Two East Clare men have completed the world’s longest non-stop canoe race and became the only Irish team to do so this year.
Barry Walsh from Killaloe and Paul Austin from O’Briensbridge finished the Devizes to Westminster International Canoe Race (DW) in a time of 27 hours and 39 minutes (27:39:45).
75 teams started the race with just 37 making it to the finish line. The Walsh and Austin pairing were the only Irish team to complete the course paddling home in 28th position.
The event has been held over the Easter weekend almost every year since 1948 and sees competitors paddle from the small town of Devizes in Wiltshire, 125 miles to Westminster in the heart of London. To do so they have to navigate a total of 77 locks.
Whilst the challenge has remained essentially the same since its inception in 1948, there have been several changes to the rules on safety grounds over the lifespan of the race. Notably paddlers no longer have to be self-sufficient for the race duration with bank-side support crews allowed to supply food and drinks to the competitors along the course as well as provide additional clothing should paddlers require it.
Additionally, every competitor is fitted with a GPS tracker so that both race control and support crews can know exactly where the paddlers are at any time.
