Rheinisch craves Irish white-water facility

Ranked 15th in the world and now the proud possessor of a fourth place finish in the Olympics, canoeist Eoin Rheinisch feels it is high time Ireland had its own white-water facility.

The Dubliner was just seconds away from claiming a historic bronze medal in the K1 Kayak final at Shunyi Olympic Park yesterday.

While he is happy to continue to spend more than half the year training abroad, Rheinisch insists that his Olympic efforts will mean little for Irish canoeing unless something can be done about the lack of canoe-specific facilities.

With Ireland not possessing a single slalom course, he conceded: "I don't think this (the fourth place) will make much of a difference to the amount of slalom canoeists unless we get a facility.

"Look at this facility here in Beijing, it is a huge white-water and this is where all of our races were on and we are training on flat water on the Liffey.

"If we don't get a facility, the sport won't grow and we won't have the depth.

"They don't have to be on this grand scale. They can be built for €3m, which is not a lot, and they can be made into a commercial business with rafting and tourism."

Rheinisch, whose father Donal played football and hurling for the Dublin seniors, can only afford to be a full-time athlete due to financial support from the Irish Sports Council and his various sponsors.

It is clear that it is the thrill of competition which drives him on and not the potential for fame and fortune.

"Sponsorship is difficult too in Ireland. Because we don't have the facility, it is a minority sport.

"But look, I am not in it for the money. If I was in it for the money I would pick a different sport," he added.