Tipperary kayakers selected on Irish Freestyle team for Paris

The Irish Team Freestyle trials took place in Nottingham UK recently where two local paddlers Beibhin Butler and Mark Kearney travelled to the UK for the trails.  Both paddlers worked really hard demonstrating their wonderful talent and skills in their boats where they performed their acrobatic tricks and manoeuvers in fast flowing water and secured their places on the Irish Junior Freestyle Kayak team who will compete in the European Championships in Paris in 2020.

Sheelagh Hennessy, Canoeing Co-ordinator with Canoeing Ireland & Tipperary Sports Partnership commented that ‘the achievements of both Beibhin and Mark were remarkable and this is just the beginning of their competitive journey.

Both paddlers train as part of the newly formed South East Freestyle Team with the majority of their sessions taking place in Clonmel at the Community Sports Hub on the Suir Blueway Tipperary. 

Valerie Connolly, Tipp Sports Partnership said “It’s amazing to see two young paddlers securing their place on the Irish team. Both Beibhin and Mark have come through our participation programmes and clinics with international paddler David McClure and Sheelagh which we have been running in Clonmel for the last few years since the establishment of the Outdoor Hub in 2015. 

Well done to all involved, keep up the great work and I’m sure we will see a few more young people joining Beibhin and Mark in the coming years”.