Merman and Mermaid of Mullaghmore 2016
Setanta's McClean retains his crown while Donegall Diamond's Nuala McGurk is the first woman home.
The 2 kilometer race from Mermaid's Cove to Mullaghmore Harbour in County Sligo took place on Sunday 21 August.
The race had been due to run at high tide on Saturday 20th but, due to concerns over weather conditions, was postponed until the Sunday morning. Happily this did not impact on the preparation of the Setanta swimmers.
Over 30 competitors took to the boats before swimming the 2k home to emerge at the boat club slip-way. Setanta were well represented by R Mc Clean and Chris Callaghan and were joined on the day by Clonard's Paul Armstrong and Donegall Diamond's Nuala McGurk.
Mc Clean came home first overall while McGurk was the first female to finish completing a water polo double. Full results are available.
Watters Wins West Bay 2016
Collie Watters places first in north coast curtain raiser to the open water season
Collie Watters came home first overall in the 2016 West Bay Swim in Portrush over the May Bank Holiday weekend.
Race report
The race took place on Sunday afternoon and saw 25 swimmers ferried out to Blackrock in Portrush's West Bay from where the competitors raced to the harbour finish line.
The conditions on shore were perfect, with the sun shining and plenty of spectators enjoying the warm temperature. In the water, it was slightly different with all the swimmers required to compete in skins and water temperature in or around 10 degrees, although with very little swell.
Watters led from the start, pulling away from brother Louis Watters and club mate Ronan McClean. McClean stayed within touching difference but had to settle for second place, coming in 5 seconds behind the winner. Sean Campbell, formerly of Donegall Water Polo Club, finished third overall.
Setanta senior squad members Declan Neeson and Donnchadh Murphy also took part in the race, which is seen by many as ushering in the open water season in the North.
The event was expertly organised by the Irish Long Distance Swimming Association and supported by the RNLI, the Causeway Coast Kayak Association, Portrush Yacht Club and volunteers.
Results
Male
- Colm Watters (13.27)
- Ronan McClean (13.33)
- Sean Campbell (14.42)
Female
- Caitlin Barry (16.17)
- Emma Van Loock (16.18)
- Caroline Boyle (16.38)
Overall
Full results and times can be found below:
Images
H20 Play Series 2016 starts to take shape!
Camlough Lake Water Festival have announced their 2016 H20 NI swim series
Camlough Lake Water Festival have announced their 2016 H20 NI swim series.
In it's second year, the series brings together a number of the top open water swimming events across the North and this year sees the addition of 3 new swims.
Setanta swimmers have performed well in a number of the races in previous years and will be competing in a number of this years events of the summer months.
More information can be found on the CLWF website:
Colly Watters second skins home in Island Dhu: Portrush two way 2015
The Island Dhu Sea Swim was held on Saturday 29th August. Colm Watters was second skins home.
The Island Dhu Sea Swim was held on Saturday 29th August. The swim has always been a 'traditional' swim, year the ILDSA decided to open a new class for wetsuit swimmers.
Collie Watters, a senior polo player for Setanta WPC, tri-athlete and former iron man, arrived home with a time of 25:14, behind Jon Glover (ILDSA) and ahead of Sean Campbell (ILDSA).
The entry this year was significantly larger than usual, with swimmers travelling from all of the province, and one swimmer made the trip from Dublin. A total of 57 swimmers competed.
Conditions on the day were good for the swim, with a strong southwest wind creating some chop on the way out, making the first leg of the swim more difficult, but giving the competitors a push back on the return leg.
Merman of Mullaghmore
Setanta's Ronan McClean was first home in the Merman and Mermaid of Mullaghmore race 2015.
McClean takes first in 2.5k skins race
Setanta's McClean was first home in the Merman and Mermaid of Mullaghmore 2015.
The Merman and Mermaid of Mullaghmore 2015 was a 2.5k skins only swim which took place between Mermaid's Cove and Mullaghmore Harbour in County Sligo on Saturday 2 August.
Four Setanta seniors traveled to Co. Sligo for the race: Conor McGowan, Cathal Fitzpatrick, Declan Neeson and McClean.
Conditions were good and at the end of a well organised and highly competitive race, McClean arrived home first in a time of 27 minutes and 22 seconds.
Full results available here.
Top 5 finishers