess the same requirements would apply to my co-pilot?

I know that most take part in the event for the sake of participation rather than competitively, so I'd hoped that there was a lesser class for those of us that just wanted to take part and savor the experience.

I know that this type of request may seem early but I just want to try to get all my ducks in a row to determine if it's a flyer for this year or next.

Thanks for any feedback or advice offered folks!!

yomchi

FirstinLastout wrote: »

Hi Folks,

Just looking for some clear information regarding the above event and the qualification process for it as info is not entirely clear.

I am hoping to have a crack at it this year using a Canadian/Open Canoe with a mate riding shot gun with me.
We've both experience kayaking but that was many years ago and never competitive just recreational.

I've used a Canadian Canoe a number of times over the last few years and I'm hoping to have my own near start of summer with the intention of using it for exploring local lakes & sheltered bays on fishing & camping trips.
Both of us are confident in the water with 1000's of water hours logged through either swimming, scuba diving, free diving and surfing and our standard of health would be above average in my case and excellent in my buddy's case.

The Liffey Descent is something I've always been aware of from a young age as I'd a number of cousins in the Salmon Leap club so it was an annual trip up from Sligo to watch & support them.... but now I reckon that it's my turn to have a go, all these years later.

Looking at last years application form it required you to have either completed the event within the last number of years, so not applicable to me, or have completed 3 WW races.
This is what I'm wondering about. What, where and when?

Do I have to be a member of a club or can I enter as an individual?

As I'll be doing it as a team, I guess the same requirements would apply to my co-pilot?

I know that most take part in the event for the sake of participation rather than competitively, so I'd hoped that there was a lesser class for those of us that just wanted to take part and savor the experience.

I know that this type of request may seem early but I just want to try to get all my ducks in a row to determine if it's a flyer for this year or next.

Thanks for any feedback or advice offered folks!!

Hi there,

From my understanding of it, if you have no racing experience and you are below the L3 skills requirement you need to be signed off by a L3 instructor. This is the requirement for entering into the GP section as a lone paddler, so I'm assuming it might be the same for open canoes.

NiallBoo

To enter you have to either:

1.Completed the race recently

2. Completed 3 "Rough water" marathon races in the last year
- There's a marathon racing season (April to September I think) that'll have about 10-15. Some of these are on easy moving water rather than flat water and are classified as "rough".
You need to have Canoe Ireland membership, but otherwise you can just turn up and enter. Races have a number of different classes, including canadian
I don't think the calender has been confirmed for 2016 yet but it shouldn't be too much longer. It should be posted on canoe.ie and/or the "Canoe Marathon Ireland" facebook page when it's ready.

-They're not WW races, which are something totally different

3. Get a L3 instructor (of any kind afaik) to sign you off as being up to it. This is what most people do as for most it's the handiest option (instructors are normally pretty easy to convince).

Ps. it doesn't matter if you have a L3 cert or not (it wouldn't do much good anyway, eg. having a L3 doesn't mean you'd be able to get down the river in a k1)

Other:
You don't have to be a member of a club but you have to be a member of Canoe Ireland to enter any competition. You can join as an individual and it costs e30 http://canoe.ie/membership/

I reckon you've the right idea about entering a few races beforehand. While neither they nor the liffey are difficult, using a boat on moving water is a whole different ball game than using one on flat water and you'll have a bit of learning to do.

All races are pretty relaxed. While there'll be people taking it seriously, most are just there for fun.

A few lessons and/or joining a club would also be great ways to help you learn.

Water confidence is good but swimming and scuba-diving are actually things you'll spend the whole time hoping to avoid!

best of luck

Kayakswimkayak

The best source of information should be the Canoe.ie event calendar but that is clear as mud with regard to the 3 races you need to enter. First you need to either join a club and pay your Irish Canoe Union membership through them or just contact the ICU and pay them your memberships directly. You need to do this for the big race itself and also to take part in the 3 qualifying races. There is a race in Thomastown early August (didn't see it on the calendar) and the Lower Liffey (run by WWKC) in early September. But I don't know where you will get the 3rd one in to be honest. The Barrow Descent would have been one but hasn't been held for the last few years unfortunately. I'd ring or email the ICU ASAP as there may be a race before the summer you could do that would have one of them out of the way for you.

FirstinLastout

Thanks for the replies folks.

Unfortunately I won't be progressing with this for this year at least.

I'd be hard pressed to free up all the time needed to get the races, if even held, completed and that's just me never mind my canoe buddy clearing his calendar to do the same.

Clubs... there's enough bloody clubs that I'm a member of that I really don't need to add another to the list.
Equally, no point in joining another that I couldn't commit to time/effort wise never mind the additional cost involved solely to enter an event.
I had hoped that it was possible to sign-on, demonstrate your experience, and take part but unfortunately not the case.

I've found an instructor reasonably locally that was willing to sign me off but he's a kayaker, I'm doing this as part of a twosome in a canoe, so not entirely sure the relevance or effectiveness of the sign-off. Seems more like a paper exercise with some safety consideration.

Oh well, another time another year perhaps.
I'm happy enough exploring a few bays, lakes with my wife or mate in the canoe for this year and worry about bigger challenges at a later stage.

Again, thanks for all the replies & advice folks!

adrianshanahan

Where are you located?

I'm sure I can help.