After a strong performance this afternoon, Irish canoeist Roisin Cahill (U23W) has taken home the gold in Cherbourg en Cotentin.
Roisin is a well-experienced competitor within this class, having won a silver medal at the U23 Worlds for Ocean racing earlier this year. Provisional results indicating that Roisin finished the 21km championship race with a time of 1:39:12.76, comfortably taking the win with an impressive +2.57.13 over her closest competitor despite the unfavourably flat conditions across the course on race day.
Speaking to Roisin about the race, coming into today's event, she had mixed feelings. While she had confidence in her preparation and abilities to perform at a high level. The low wind levels and smaller waves could not be ignored as they could easily have played out as a disadvantage and dulled the effort of Co.Clare native, with a wealth of experience on big Atlantic swells and powerful downwind.
Cahill, accustomed to a more explosive style of race instinctively changed strategy, setting out a fast rhythm and maintaining pace throughout the course, pushing through to the finish.
Cahill attributes a portion of her success today to K1 cross-training which prepared her well for these difficult and competitive conditions.
Congratulations to European Champion Roisin and team on a well-deserved win today after a strong finish!
