GMIT hosts Irish Kayaking Intervarsities (17-19 Feb)

GMIT Castlebar is to host the Irish Kayaking Intervarsities from 17 to 19 February bringing an estimated 500 people to the town of Castlebar and neighbouring villages.

The annual event offers kayakers from colleges all over Ireland the opportunity to get together and compete for prestigious titles in a number of divisions such as whitewater, freestyle, canoe polo and long distance. Some 18 colleges will compete in events on the Clare and Clydagh rivers and Lough Lannagh between Friday 17 and Sunday 19 February 2012.

The Kayaking Intervarsities will benefit local businesses in the town of Castlebar and also the neighbouring towns in the vicinity of Tuam, the Clydagh River and Moorehall. This event is open to the public to view, free of charge.  Spectators can witness the entertaining events from the shore and join the celebrations.

Friday will commence with the Polo event on Lough Lannagh in Castlebar. On Saturday the Whitewater event will be held on the Clydagh River, Castlebar, with the Freestyle event running at Tuam wave on the Clare River. On Sunday, the final event will be the long distance kayak which involves the largest number of competitors. It will take place at Moorehall just outside Castlebar. The closing awards ceremony and presentation of prizes will take place in GMIT Castlebar in the afternoon. 

Commenting on the event, Stephen Hannon, lecturer on the GMIT BA in Outdoor Education Programme, says: "GMIT Castlebar is delighted to host the Irish Kayaking Intervarsities. GMIT Castlebar is a small campus but is a genuine “adventure-sports hub” with hills, rivers and the sea close by. The Kayaking Intervarsities will be a good way to highlight this adventure sports hub and the excellent town centre watersports amenity of Lough Lannagh.”

“For spectators the location is very convenient. People will have an opportunity to see a sport that is sometimes under the radar but at which Ireland has been represented in every Olympics since Munich in 1972. The students at GMIT Castlebar are meeting the challenge of organising such a large event with great energy and ability.” adds Mr Hannon.

GMIT Sports officer Nigel Jennings, adds: “The 2012 Kayaking Intervarsities will bring the very best kayakers from all the colleges and universities in the country to Castlebar to battle it out for this year’s honours and for our part GMIT Castlebar is extremely proud to host this prestigious event. Having competed so well last year, winning the national Kayak Polo title and placing 3rd overall, we are looking forward once again to taking on the best competitors in the country in our own venue”.

“It’s a huge occasion for  Castlebar with over 300 competitors taking part in addition to the abundance of supporters, which will obviously be an economic boost to the locality. I would encourage as many people as possible to make the effort to try to take in some of what promises to be spectacular kayaking on view.”