This is an interview I did for the local paper with Shane Flaherty, about this time last year (2007), just before he headed off to the Freestyle World Championships in Canada as a member of the Irish team.
Shane is a kayaker from Galway who has been on the Irish and international freestyle kayaking circuit for a few years now. When he's not playing with computers in college he's busy guiding rafts down the Ottawa River in Canada.
So tell us Shane, what is freestyle kayaking all about?
Freestyle kayaking is one of the most dynamic forms of kayaking. It involves using your body and boat together to perform tricks, much like many other sports these days. Tricks are then scored on difficulty and you have two forty five second runs to perform as many tricks as possible.
How did you first get into in the sport? Rumour has it you used to be a rower?
I was first introduced to the sport of kayaking through the corrib canoe courses that are run through the college during the summer months. Many years later I joined the GMIT Kayak Club and things have just gone on from there. It is true that I have spent some time in rowing boats, both at junior level and at senior level with “The Bish” and NUIG Rowing Club. Best of luck with this years regatta season lads!
How popular is freestyle kayaking in Ireland at the minute?
Freestyle kayaking is a growing sport in Ireland at the moment. Though it is not a new sport most people that are interested won't be able to experience this form of paddling until they reach college. This is where Galway excels, with a great variety of local play spots and a host of previous national paddlers and even the odd Irish champion knocking around to paddle with, after going out once you'll have caught the bug.
How have you found competing and traveling while doing a degree?
Competing while in college has been pretty good, all of the lecturers up in the college have been really good, but sometimes the deadlines come a little too close to call.
What sort of training are you doing for a competition like the World Championships?
Most of the training at the moment is to prepare for the sheer size of the wave in Canada. It is called the Greyhound Buseater and is one of the biggest surfable waves in the world. Surfing the wave alone puts a lot of strain on your body so keeping fit is important. Visualisation plays a very important role as well. You really need to be able to see yourself doing a move and what exactly you are doing to execute that move.
You competed in the US & Canada last year what was that like?
Last year saw the very first World Cup of Freestyle Kayaking and it was held in Canada and America. The event kicked off on the Garberator wave on the Ottawa River, then moved to upstate New York to a feature called Hole Brothers and then down to Rock Island, Tenessee. This was an amazing experience. I got to travel and compete with some of the worlds best paddlers. This turned out to be a really tough competition but there were some amazing performances.
How does a freestyle competition work? How are you judged?
Freestyle competitions are based on a heat system where you have two forty five second runs to perform as many moves as possible. Moves are scored on difficulty and bonuses are added for combining moves together, air(how much your boat leaves the water) and cleans (performing a move without using a paddles stroke). From there the top paddlers get to progress to a semi-final and then onto finals.
What are the Irish team’s chances of winning medals in May?
The team is very strong this year and some of them have invested a lot of time in both training and travelling to get big water experience, going to places like Zambia and Uganda. So i think we have a good shot for at least one medal.
What do you think is the best and worst aspect of the sport?
The worst aspect of the sport has got to be arriving at a competition and being fully prepared. You get out on the water and have your runs planned out the best you can and when you get on the feature you flush off.
What’s the most embarrassing thing that’s happened to you while kayaking?!
I'd like to think nothing, but I'm sure that you'll be able to find something out!
Thanks Shane.
