The Liffey Swim

Yeah Moneky9, you have to swim four races run by SwimIreland in the leinster calender....

Where about's are you situated? I could put you in contact with some clubs if you wanted, the fee can be from 40/60 euro to join a club which gives you the chance to enter these open sea swims.

It can be scary your first time getting into a race and you realise you can't stand up,plus having to navigate and have other swimmers swim over you as they go for position. The races can't go ahead unless there is 3 boats from the civil defense. They will pull you from water if you want or get in trouble.

But its unreal the feeling you get when you have finished a race, its a great buzz to come up to the handicapper and see what position you got.

A couple years back when you seen the handicapper at end of race you shouted your name and you had to wait a couple of days till you seen where you came, but they give you numbers now.

The 4 swims also allow you to enter Dun Laoghaire Swim which is a challenging swim.

For the next couple of weeks i'd get yourself into the sea, just go in for a dip and stay close to shore, it will be cold but it will give you a sense of whats to come,it does get warmer as the months go on.

Keep forgetting stuff, :rolleyes:

To enter a race its €10, to enter the Liffey or Dun Laoghaire swim its €30. One or two races maybe slightly higher than €10 like the Island swim.

There will be around 33 races this year, but all weather dependent and must have is 3 boats from the Civil Defense.

Races range from 1.5k to over 2k...The Liffey is over 2k while the Dun Laoghaire Harbour swim is 2.5k.

Swimming in the Liffey can be manky, like last year for instance,(year previous to that was fine) loads of leafs and some plastic bottles. I swam through a big thick lumps of leafs, swallowed some water (tasted like tap water) . Last year they push the finish back a bit further than previous years as it used to finish outside the custom house, but last year it finished more or less outside Jurys Inn. But all in all its a great swim. And I couldn't encourage more to take part in it as you will love it.

As usual I've gone on a writing rant and have probably missed out on other important points. But I'm sure the other lads will help you out.

just a quick question . . . . are Leinster Open events confined to members of Leinster clubs or will affiliation to any Swim Ireland club suffice?

Quick Question - If you are a member of a traithlon club rather than a swimming club, are you eligible to race in the Liffey Swim etc or does it need to be a swimming club ?

2old4dacold wrote: »

do the 4 qualifying swims need to be completed before the application cut-off date or before the day of the swim?

ie - can you be accepted for entry pending completion of the qualifying swims?

You qualify for 4 swims up to the date of cut off...So if you have 3 done and on the 12th of August you do the Island swim on the 12th of August you qualify, after the swim you give them your entry form and money....Anything after that you won't be allowed swim in Liffey. But to be honest I'd try and qualify before that because the way the weather can be, if The Island swim was your last swim to qualify and it was cancelled etc....I have 3 done so far so nearly there.:)

Its because they have to organize your handicap, plus hat,plus timing chip (if they are doing it this year) also on the Thursday before race they normally have the collecting of hats and tee-shirts down at the sports center in Ringsend.

Also note its going to be much shorter this year because of the bridge they are building at Eden Quay, they are having the start down near the Customs house down towards the east link...

Just a word of caution,the Bobby Nolan swim and
The Island swim have been pulled from the calendar. So if your looking to qualify for Liffey before the cut off point I'd get swimming soon. More info at link

link

2old4dacold wrote: »

Lee Swim this weekend now counts as a qualifier

Good luck with Lee Swim on Saturday 2old4dacold...

Anybody know if the island swim is still going ahead on Sunday despite been removed from the calendar? The other Clontarf swim went ahead regardless. Thanks.

Anyone know know what time the Liffey Swim is starting at on Sat?

Best of luck to all the swimmers, with all the rain forecast for this week, should be a very fast flow on the river for the ladies race. Don't miss the finish ladies, only one chance of getting it right !

Secman

2old4dacold wrote: »

how did it go?

Ah went ok, I died a death, blew up to quick. Should know from past experience to go out steady and build up....There was a great flow and if you view results, the A and B swimmers got up plus a few off on a min...The winner was off at B...Delighted for John Pickering to get 5th.

Congrats to Tom Loftus and Clodagh Nolan...

Lovely day for it all the same....Roll on the Dun Laoghaire Harbour Race, now thats a tester....

slinky2000 wrote: »

I was looking at the results and I'm down as about 90 places better than I actually done, I think my handicap is gonna hurt for the rest of the races!

I was the opposite, got in ahead of a few people but on results I'm down 20 places from them..:D

Bit of a dicky stomach today, couldn't help but swallow a bit of Liffey on Saturday . Unless you got up top ten, then your handicap will be fine..