Canoe Slalom: Rheinisch qualifies for Beijing Olympics
30th ICF World Canoe-Slalom Championships 19th-23rd September, 2007.
Itapia Canal, Foz do Iguassu, Brazil.
RHEINISCH QUALIFIES FOR 2008 BEIJING OLYMPICS
Athens Olympian, Eoin Rheinisch, of Salmon Leap Canoe Club, qualified for the2008 Beijing Olympic by finishing 17th in the semi-final of the K1 Kayak at the World Canoe Slalom Championships in Brazil today (September 22nd).
Eoin Rheinisch placed 17th from the 40 semi-finalists. This represented the 14 th nation spot and meant that he filled the final qualifying position for Beijing. However he missed out in a place in tonight's final for the top ten canoeists, although that was always going to be tough as he entered the competition ranked 13 th in the world.
Sebastian Combot of France topped the ranking in the semi-final with a time of 93.66 seconds. Eoin had a flawless run in 96.99 seconds, enough to secure the vital Olympic qualification.
Eoin's main aim at the Championships was to earn Ireland an Olympic berth for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Qualification is tough as there will be only 21 contestants in Beijing, with the top 14 nations at these championships securing a spot.
The Irish team in Brazil is supported by coaches Han Bijnen and Jimmy Jayes.
Notes:
Eoin, 27, hails from Leixlip, Co.Kildare. He trains full-time and latest world ranking is 13. His best result was in 2004, when Eoin won a World cup event at La Seu D'Urgell, Spain, establishing his credentials as a top performer. He underlined this potential with a sixth place in June, 2007, at the European Championships, held in Slovakia.
If Eoin Rheinisch qualifies for Beijing, this will mean that Ireland will have qualified for the slalom event at all possible Olympiad (Slalom was only introduced in 1972). In the past, Ian Wiley who finished fifth in Atlanta, 1996, was among the seven others Olympians in this technical discipline.
Canoe slalom is an Olympic sport since Munich, but has held World Championships since 1949. Athletes negotiate the numbered obstacles (called "gates") against the clock and their times from two runs are aggregated. Men compete in kayak singles (K1), Canadian Singles (C1) and Canadian pairs (C2). Women only compete in the kayak category ( W K1).
Further information from
Tadgh McIntyre Irish Canoe Union 087-8393630
Paul McDermott Irish Sports Council 087-6486295