EPISODE 5: “RAISING THE BAR” – Monday 15 December at 5.00pm on RTÉ2
Short (180 char): Team Ireland is selected. Now the work begins. Coach Llewellyn brings groms together from around the country, pushing them beyond their comfort zones before Portugal.
Long: With qualification finished, the focus shifts to preparation. Llewellyn Whittaker runs training camps in Sligo and Clare, open to groms from across Ireland. The sessions centre on speed, technique and consistency, with video work and fitness training highlighting areas to improve. Sea Sessions in Bundoran follows soon after, giving the young surfers a chance to see how their surfing holds up in open competition. With Portugal approaching, the camps mark a shift from qualifying to getting ready for what comes next.
EPISODE 6: “TEAM IRELAND” – Tuesday 16 December at 5.00pm on RTÉ2
Short (180 char): Final preparations at Strandhill push Team Ireland to their limits. Then it’s off to Portugal, where a parade welcomes Europe’s best, but Ireland is briefly forgotten.
Long: With the team picked, focus shifts to a final camp at Strandhill. Heavy surf, early starts and heat-strategy sessions test how prepared the young surfers really are, while breathwork and time together begin to turn rivals into teammates. A Junior Tour event on the same beach flips the dynamic again as they return to competing against each other. Then Portugal, Team Ireland arrives in Santa Cruz for the European Championships. At the parade of nations, Ireland is left off the roll call until other teams shout their name. It’s a reminder of where Irish surfing sits in Europe, and of the chance this group now has to change that.
