Mawer brothers fastest

Gary Mawer and his brother John were the fastest down the course of the Liffey Descent as 1,100 competitors took on the Straffan to Islandbridge course in near-perfect conditions on Saturday.

The trip was far from uneventful for the racing kayak of Gary (29) and John (23), who suffered a serious blow early on. "Our bow broke; it folded round, and I thought, `our race is over', but it popped back," explained Gary, one of our top international canoeists and a possible Olympian next year.

Indeed the Mawers' experience as sprinters stood them in good stead in the Jameson-sponsored event, as they had to hold off South Africans Rob Oliaro and Grant Wilson in the final stretch.

Michelle Barry was again the best woman of the day - she won her ninth consecutive title in the women's senior racing kayak class and her 11th in all. She has won 14 medals at the Liffey Descent. Next year she intends to see can she make it 10 wins in-a-row.

A full-time activity, then? Well, no. She had other plans for yesterday. "I'm hoping to go in the triathlon in Wexford on Sunday for the children's hospital in Crumlin," she explained.

Similarly indomitable is Malcolm Banks (37), who won his fifth senior racing kayak title here. Like Barry and the Mawers he is from the Salmon Leap club, which had a highly-successful day.