Women’s College Connect weekend, Ireland
The inaugural Women’s College Connect took place in the heart of Galway City on a cold but dry November weekend. This event brought 35 female paddlers from universities all over Ireland together for two days filled with kayaking and fun. It was an opportunity for the participants to practice, develop, and hone their kayaking skills as well as to meet up socially with fellow paddlers. The event was hosted by the University of Galway Kayak Club.
College Connect sessions over the weekend promoted different styles of kayaking, including freestyle, polo, whitewater, and slalom. Paddlers also had the opportunity to practice and improve their rope skills, rolling, and Level 3 skills during various sessions. They also could participate in boater cross, peer paddling, and yoga sessions. There were three time slots on Saturday and two time slots on Sunday, with paddlers free to attend sessions that interested them.
Everyone gathered at University of Galway Kayak Shed on the Saturday morning. The atmosphere was electric with smiles all around. First off, some paddlers went on an exciting whitewater lower Corrib lap with fast-flowing water, while others engaged in an energetic rope skills session near the club. After a warming brew of tea or coffee, paddlers either played a game of polo, developed their L3 skills, or went on a peer paddle down the Eglinton Canal. For the final timeslot of the day, paddlers joined a rolling clinic or relaxed with a yoga session. Finally, the day ended with an evening talk celebrating female paddling experiences and the conversations (and dancing) carried on into the late hours of the morning in several of Galway’s iconic pubs.
I personally came away from the weekend with my heart full of joy and the knowledge that I was part of a fantastic community of paddlers. » – Anna Tiernan, organizer.
Sunday began with a later start, with damp, cold gear welcoming everyone. The morning began with a choice of flatwater freestyle, polo, or yoga sessions. For the penultimate sessions of the weekend, paddlers either took part in a competitive boater cross or a peer paddle. The weekend gave female kayakers an opportunity to paddle together in a fun, friendly environment, filled with laughter and chat. Everyone developed new skills and some even tried out styles of kayaking they had never done before. As organiser,
Thank you to Bridge the Gap (Canoeing Ireland), who supported the weekend with a Paddle Progress grant, to Red Bull, who helped fuel the weekend, and to the University of Galway Sports Office for their support. And a big thank you to the instructors who included some of Ireland’s top female paddlers. The weekend would not have been possible without their support and commitment!
Words: Anna Tiernan
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