Open Water 2019
Information for members about the open water season including weekly swims around Belfast and events aroudn Ulster.
Weekly swims
Monday night – Ballyholme Yacht Club.
These swim takes place every Monday night in Bangor from 6 May to 2 September (subject to conditions). Cost is £5 per night or there are season passes available. You must be aged 16+ or have written permission from your parents. You can swim in wetsuit or skins. Safety support is present at all swims. Online registration is encouraged but paper entries can be taken on the night. Safety briefing at 6.45 and swim at 7. For more information visit the Ballyholme.com. For more information, visit the Ballyholme Yacht Club website.
Monday, Thursday and Saturday – Let’s Go Hydro
These swims take place every Monday and Thursday evening and Saturday morning at Knockbracken Reservoir, Saintfield Road from Saturday 4 May until 9 September. Swimming time is from 7.00 to 8.00 on Monday and Thursday evenings and 10.00 to 11.00 on Saturday mornings. Cost is £ 6 per swim or season passes are available. Safety support is available. A tow kit is required for a session (available onsite for £18 or cheaper online). For more information, visit the Let’s Go Hydro website.
Open water swimming events
Below is a list of swims that we know about (based on a search through Facebook). Links are provided for each event or for the organisers. Follow these to get information on cost, registration and any age restrictions. Note that it is usually necessary to register in advance.
If you know of any others or have any questions, give us a shout. If you’re thinking of doing a swim or your son or daughter is, let us know and hopefully we’ll get a few more people interested. As a club, we’ll be hoping to attend as many events at the Camlough Lake Open Water Festival as possible, so mark those dates!
26 May – West Bay Swim – Portrush – 1k (Skerries Swimmers)
9 June – Rock Around the Point – Warrenpoint – 1.5k (CLWF)
15 June – Aura Boyne Swim – 2.7k (Drogheda Triathlon Club)
23 June – Swim Ulster Open Water Championships – Let’s Go Hyrdo – 750m, 1.5k, 3k (Swim Ulster)
6 July – Sheephaven Bay – Portnablagh, Co. Donegal – 1k or 3.5k (Gartan Open Water Swimmers)
21 July – Rostrevor to Warrenpoint – Rostrevor – 3.7k (CLWF)
16 August to 18 August - Camlough Lake Open Water Festival (CLWF)
16 August – GIANT of a Swim – Camlough Lake – 1.6k (CLWF)
16 August – Open Water Water Polo Championship – Camlough Lake (CLWF)
16 August – GLOW Night Swim – Camlough Lake – 750m (CLWF)
17 August -weeGIANT of a Swim (U16) – Camlough Lake - 750m, 500m, 250m (CLWF)
17 August – Lord and Lady of the Lake Swim – Camlough Lake – 2.7k (CLWF)
17 August - Open Water Water Polo Championship – Camlough Lake (CLWF)
18 August – Try-a-Tri (U16) – Swim 250m, Bike 3k, Rub 1.5k – Camlough Lake (CLWF)
24 August – East the Beast Swim – Portrush (Skerries Swimmers)
24 August – The Inch Mile – Rathmullan Co. Donegal – 1 mile - Gartan Open Water Swimmers
14 September – Elephant Rock – Portrush (Skerries Swimmers)
Camlough Lake Water Festival
Under 13 Cup - As Told by Michael McKendry
The team headed off from BRA at 12.30 on Saturday 18 May 2019 with the expected 8 of our 10 player squad to play our first two qualifying games at the National Aquatic Centre in Dublin.
While most of team had played a number of times together and indeed travelled to Galway in January for the Corrib development tournament we also had Sally along on Saturday for her first games outside of Ulster.
We were hopeful of a good showing based on our second place result in Galway but also wary as we didn’t have a number of those players traveling with us this time and had only 1 substitute for the Saturday games. This proved very useful when Daniel Cunningham advised that he had hurt his wrist during the week and we weren’t sure how it would hold up.
All of our group games were scheduled to be played in the smaller of the two pools and having two games going at the same time in an adjacent pool was a first for many of our players.
Our first group game at 16.00 was against St Vincents Whales and we won this comfortably 17-1. We then had a two hour wait until our next game at 18.00 against Clonard B we won again 11-4. As a result everyone was in good form heading back up the road to Belfast and looking forward to more of the same on Sunday.
On Sunday morning we were a bit more subdued when we met at 6.00am to hit the road back to Dublin for our 8.30 game. We were delighted that Sally, having enjoyed Saturdays games so much, asked if she could go on Sunday as well as she. We were met in Dublin by Luca Straten and Finn Black who were also first timers on a national stage and that meant that we had 3 substitutes.
Our third qualifying game against Sandycove went well and we won 13-2 with Luca Straten scoring his first goal in a national competition. We then went for a leisurely breakfast in IKEA followed by a stroll around the Phoenix Park visitor centre.
Next it was back to the NAC for final group game at 13.30 against North Dublin, this proved to be the most difficult game of the qualifying stage but we managed a satisfactory win 8-3. We had done it, won our group with a goal difference of 36 goals! We quickly worked out that our quarter final opponents were Corrib A who we had lost out to in January but were hopeful of an upset, especially as they had come second in their qualifying group.
Our quarter final took place at 15.00 and Corrib took an early lead which they held onto despite a late rally by our players, who narrowed the gap to 2 goals in the last quarter, only to lose out in dying seconds 9-6.
We then went into the playoffs against Bangor Barracudas at 16.00 and won that game 17-8 with Luca Straten adding to his goal tally and Finn Black scoring his first national competition goal. This meant we had one more game against Newry, a playoff for 5/6 places, and after a short wait we started at 17.45. The team put up a very spirited performance but in the end the early start and number of games told and we lost 9-6.
The team were very disappointed but we did point out that they had come 6 out of 20 teams which took part. It was only later that we found out that Corrib A, who had put us out at the quarter final stage, had won the competition in a close final game with St Vincent’s Sharks 6-4.
I would like to congratulate all of the players Daniel and Cormac for the leadership they showed, Bobby Lee and Luca Hughes who got better with every game they played, Daniel Cunningham who asked to play despite his wrist injury, Luke for his first ever time playing in nets, and to Stephen, Sally, Luca and Finn who despite being the younger players showed great willingness and determination throughout.
Thanks also go to the parents who gave their time and cars for transport to and from Dublin, Mia for her help on the pool bank encouraging and looking after the players, Tracey for organising it all and Jacob for coaching the team. I went along to help out as needed and was delighted to see the improvement in all of the players over the weekend, there really is nothing like match practice to develop a team. I have the usual memento a sore throat from shouting but hope I didn’t deafen anyone too badly!
Coach: Jacob Duffin
Assistant Coach: Michael McKendry
Manager: Tracey Duffin
Assistant Manager/Watergirl: Mia McHugh
Team:
Daniel Duffin
Cormac Creagh
Luca Hughes
Daniel Cunningham
Stephen Moore
Luke Philips
Bobbi-Leigh Joyce
Sally Alissa
Luca Straten
Finn Black
Cú Chulainn and the Quest for an Irish Cup Win
Plans were made.
Training was done.
All the squad had to do was go to the NAC in Dublin and win a game or two against some of the best teams Ireland had to offer.
First up was a game against St Vincents, this years Irish League winners and in the end, winners of this years Irish Cup. So, a nice easy start……
We gave them a game but their quality was too much to live with. They ran out 11-5 winners, our goals came from Decky McKerr (2), Caoimhin Campfield, Tom Donnelly and Michael Dempsey (1).
There was plenty to be encouraged about here, so after an early night and a hearty breakfast it was time to take on Half Moon. They finished in the league one place above us, so this looked like the best opportunity to get that win.
It was a tight affair, by the start of the 4th quarter the scores were even at 7 each. And then it happened, for the first time in the game we took the lead thanks to an Eamon Kerr peach. And then Nicky Birch extended the lead further. With only a few minutes left we had a 9-7 lead.
It was happening! The win, we’d be set up for our final game of the group stage with a decent chance of getting a spot in the semi-final.
A couple of cheap goals for Half Moon leveled the game. As the game entered the last 30 seconds we called a timeout as our last roll of the dice. Unfortunately we didn’t get a shot away and Half Moon broke and scored with 1 second left on the clock to make the score 9-10.
And that was it. Half Moon took the points and we were left needing to overturn North Dublin by 10 goals to qualify for the next round.
Our goals came from Decky McKerr (4), Eamo Kerr, Caoimhin Campfield, Jacob Duffin, Nicky Birch and Cathal Fitzpatrick (1).
It’s not polite to talk to much about what happened in the final group game against North Dublin.
Looking at the positives…….we scored first would maybe one…….The third quarter, we won 1-0…..And that’s about it. North Dublin 15 - Cú Chulainn 3.
Goals from Caoimhin Campfield, Tom Donnelly and Cathal Fitzpatrick (1).
And that’s it. Until next time.
Division 3 Vs Sandycove
That was fun. A fine display of everything you would expect from division 3 Irish Water Polo.
Red card. (For them). Check.
Sloppy passing. Check.
Embarrassing shooting. Check.
Some great goals. Check
Crazy final 2 minutes featuring most of the above. Check.
Credit to their keeper; who made a one on one save with about 30 seconds to go. Then we missed another one on one with about 6 seconds on the clock.
Game finished 6-6. Feels like we lost.
That was fun. A fine display of everything you would expect from division 3 Irish Water Polo.
Red card. (For them). Check.
Sloppy passing. Check.
Embarrassing shooting. Check.
Some great goals. Check
Crazy final 2 minutes featuring most of the above. Check.
Credit to their keeper; who made a one on one save with about 30 seconds to go. Then we missed another one on one with about 6 seconds on the clock.
Game finished 6-6. Feels like we lost.
The Business End of the Season
The Business End of the Season, that’s what they call it in some circles.
And here we are, with a handful of games left and a set of league tables that don’t make for great reading. Our league teams have more hard luck stories than points on the board. That can change quickly.
Our first division team has 4 league fixtures remaining, starting tonight, 23rd February in Lisburn at 7.30pm vs Half Moon. Come along and give them some support.
For a full set of fixtures and dates for all teams in the club see here: