ES Swim Race

Torpedo

Reminder for any fish out there, next Tuesday 20th sees the Dublin Emergency Services Sea Swim.

Confirmed teams are Beaumont A&E, An Garda Siochana, Dublin Fire Brigade, Life Guards, Dublin Civil Defence, RNLI and Irish Coast Guard.

Anyone interested check the link below. Reg is from 7 to 7.30pm at Howth CG station. Swim Starts at 7.45 sharp. Race Length is approx 1k. Entry is 10 Euro.

http://www.howthcoastguard.com/pages/emergency-services-charity-swim-race

nutts_77

What was winning time last year?

Torpedo

Pictures thanks to Jaimie and Tom.
http://www.dropbox.com/gallery/527917/1/ES Swim 2010?h=23715d
http://picasaweb.google.com/howthlifeboatstation/RescueServicesSwim

On Tuesday 20th of July with perfect weather conditions on Howth’s Claremount Beach 37 swimmers from the Emergency Services dived in for the Annual Charity Swim Race. Hosted by the Howth Coast Guard Cliff Rescue Team this is the 2nd year of the event.


Teams were present from An Garda Siochana (Blue hats), Dublin Fire Brigade (Red), RNLI (Black &White), Coast Guard (Yellow) and HSE (Green) They were joined this year for the first time by teams from Dublin Civil Defence (Black) and Lifeguards (White).

At 7.45 the swimmers started their 1,500 meter race out to Howth Sound. After being bunched closely together for the first 500m, the competitors started to spread out. The front group of nine was dominated by the red hats of the Fire Brigade but with the Lifeguards strongly positioned in 4th place was there going to be an upset this year from the newcomers?

Following an unconfirmed sighting of the Howth Hump Back Whale Tom Healy from Dun Laoghaire Fire station took off on the final 500 meters with such speed that even the curious whale was finding it hard to keep up with him. Tom finished in a record time of 16 minutes 30 seconds.

Two minutes after Tom, Rachael Lee from Phibsboro Fire Station came in to claim both second prize and the first lady home. DFB continued the mass escape from our local aquatic friend and claimed the top four places, Brian Mc Loughlin from Donnybrook Fire Station claiming the 3rd prize. With no doubt as to the overall Winners the 2009 winners of the Team Shield, An Garda Siochana, handed over the trophy to Dublin Fire Brigade for safe keeping for the year.

Brendan Core from the Lifeguards came in a very respectable 5th place. Donnchadh MacCobb from Howth Coast Guard pipped Sue McKinney from Drogheda Coast Guard to claim the “Bull Island” shield which is awarded to the first Coastie/ RNLI home. With a big turn out this year from the HSE, Beaumont A&E nurse Ciara Donoghue was the first of HSE green hats to pass the post.

The awards were given by Chris Reynolds, Director of Irish Coast Guard at a ceremony afterwards in the Pier House.

Thanks goes to Ross Mac Cobb & his team from DFB for looking after Time Keeping and for organising Medical Cover. Gratitude to the Swords Civil Defence unit who provided the soapy showers and Jet Ski cover. To the RNLI for also providing Boat Cover for the race. Finally to the sponsors of the event, Canada Life, Deer Park Hotel, The Hair Room and the Pier House Pub.

http://www.howthcoastguard.com/fire-brigade-clean-up-at-emergency-services-a

stretch00

Well done you crazy bunch. Been a few years since I did all those nasty cold water races, getting nostaligic. Will try and beat another few entrants out of HSE ambulance service for next year. I presume the date will be around the same ?

Glad you all survived and from the looks of the photos even enjoyed.:p