SLCC Junior Series Race

SLCC JUNIOR SERIES RACE Salmon Leap is holding it's Junior Series Marathon race on Saturday 13th March. As you see from the race notice attached, there is a change of venue this year. The new course will still make it possible to use boats with understern rudders but will provide an opportunity for wild water boats and GP boats to shoot the Sluice weir. Most of the race takes place in a public park that has a footpath alongside the river, giving spectators an excellent view of the race. The start and finish are very close, so there is no ferrying of cars needed.

The race will include a compulsory portage of the Sluice weir for K boat paddlers. Portages are an integral part of all international marathon races now and our juniors need to practise them. Boats with 'closed cockpits' may shoot the weir if they wish (GPs, WW boats, wavehoppers etc). This should help compensate for their relative lack of speed (if they stay upright).

Both the short and the long courses will start above Sluice weir and will race upriver beyond the footbridge, around a buoy and back to the Sluice. The long course will do another lap and portage or shoot Sluice weir (depending on the boat type), continue downriver, around a buoy above Lucan weir, head upriver and finish below Sluice weir. The short course will only do one lap above Sluice but the rest of the race will be the same as the long course.

We hope that people will access the river above Lucan weir on the north side of the river, as parking is limited at the Sluice. Please make every effort to encourage junior paddlers to take part in our junior series races this year. If you have any questions, please contact Liam McCarthy at liamamccarthy@gmail.com.