As well as completing one of the great challenges in mountaineering this year, Thomastown’s Tony Stapleton and Inistioge’s Jim Treacy completed the Liffey Descent 2009 and became All-Ireland champions in the Open Canadian Class of the Irish Canoe Union’s league of marathon races.
In June of this year Stapleton and Treacy together with Inistioge’s James Meaney were part of a team which reached Scotland’s highest peak Ben Nevis, England’s highest peak (Scaffell Pike ), and Snowdoni the highest peak in Wales, including travelling 22 hours in between. The challenge was to reach all three summits in 24 hours. Having being canoeing for many years, Stapleton and Treacy competed in seven of the country’s marathon races this year. They won three, came third in two, and completed the other two by coming fourth and eight respectively. These results were more than enough to give the duo the title of All-Ireland champions. To complete the great year they had Stapleton and Treacy completed the Liffey Descent this year in a little over three hours. Their plans for 2010 include The four Irish Peaks Challenge.
