A SHINING SUCCESS!
Sat July 14th 2012
We were blessed with great weather for our race event today! A good bit of sunshine, not a drop of rain, a light breeze and the water was calm with a playful current. This year was the first time we had a Swim Ireland event in Curracloe and the new location attracted 120 swimmers (67 men, 53 women), mainly from Dublin and Wicklow swimming clubs.
The sign-on took place at the side of the “Winning Post” with the men’s race going off first in the afternoon and the women’s proceeding swiftly thereafter. The triangular-shaped course, marked by three bright orange buoys, was 1 nautical mile (approx. 1.8 km) starting on the beach at the end of the main boardwalk, out to the 1st and 2nd buoy, running south towards’s Culleton’s Gap and back again.
With ample shoreline observers, 8 kayakers and 3 safety boats on patrol, the swimmers were well observed. There was a great crowd and buzz on the beach with the lifeguards and a seal or two also looking on! All swimmers fared well and we had some great times.
The prize-giving ceremony took place in Hotel Curracloe following refreshments. The first man (Gary Bedford, NAC) and woman (Julie Roche, Wicklow SC) received perpetual cups and numerous prizes such as wholesome hampers supplied by Karoo Farm Shop in Killinick were awarded.
We would like to warmly thank all those who made this day a success: the numerous sponsors, our dedicated club members especially Pat (for his great organisational skills and energy) and Heike (as safety officer and bringing in a very generous sponsor), Swim Ireland, the fab 120 swimmers, Skipper Stephen Kelly, First Mate, Shane and deck-hand Pat Dobbs for helping out as lead safety boat and Skipper Mick McGinley in second safety boat, the safety personnel, the RNLI, Red Cross, Coastguard and boats, JP from Hotel Curracloe and Jim Underwood for the great venue and refreshments after the races.
We would also like to sincerely thank the swimmers and sponsors who donated so generously to the Tracie Lawlor Trust, which is a local, non-waged charity set up in 2008 after the sad death of Tracie Lawlor (24) following a life-long battle with Cystic Fibrosis (CF). Ireland has the highest number of CF cases in Europe and the Tracie Lawlor Trust is currently conducting a massive research project into integrative health care options for CF patients throughout Ireland.