Team selections

The Irish freestyle team selections took place in Nottingham on the 5th of march. The whole squad went over to compete and make the team. We went over for the weekend, leaving nice and early on friday morning to get the ferry, followed by a five hour drive with lots and lots of pictionary!!. We paddled on the man made whitewater course which was really cool. The course has a number of good features for playboating. The course begins with a really sweet fun hole that is created when the gate opens to let water in, heres a pic... The team selection took place on the looping hole, and although it still hasn't quite been perfected it wasn't too bad. It was very flushy, very fast, and surged quite a bit. It was fairly hard to get used to and separated the men from the boys. On the saturday the squad was split into several groups and each got an hour at the looping hole with coach kipper. Sunday saw the team trials and there were quite a few surprises.. The team is.. mens k1-
Leonard Kelleher,
Mark Leonard,
Jim Kehoe,
Neil Gibson,
Killian Delaney
and sub Killian Kelly

womans k1
Kate Harris
Nichola Thompson
Kim Siekerman
and sub Siobhan McGriskin

junor mens k1
Stephen Happe
Stephen Brennan
Kevin Niland

Unfortunately I came seventh and didn't make it, but I'll start training now and be back with a bang next year!. Big thanks to Shane Cronin for all his organising and to Kipper for all his coaching. Heres a picture of the looping hole where the European Championships will be held..