Galway Fest 2026

Galway Fest is one of those weekends people talk about all year, and this one lived up to it.

There were good water levels, actual sunshine (which still feels unlikely for Galway in March), and a strong Welsh crew over for the weekend. It felt busy in a good way. Lots of familiar faces, lots of support on the bank, and plenty of time on the water.

A Strong Start in Freestyle

Friday was freestyle at Tuam, and it was a strong start for Seren Dŵr.

Math took 1st in Junior Men, Ben won Senior Men, Bethan took 1st in Master Ladies, and Lisette finished 2nd in Master Ladies. Libby placed 11th in Expert Ladies and put down some solid rides.

It set the tone early. Good paddling, but also just a nice atmosphere 🤩

Across the Weekend at Galway Fest

Galway Fest is never just one event. You’re moving between freestyle, whitewater and boater cross, and it rewards people who can hold it together across all of it.

Math finished 3rd overall in Junior Men (with his freestyle result doing some heavy lifting). Bethan took 3rd overall in Master Ladies, adding a strong boater cross to her freestyle win.

Lisette had a brilliant weekend and took 1st overall:

• 2nd in freestyle

• 1st in whitewater

• 2nd in boater cross

Consistent across everything, which is exactly what the format demands.

Racing, Semis and a Bit of Chaos

Saturday and Sunday brought the whitewater racing and boater cross.

Ben finished 32nd in Expert Men whitewater, and both Ben and Libby made it through to the semi-finals in a strong field.

Boater cross was what it always is. Fast, a bit chaotic, and good fun whether you’re in it or watching from the side.

🏴 Welsh Crew

There was a strong Welsh presence across the weekend, which definitely adds something.

Alongside our group, John Russell, Oliver Bunn and Dylan Rooney-Dyke from CIWW were there, along with paddlers from North Wales. It never feels like you’re there on your own when that many people make the trip.

The Weekend as a Whole

The results were great, but that’s not really the bit that sticks.

It’s the in-between moments:

• standing around between events in the sun

• watching other people’s runs

• catching up with people you don’t see very often

• and just getting to paddle somewhere different
  

Galway Fest does that really well. It manages to feel competitive without losing the point of it.

And for Seren Dŵr, it was just a really solid weekend all round. See all results here

Looking Ahead to Next Year

If this weekend is anything to go by, it’s definitely one to keep on the calendar.

Tickets tend to go quickly, so if you’re even thinking about going next year, it’s worth keeping an eye out and getting in early. If there’s enough interest across the club, we’d love to see an even bigger Seren Dŵr group make the trip over.

More paddlers, more support on the bank, and more people getting stuck into the whole weekend is only a good thing. Interested? Have a chat with Lisette, who is around most Thursday club nights, or message in our Whatsapp group to find out more 🙌