by Oisín Farrell. Canoe Slalom Academy Coordinator
The Irish Canoe Slalom Academy recently embarked on a two-week training and racing camp in Roudnice, Czechia. For many of our paddlers, this was an entirely new experience, tackling a challenging whitewater course that was more demanding than anything they had faced before.
As with any moving water discipline, the initial sessions were all about getting to grips with the course and its many features. The whitewater in Roudnice presented a stark contrast to what we are used to back in Ireland, but our paddlers were well-prepared. The hours spent at home honing key technical and physical skills paid off, allowing everyone to adapt quickly and confidently. Training on such an advanced course introduced our paddlers to new features they hadn’t encountered before. The two weeks in Czechia, combined with two race weekends, offered ample opportunities to experiment and refine techniques. The experience of competing in well-organized events was invaluable, allowing the paddlers to focus on on gaining valuable race experience, and hone race day routines.
For an added challenge, the racing was condensed into a single day, meaning four intense runs on two separate courses in one day. Despite the unexpected change, our paddlers rose to the challenge, delivering outstanding performances throughout the day. Their ability to stay focused and execute their race plans, even in such a demanding environment, was extremely impressive. After the first taste of racing, the paddlers and coaches approached the second week of training with fresh energy. Each paddler identified specific areas of the course they wanted to get to know a bit better or certain skills they wanted to improve and get more comfortable and consistent with, setting personal goals for the upcoming weekend. It was inspiring to see everyone pushing themselves to learn more and improve each day.
Second Weekend of Racing – The ECA Cup
The second weekend brought even fiercer competition, as our paddlers competed in a large field of paddlers in the ECA Cup. Thanks to the experience gained from the previous weekend, everyone felt more at ease with the venue, the schedule, and race-day logistics. This confidence translated into strong performances across all of the paddlers.
With the semi-final and final format of the ECA Cup, paddlers had to qualify through from the first runs of the day to reach the finals. Despite the tough competition, our paddlers showed incredible resilience and delivered some outstanding results, with many only narrowly missing out on the finals. A huge congratulations to all our paddlers – Adam, Cillian, Conor, Colm, Declan, Joe, Laura, Méa, Odhrán, Rian, and Richard – for their dedication and performances. Special thanks to our coaches, Donnchadh Farrell and Keith Bickford, whose guidance was invaluable. And, of course, a heartfelt thank you to all the parents, both those who travelled with us and those supporting from home. Your support made a lot of this possible.
Now back home, everyone is more motivated than ever, with a desire to train harder and compete stronger next year. We’re excited to see what the future hold!
