Front Row: L- R: Ken Gunning, Daniel Simpson, Ronan Oertzen
Middle Row: L-R: Julliete Guichard, Marie Olsson, Killian Weir, Patrick Weis, Gavn McCrea, Jack-Tim Murphy , Back Row: L-R: Kerry Larkin, Nicole Martin, Ann-Marie Smith, Michaela Gaffney, Nis Kaden, Alex McCloy.
It was a weekend to remember for the IT Sligo surfing team as they secured the overall team title at the 2016 Intervarsities Championships, held in Strandhill.
There were also individual gold medals for two IT Sligo students: Rossnowlagh’s Gavin McCrea, and Strandhill’s Aidan Kelly.
The event which was streamed live online, was organised by the National Surfing Association (NSA) in conjunction with IT Sligo, and saw 148 competitors from 18 third level institutions take to the water.
“Conditions were very challenging for the surfers,” said Jack-Tim Murphy-Malone, one of the event organisers and President of the IT Surfing Club (pictured).
“Our surf club had been working towards this event since the start of the academic year,” said the Recreation & Leisure student, who also runs his own surf school in Curraroe, Co Wexford.
“The standard was very high, particularly in the men’s open event – but the atmosphere in the water amongst the competitors was very friendly – and showing the event live online helped capture the imagination of the wider surfing community.”
Surfers completed in a team event across five disciplines: the Men’s Open, Women’s Open, Longboard, Bodyboard and Stand Up Paddling (SUP).
As well as winning the team prize, two IT Sligo students claimed individual titles. Gavin McCrea from Rossnowlagh, a Fine Art student, took gold in the men’s Longboard while Strandhill’s Aidan Kelly, who’s studying Pharmaceutical Science (online) won the Bodyboard event.
This is IT Sligo’s second Intervarsities surfing title, having previously won the event in 2011.
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