SHOW JUMPING:The Irish Army were in flying form at the Czech Nations Cup fixture in Prague over the weekend, with Captain Shane Carey scoring a double and Commandant Gerry Flynn just pipped for victory in yesterday's Grand Prix, writes Grania Willis.
Carey had opened his account on Friday morning and came out to win again yesterday morning with his speed specialist Cashla Bay.
It was senior officer Flynn who claimed the best of the Irish mantle in the Grand Prix.
Flynn brought out his Dublin Longines Grand Prix winner Mo Chroi for yesterday's feature and, along with Carey on River Foyle, won through to an eight-horse decider.
However, his time of 37.84 was just over three-quarters of a second shy of the winning time set by Austrian Jurgen Krackow.
Both Flynn and Conor Swail were foot perfect over two rounds in Friday's Nations Cup.
Swail was faultless again in Saturday's Volkswagen young horse championship for second place with the seven-year-old Caricello.
The consistent Cameron Hanley kept the Irish flag flying with a win and numerous placings over at the French fixture in Chantilly and, in a period where good news has been scarce on the eventing circuit, Tipperary man Mike Ryan finished an impressive ninth at the British three-star in Blenheim.
Ryan was in sixteenth and nineteenth with his two rides Master Mexico and Dances With Wolves after Saturday's cross-country.
Although the latter dropped out of contention in yesterday's show jumping, Master Mexico was clear to move up to ninth, just four places ahead of Sue Shortt and Stoneybrook.
And, on the national front, Francis Connors held off the challenge from Tholm Keane to claim the Boswell Equestrian Grand Prix league title by two points.
CYCLING: Downhill riders Ben Reid and Seanan O'Riordan both finished in fourteenth place yesterday in the their respective categories at the World Mountainbike Championships, at Fort William, Scotland writes Shane Stokes.
Irish national champion Reid clocked a time of five minutes 5.4 seconds en route to that high finish in the elite race. This was 13.4 seconds off the winning time of Samuel Hill (Australia), nine away from a bronze medal and just 3.4" outside the top ten. O'Riordan's 14th in the junior event was 16.27 seconds off the winning time of Ruaridh Cunningham (Britain).
Meanwhile Philip Deignan finished sixteenth in the stage nine mountain top finish at the Tour of Spain.
The Donegal rider ended the 167.6 kilometre race to the Cerler ski station just two minutes and four seconds behind the day's victor Leonardo Piepoli (Saunier Duval - Prodir).
CANOEING:Malcolm Banks (45) won his 10th title at the Liffey Descent on Saturday - in the fastest time he has recorded over the 28 kilometre course. The Celbridge man teamed up with Salmon Leap clubmate Dermot Hudson (31) in the senior racing kayak doubles to finish quickest of the 887 competitors in one hour 52 minutes and 46 seconds, writes Liam Gorman.
The race, from Straffan to Islandbridge, was run in pleasant, mild, weather, but Banks said the water was far from perfect for fast times. He has won three times as a junior, five in a senior K1 and once before in the K2. Saturday's record time for him was "quite a thrill," he said.
Brothers Vincent and Kevin Pierce from Artane in Dublin were three minutes further back in second. Vincent is part of the Ireland team for the Canoe Polo European Championships in Normandy in France this week. "We'd hope to finish in the top eight," said the 31-year-old.
