CANOEING
Canoeing is a general term that covers two types of boat and many disciplines.
At Olympic level there are only 2 disciplines on the programme; Sprint and Slalom. Canoes, known by the designation ‘C’ and Kayaks known by ‘K’ are used in both. Canoes use a single-ended paddle to propel or control the boat, where as Kayaks use double ended paddles. Canoeists kneel in their boats which can be singles or doubles (C1 and C2), whereas Kayakers sit and use single, double of 4 person boats (K1, K2 and K4).
Sprint, is raced on a flatwater course over 1000m or 200m, was introduced at the Berlin Olympic Games in 1936. Up to 9 boats race in a straight line, marked by buoys. Usually a paddler (as the athletes are known within the sport) must progress through heats and semi finals to reach the final. First, second and third across the finish line decide the medals.
Slalom, on the other hand, is a competition of timed runs on a rough water course where the paddler (only a individual, there are no crew boats in Slalom) must try to negotiate their way through ‘gates’ (sets of poles hanging at strategic points over the course) in the correct order and without touching the gates. Paddlers with the fastest times progress from heats and semi-finals through to the final.
National Federation: Canoe Ireland
International Federation: International Canoe Federation
CANOEING NEWS
Day 8 – Team Ireland Paris 2024
Team Ireland’s Gymnastics superstar Rhys McClenaghan has won an Olympic gold medal in the Pommel Horse final this evening, with a magnificent score of 15.533, becoming the first Irish gymnast to ever win an Olympic medal. Cyclist Ben Healy secured Ireland’s best ever result in an Olympic road race with a brilliant 10th place finish this afternoon. Team [...]
DAY 4 | AFTERNOON REPORT PARIS 2024
At the canoe slalom Michaela Corcoran in the women’s C1 placed 21st overall and did not advance to the semi-finals, while Kildare paddler Noel Hendrick did enough over the course of his two runs in the K1 to advance to Thursday’s semi-final, ranked 19th. The Irish women’s rugby sevens team concluded their first ever Olympic Games with an eighth place finish [...]
2024 OLYMPIC GAMES – DAY 3 AFTERNOON REPORT FROM TEAM IRELAND
In Canoe Slalom double Olympian Liam Jegou put in an incredible run in the semi-final of the Men’s C1 to reach his first Olympic final an hour later where he placed an amazing seventh overall. Defending lightweight champion Kellie Harrington impressively defeated Italian Alessia Mesiano in the last 16 to advance to the quarter-finals on Wednesday evening (31st July). Her [...]
TEAM IRELAND TO FEATURE IN TEN SPORTS ON OPENING DAY OF PARIS 2024
Day one of Paris 2024 is set to be a bumper one for Team Ireland as athletes from no less than ten sports will get their Olympic campaigns underway; Eventing (Dressage), Hockey, Swimming, Rowing, Canoe Slalom, Road Cycling, Boxing, Badminton, Gymnastics, and the Men’s Rugby Sevens team return to the pitch. Equestrian The Irish [...]
SELECTED ATHLETES
Noel Hendrick
BIOGRAPHY Noel and his twin brother Robert (who were born on a Christmas Eve) were fourth in a C2 double at the 2015 World Junior Championships but both flourished individually. They actually both clinched nation qualifying spots for Paris at the 2023 World Championships but Robert lost out to Liam Jegou in the subsequent Irish [...]
Michaela Corcoran
BIOGRAPHY Michaela’s qualification, through a late quota re-allocation, means Paris will be particularly special for the Corcoran twins who follow their dad Mike’s Olympic legacy. Michaela is older by one minute and prefers the single-paddle canoeing discipline. She debuted for Ireland at the 2021 Europeans and has been a regular semi-finalist at age-group Europeans and [...]
Madison Corcoran
BIOGRAPHY Madison’s twin sister Michaela had also hoped to qualify for Paris but narrowly missed out. The pair are are steeped in canoeing as their dad Mike (originally from Glasnevin) competed in the 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games. Madison grew up by the Potomac River in Maryland and competed for USA as a junior. After [...]
Liam Jegou
BIOGRAPHY Liam grew up in Ballyvaughan, Co. Clare but moved to France, aged seven, when his French dad; a canoe instructor, got a job there. He won silver at the World Junior Championships in 2014 and, despite hip surgery in 2017, won bronze at World U23s in 2019. In November 2019 he was the first [...]