It was a Liffey Descent with almost everything: a collection of crashes at the start deemed “carnage” by the competitors; a race of changing positions in which world marathon champion Hank McGregor could only finish fifth; a sprint finish.
The K2 (kayak double) of Peter Egan and Mads Brendt Pedersen came out on top in the sprint at Islandbridge, just managing to get the edge on Nicky Cresser and Jonathan Boyton. The two crews had taken over the lead after Germans Nico Paufler and Matthias Schmidt came a cropper at Lucan. Ben Oakley and Ziggy Chmiel finished third.
Egan was winning his third K2 crown, with three different partners. “I had a good captain,” Pedersen, a Dane, said. “My engine (Pedersen) was good,” Egan came back. Pedersen, who was an under-23 silver medallist in the World Marathon Championships just a week ago, battled through a dead leg for much of the race. Egan had been unsure whether he would compete as he had shingles just four weeks ago.
Hank McGregor, the man who won the senior K2 and K1 at the World Championships, was buzzed after his run down the 18 miles on a huge flood.
“Jeez, that was fantastic,” he said. His K2 partnership with Lee Furby paddled sweetly over the weir at Straffan and avoided the chaos after it - within minutes of the start 13 craft were bunched along the bank at the far side of the bridge, having crashed. The South Africans travelled the whole course without a crash.
However, K1 paddler Tom Brennan was one of those who suffered. His boat filled up with water, but he kept going - until he sank. Then he got out, emptied it and went on to win. He had a proper battle with long-time leader Dries Corrijn. The Belgian had almost a perfect run until he fell at the last two weirs. He still finished second, and praised the race as a great contest.
Jenny Egan won the women's senior K1 and ran to congratulate her brother Peter. It was the first time Jenny Egan had done the senior K1 in the Liffey Descent and her time of 2:04.14 was a new record. She showed impressive composure to paddle backwards away from the mangle of boats at Straffan. She went under the bridge, spun around and raced the whole course without crashing.
Bianca Beavitt of South Africa came in second to Egan in a race with a strong international entry.
Liffey Descent 2016 (Selected Results)
MEN
K2 - Senior: 1 M Brandt Pedersen, P Egan 1 hour 48 minutes 08 seconds, 2 J Boyton, N Cresser 1:48.14, 3 Z Chmiel, B Oakley 1:50.37, 4 M Fitzsimons, M Brennan 1:51.39, 5 H McGregor, L Furby 1:51.11, 6 A A Heilenga, P Luckar 1:52.13.
Masters: 1 D Francis, L Erichsen 1:57.35, 2 J Christie, N Blackman 1:57.57, 3 J Morrissey, S Dark 1:59.42.
K1 - Senior: 1 T Brennan 2:02.51, 2D Corrijn 2:03.52, 23 S McCarthy 2:03.56, 4 J Simmons 2:06.48, 5 J Laenen 2:07.57, 6 E Berezvay 2:08.26.
Masters: 1 D Hudson 2:04.25, 2 J Butler 2:07.59, 3 M Banks 2:08.43.
Junior: R Foley 2:07.19.
Wild Water - Senior K1: 1 R Millar 2:09.55, 2 C Ryan 2:21.0, 3 T de Barra 2:22.13. Junior: C Cummins 2:12.32.
WOMEN
K1 - Senior: 1 J Egan 2:04.14, 2 B Beavitt 2:15.22.
Wild Water - Senior K1: 1 S Eichenberg 2:22.31.
