GARY MAWER, who won silver at the World marathon championships two weeks ago, starts as favourite for today's Jameson Liffey Descent title. Luck as much as current form will determine whether he can become the first kayaker to win the K1 race for a second consecutive time.
The combination of flat and wild water canoeing disciplines in the Descent had until last year frustrated Mawer's attempts to confirm his status as the country's leading long distance paddler.
Ten weirs and two stretches of rapids along the 17.6 miles between Straffan, Co Kildare, and Islandbridge in Dublin introduce slalom elements to an essentially endurance event which has become one of the six classic canoe races in the world.
About 1,500 paddlers are entered this year with Mawer's immediate challenge in the K1 likely to come from local clubs, the UK and South Africa. According to the Salmon Leap paddler, the first two miles of the race could be decisive. "Straffan Weir is only a thousand metres from the start and you've got to be one of the first over so that you're not in with the carnage that follows. If you go for a swim there you can say goodbye to the race.
Beyond the Straffen, the canoeists have to navigate their way through swirling waters and overhanging trees more reminiscent of the Zambezee than the Liffey. "When you get to the Jungle there's only really room for one boat at a time and it helps to be in front. This isn't a race that's won by the best man on paper because so many things can go wrong. Last year the group behind me slowed themselves down trying to pass each other out and I was able to stretch out a lead", Mawer says.
The last half of the Descent starts with a 500 yard run over the Leixlip dam portage and with canoeists tiring the cross flows and standing waves at the two big `V' Weirs, Wren's Nest and Palmerstown, require precise approaches to avoid capsize.
Jimmy Butler, a past winner from Nottingham is expected to be in this year's leading group along with Descent specialist, Fergus Cooper who finished second, a minute behind Mawer, in last month's Upper Liffey marathon. Wild Water's Deglan O'Driscoll is also on form with rough water experience and Simon Van Lonkhuyzen switches from the K2 he raced at the marathon World's.
For the K1 paddlers the race should be over in under two hours with headwinds affecting the course all week. Water levels are said to be fairly high and quite manageable for the hundreds of club canoeists who will take nearer four or five hours to complete the course.
In the other classes, Ian and Alan Tordoff from Chester will be racing to continue their domination of the K2 scene with a record fifth win and Michelle Barry's return to form has left her in a strong position to challenge for her seventh women's K1 title.
The Salmon Leap kayaker was forced to take a year off because of illness but her come back this season has already seen her reclaim the National championship.
