On the crest of a wave: Ireland's junior surf life savers

Ahead of the European Junior Surf Life Saving Championships in Clare, next week, some of the Irish competitors talk to Arlene Harris.

Tue, 04 Sep, 2018 - 01:00

Ahead of the European Junior Surf Life Saving Championships in Clare, next week, some of the Irish competitors talk to Arlene Harris.

Teenagers are constantly being lambasted for spending too much time on their phones or too little time being active — a group of youngsters from around Ireland are showing an entirely different perspective as they limber up for the European Junior Surf Life Saving Championships which will be held in Kilkee, Co Clare (pool events will be held at the University of Limerick), from September 10 to 15.

Up to 14 countries from around Europe will be participating in the annual event, each national team consisting of six boys and six girls, aged between 15 and 18.

The majority of the entrants come from Munster with five from Clare and five from Cork; two are from Wicklow (substitutes include three participants from Clare and one from Wexford).

Clare McGrath, chair of the Irish Water Safety Sport Commission, says we have a history of success in water safety events and is urging competitors to ensure the track record continues.

“The participants have been training in a pool for five to six days per week during the winter and from June onwards doing the same amount of days in the ocean,” she says.

“There will be both pool and beach events based on lifesaving skills in a racing environment and will include both individual and team heats.

“Irish competitors have always had lots of success at this event over the past few years and I would encourage the team to continue to train hard and try to keep those medals at home.”

‘Training began months ago’

Turlough Barrett, from Ennis, Co Clare, is certainly hoping to win at the event. His older brother Dylan and sister Lily have both represented Ireland at junior and senior levels in the European and World lifesaving events, while he won the national junior title in the board race last year.

“I began lifesaving when I was eight years old,” he says. “I grew up watching my older brother and sister compete internationally and that has always driven me.

"When I was 15 I began to take the sport seriously and making the Irish junior team was my main focus.”

The 17-year-old, whose younger brother Calum also competes, says he spends a lot of time training and while he is excited at the prospect of the competition, he is also feeling slightly anxious.

“This event brings together the top young surf lifesavers from around Europe and involves events which simulate rescue scenarios under a competitive environment,” he says.

“Training began months ago with five swim sessions a week with Ennis Swimming and Lifesaving Club and four gym sessions a week.

"This year we had the opportunity to go on a training camp to Fuerteventura where we trained three times a day at the beach and pool.

"And during the summer I also trained twice a day on the beach as well as working full time as a lifeguard here in Clare.

“So I’m excited at the opportunity of competing for my country but coming closer to the race day I will definitely be feeling the nerves.”

‘I am really excited to compete’

Aoife Madigan is 15 and, like Turlough, is from Clare. She says the event is a huge deal in her life and not only does she feel extremely privileged to be taking part, but is also proud that the championships are taking place on home turf.

“I’ve been training for ten months, six times a week in the pool and some land-based training in the gym,” she says.

“I have been surf lifesaving since I was eight and represented my club and county many times at a regional and national level.

"Last year I represented Ireland in Belgium and won silver as part of a sprint relay team, but my favourite event is the board rescue, which is a two-person event which simulates a real-life rescue situation.

“I am so proud that Ireland and in particular, my home county of Clare, is hosting the Europeans and I am really excited to compete.”

‘Surf lifesaving involves lots of skill’

Aisling Barry, 16, from Dunmanway, is also taking part and, after months of training with the Cork Surf Lifesaving Club at Inchydoney Beach, is more than ready to participate.

“Surf lifesaving involves a lot of skill and I have been doing this sport since 2015,” she says.

“My personal best is a U16 Irish record at the GB nationals in Cardiff this year and I also have a silver medal from the Europeans in Belgium for the sprint relay.

“Obviously being fit is super important but what really makes a difference at the highest level is getting the technical things right — so I am proud, honoured, and extremely excited to be representing Ireland.”

‘It’s a hard sport to describe’

Ryan Cotter, Kilmichael, is a student at MICC Dunmanway. Like Aisling, he will be flying the flag for country and county at the event and says a love of swimming and a dedication to keeping fit and competing is what helped him to make the grade.

“Surf lifesaving it’s a hard sport to describe but the only way I can is by saying that it’s everything a lifeguard does but in a race format,” explains the 17-year-old.

”So you have your swimming, boarding, surf ski (basically an ocean kayak), dragging, towing bodies (manikins), running, and (staged) incidents.

"It’s really difficult to train for because of how many disciplines it has, but what I find the most effective way to train is by doing regular pool swimming as it’s one of the best body workouts you can get.

“I started when I was 12 as my parents accidentally stumbled upon the surf lifesaving club practising on Inchydoney beach one Saturday morning.

"They immediately enrolled my two sisters and me in the club and we have never looked back.”

As well as training on the beach, Ryan, the middle child of five, also trains with West Cork Orcas and a ‘highly competitive city club’, Sundays Well, where he swims five mornings a week before school and has two separate gym sessions.

He also goes to Dunmanway pool on weekends to practise technique but says his hard work is complemented by support from family and coaches.

“I’m so excited for the Europeans this year as it will be brilliant to represent Ireland on home soil,” says Ryan, who also took part in the European championships in Belgium last year.

‘Keep positive and have fun’

Justin Crowley, head coach at the Incydoney branch of Cork Surf Lifesaving, explains what is involved in the competition and says participants should try to enjoy the occasion.

“Surf Lifesaving is multi-disciplined with ocean, pool, and sand events,” he says.

These include a 400m swim race, 700m surf ski race, a 500m board race — and a combination of all three forms an ironman race.

On the sand, there are individual and relay 90m sprint races and a fast reaction game called beach flags.

“There are heats, semi-finals, and finals depending on how many competitors are involved in each race.

"It’s my job to make sure there is adequate training provided for everyone representing their country and my advice to participants would be, if at first you don’t succeed, try and try again, keep positive, and, most of all, have fun.

The full team includes:

Girls:

Aisling Barry, Cork;

Emma Kristiansen, Wicklow;

Aoife Madigan, Clare;

Amy O’Brien, Wicklow;

Sarah Morrisson, Cork;

Tara McEvoy, Clare.

Substitutes:

Leah McMahon, Clare;

Laura McDonnell, Clare;

Boys: