THE inaugural Cork Kayaking Festival will be held this weekend, combining the disciplines of white-water racing, freestyle and kayak cross.
A total of 45 paddlers from across Ireland have signed up to brave the cold and participate in the two-day festival.
Whitewater kayaking, while still a niche sport, has been seeing steady growth in Ireland, helped along by a vibrant and tight-knit community, according to Darragh O’Brien, one of the organisers.
The blueprint of a multi discipline kayaking festival in Ireland has already been laid down by Galway Fest, which is now on its 13th edition and attracts 220 kayakers every year.
However up until now, despite a healthy community of kayakers including UCC, Phoenix, and West Cork kayak clubs, Cork did not have a similar event.
On Saturday January 18th athletes will take to the Upper Bandon river, near Dunmanway, to race down a 400m section of river containing five rapids.
They will first compete in an all-out time trial, racing the clock, facing narrow slots and steep drop offs.
This will be followed by the kayak cross competition, which will see a five-person full contact battle down the rapids.
Kayak cross became an Olympic discipline in Paris 2024, proving that it is an exciting time to be a whitewater kayaker.
Gum shields and full-face helmets aren’t uncommon sights as the racers prepare to push, shove and barge their way toward the finish. Sunday January 19th will see the competition move to the Lee Fields in Cork City, where the freestyle competition will be held.
While bizarre to watch, the skill of the sport is undeniable as competitors do their best to rack up points by landing tricks.
Darragh O’Brien said the organisers are grateful for the community response, with i-canoe, CH Marine, and Canoecentre all sponsoring prizes for the event.
Red Bull have even pitched in some refreshments and Darragh especially thanked Dunmanway’s Funmanway, who have not only offered use of their nearby parking and hygiene facilities free of charge, they have also sponsored a perpetual cup for the overall winner of the festival.
