#SurfKayaking - Ireland’s Jamie O’Brien placed first in the Junior IC class at the World Surf Kayaking Championships this past week on the Causeway Coast.

O’Brien also scored with a third in the Junior HP final ahead of fourth-placed Meabh Lynch, who represented Ulster at the contest held on Portrush’s East Strand from 20-28 October.

Brigitte Egan and Aisling Griffin were among the best of the Irish competing in the team finals, with Mike Barry, Matthew Lamont, Nathan Laplaud, James O’Donnell and Jamie Gamble also faring well in their team heats.

The Belfast Telegraph has video of some of the action from Portrush, while further results can be found at the official event website HERE.

#SurfKayaking - Glenties man Kieran McDyre won’t have too far to travel for the World Surf Kayaking Championships taking place in Portrush later this month.

This will be Dyre’s second time competing for Ireland at the event, according to the Donegal Democrat, and he’s already had opportunity to get the lay of the land — or the waves, as it were — on the Causeway Coast this weekend at surf kayaking’s NI Open.

More practice is on the horizon next Saturday (7 October) at the Irish Open in Sligo, where Dyre will compete against his teammates from the Irish squad preparing to challenge the world’s best in their craft.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, Portrush’s East Strand is set to welcome 150 competitors from around the globe from 29-28 October.

#SurfKayaking - This weekend 14-15 September sees Portrush in Co Antrim host the Northern Ireland & British Open championships in waveski and surf kayak, and the Coleraine Times has the lowdown on what to expect.

It's fitting that the contest, last held in Portrush in 2010, is returning to a region that's produced more than its fair share of world-class surf kayaking talent - the latest being 18-year-old Jake King from Derry who claimed the world title this past July.

#Kayaking - Derry Mayor Martin Reilly offered his congratulations to native son Jake King on taking the surf kayak world title in Australia earlier this month.

As the Derry Journal reports, 18-year-old King was crowned champion after topping three other reigning top dogs in the men's longboat, masters and junior short boat in the final of the competition at Maroochydore beach in Queensland.

According to his father Paddy, Jake King can now add his name to the list of five previous world champions from the Canoe Association of Northern Ireland (CANI) surf kayak club - which includes his brother Corin.

In other kayaking news, a London paddler has broken the record for circumnavigating the Isle of Man in the Irish Sea.

BBC News reports on the feat achieved by 39-year-old George Shaw, who completed the 115km route around the island in 11 hours 43 minutes - smashing the previous record by almost an hour.

#SeaKayaking - A Portrush teen is preparing to cross the Irish Sea by kayak for charity this summer.

Top surf kayaker Andy McClelland aims to raise funds for the Alzheimer's Society, Kidney Research and the Regional Respiratory Centre with his One Man One Boat campaign, which will see him kayak 22 miles across the open water from Donaghadee in Co Down to Portpatrick in Scotland.

The current Surf Kayak Junior World Champion will embark on his challenge in a high-performance sea kayak on loan from Rockpool Sea Kayaks and is presently planning his trip with fellow physiotherapy students at Ulster University Jordanstown as well as the Causeway Coast Kayaking Club.

McClelland has yet to set a date for the solo crossing, awaiting word on the best possible weather and sea conditions in May.

The Alzheimer's Society has more on the story HERE.

#KAYAKING - A top surf kayaker from Portrush is headed to Spain this week to defend his European titles, according to the Coleraine Times.

Andy McClelland, 18, will take on the best of the continent at the European Championships in Mundaka, northern Spain, in the high performance and international classes.

The current world champion in the junior international class has been training with the Sports Institute of Northern Ireland ahead of the contest, working with strength and conditioning coaches to up his game.

McClelland was also recently awarded a top prize from the Canoe Association of Northern Ireland along with fellow surf kayaker Chris Hobson for their contributions to the sport.

"It was a great honour receiving the Eric Greeves Trophy and it is nice to be recognised alongside Chris who is one of the top kayakers in the world," he said.

The Coleraine Times has more on the story HERE.