2014 Open sea swim calendar

mad m · 09-09-2014 2:38pm

Finelli wrote: »

It depends on the flow of the river of course, but Tom Healy on 8.15 stood out for me

1:15 is start. High tide is just after 3pm. Will be swimming into on coming tide.

Finelli · 09-09-2014 3:51pm

Are you saying it's a backmarkers race? ;-)

mad m · 09-09-2014 4:58pm

Finelli wrote: »

Are you saying it's a backmarkers race? ;-)

Yeah those back markers seem to just flow down the river

MojoMaker · 09-09-2014 11:17pm

As a matter of interest, as I haven't been following the form, does 12:30 effectively rule Conor Turner completely out of contention for this?

slinky2000 · 10-09-2014 8:36am

Freddio wrote: »

http://leinsteropensea.ie/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Liffey-Handicap-2014.pdf

The debate rages !!!!

Niall O'S
Ciaran Balfe
Stefan Ray
Barry Dunne
Cian Connaughton

Even in that list Ciaran ahead of Stefan and Cian is interesting alright. Cian can also put the foot down if he wants. Looks at his time in the bray swim last Friday. I think he's a pool swimmer though, so the flat water suited him.

Freddio · 10-09-2014 9:14am

Yes - Ciaran has produced some good times this year and Cian pulled Bray out of the bag.

I took a walk along the course yesterday and the conditions were much calmer than Bray though there was a bit of flow.

Slinky you brought home the goods in Killiney so your handicap is looking good . . .

mad m · 10-09-2014 10:42am

Well no matter what happens goodluck to everyone. I know ill be busting a gut to try and keep you all behind me.

2old4dacold · 12-09-2014 10:52pm

see ye tomorrow lads, hat 140, say hello

Kurt Godel · 12-09-2014 11:04pm

Best of luck everyone, I've wanted to do this swim since 30 years ago when I first saw this painting!

swimwidow · 13-09-2014 2:37pm

Well done to Ger Wilkes who won today's race (interesting how NONE of your predictions got that)

Conor Turner 2nd...Complete back markers race

Freddio · 13-09-2014 4:41pm

@slinky did you beat Ciaran ?

Got the answer I was looking for!

Kurt Godel · 13-09-2014 5:30pm

Great swim. Jumping in the first thing I noticed was the taste- a mix of salt water and stale beer:D which I still can't get out of my mouth! Good support all the way along and over the bridges. I swam close to the North side of the wall- thought the current was upstream in the middle so didn't go in the centre (who did? what was it like?). Well done to the winners, great that back markers with tough handicaps prevailed on the day.

PS thanks to madm for picking up my cap and saving me a trip from Wicklow!:)

mad m · 14-09-2014 12:18am

swimwidow wrote: »

Well done to Ger Wilkes who won today's race (interesting how NONE of your predictions got that)

Conor Turner 2nd...Complete back markers race

Yeah we almost got it wrong. But Niall O Sullivan got up 4th overall.....Freddio had it in his predictions. Well done to Freddio on getting Vets for Liffey. Slinky well done on team prize...

Great swim from Wilkes off 6:45. Niall was apparently in front till after Rosie Hackett Bridge where he was caught. Anyway roll on next year......

@Kurt, no problem pal, anytime.....nice to have met you.

Freddio · 14-09-2014 7:15am

Congratulations to you too mad m on your swimmer of the year vets. Great night in the Gresham after. Unfortunately my body clock is now on school run, hence posting at 7:15 am on a Sunday.

slinky2000 · 14-09-2014 10:58am

Freddio wrote: »

@slinky did you beat Ciaran ?

Got the answer I was looking for!

I didn't, Ciaran got 10th and I was 12th, but I was on his tail.

I'll be interested in seeing the results and the actual race times.

I only noticed Conor turner and tom healey going past me about oconnell bridge, like trains the two of them.

The swim fairly showed the usual suspects roping throughout the year.

mad m · 14-09-2014 11:45am

Was there any tussle at end of night over taking Liffey cup home?

Kurt Godel · 14-09-2014 7:17pm

Just looking at the results, there are a lot of high handicaps towards the front, and a lot of low handicaps/scratch towards the back. Would this year be considered a tough year because of the flow?

MojoMaker · 14-09-2014 7:35pm

29:43 :eek:

Kurt Godel · 15-09-2014 7:33am

Liffey Swim 79th place 44:02 race time
I've wanted to do this race since seeing the great Jack Yeats painting. All the advice had been to keep to the middle where the current would help, but walking up to the start it was obvious there was a tidal flow upstream. The flow seemed less pronounced by the sides, so I decided I'd stay away from the middle. I had a tough enough 4:30 handicap, don't know what I did to deserve that! Diving in on my start, the immediate sensation was the taste- a salty mix of stale beer. Ugh. It was chilly enough too, but you soon got used to that. Under the first bridge, that was a strange feeling. After that it was a matter of just plugging away. I was going strong enough- at a pace I hoped wouldn't slow for the 2km of the race. There was a lot of traffic, but plenty of room to pass where needed. Lots of onlookers cheering from the sides, and over every bridge- I'd say it was a real spectacle to watch. It's a pretty strange viewpoint to glimpse Dublin from, seeing the Four Courts, Woodquay, etc, from the water. People were passing me, but I was passing others in turn. It seemed like a tough swim, and I was pretty burnt by O'Connell bridge- which is wider than it is long, and is a long, long, way to swim in the dark, towards the distant semi-circle of light that is the other side. I pushed as hard as I could from here, catching and taking a few, and welcomed the sight of the Custom House and the finish.

Disinfectant and a shower at the finish, and a can of coke for whatever benefits it might or might not have. If nothing else, it helped ease the Liffey taste. Good race, glad its done.

(Anyone else want to stick up a report for the craic?)

mad m · 15-09-2014 11:23am

Dived in and goggles flew off, but recovered quickly:rolleyes:

started to cramp at halfpenny bridge so only one foot kicking:D. Swam under Rosie Hackett bridge before I crossed it. Ah well maybe next year...

Oh yeah lost my timing chip after two bridges also

Jesus, what else could of went wrong!!!

mr jack · 15-09-2014 5:33pm

I had a blast. Went off on 4:15 and came 114th which I was actually pretty happy with considering I thought my handicap was on the heavy side and I just haven't been fit all year.

It must be funny for non open sea peeps watching the race, esp. the start. All the build up, bit of a sing song, Lord Mayor blowing the horn, and then this one fella just jumps into the water on his own and nothing happens after that for a whole minute. Oh well, that's the game yo.

It was a long race, felt great at half way but was really tired by O'Connell Bridge, and man is it dark in there. The swans in the middle of it all were cool, they were obviously goin wtf is this, I'm outta here!!

mad m · 15-09-2014 9:51pm

@mr jack.

We had same handicap. Came 73rd. Thought I'd done better but what can you do.

2old4dacold · 16-09-2014 11:24am

Have wanted to do the Liffey Swim since first seeing it on the news as a child. I'd actually consider myself a river swimmer first and foremost regularly swimming in the Suir,and having previously swum in the Nore, the Lee, the Blackwater, and the Shannon, so it was nice to add the Liffey to my "collection".

This year, after a couple of years moaning that four qualifying swims were required, and that only two Munster swims counted, I decided to knuckle down and get it done. I swam in Curracloe, Wicklow and Killiney, and counted the Lee Swim as my 4th qualifier. (I took in the harbour race as well, seeing that I was qualified in time for that also.)

On the day, I parked up and took the Luas, (in true culchie style) and was in Dublin before 12 to get my chip. A quick cup of tea and then enjoy the pre-race banter. Luckily, a chance discovery that an occasional work colleague is a sea race regular means I now know a few people and this gives me somebody to talk to! I also bumped into mad m and we wished each other luck.

For the swim itself I was off 3.30 and the plan was go as hard as you can for as long as you can! Found the water saltier than I expected, and felt that I was into heavy swimmer traffic rather quickly .... unfortunately there was as many coming from behind me as I was catching! Eventually spied my good buddy MG around halfway but once I had him picked up, it took me ages to actually pass him. I finished 104th, but my actual swim time puts me 110th (thanks howdidyouswim) and I was hoping for top 100 so a little disappointed there. I am of course claiming first Tipperary man, and possibly first Munster man, (but not sure of some of the club names!) I think committee need to look at a prize category for culchies ....

Had some shoulder pain for a couple of hundred metres mid-way but it eased again, and surprisingly swallowed a bit more water than I'd like to have, but overall thoroughly enjoyed it. The crowds were massive, a great way to see the city and some great photos out there. Most of all, brilliant to see people enjoying our rivers. Lastly, what an amazing achievement by Rachel Lee to win the Liffey and the Lee in the same year, surely an unprecedented feat?

mad m · 16-09-2014 12:00pm

2old4dacold,

You doing Kinsale Sandycove around the rock this Saturday? ill be down there. Looking forward to it and will give it a lash...

2old4dacold · 16-09-2014 6:17pm

@ mad m,

no, giving it a skip this year. I found Kinsale too long of a day last year, far too much hanging around. Was there around 12 to register and get something to eat, and was still there at the presentation at 10 that night, 10 hours for a half hour swim ....

mad m · 16-09-2014 8:22pm

@2old4dacold,

Ah making a weekend of it and staying in Hotel where presentation is on. Ok mind how you go. See you next season.

slinky2000 · 17-09-2014 8:01pm

Loads of pictures of the swim up on FB:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.749711161755144.1073741855.269830163076582&type=1

shaydy · 28-10-2014 6:49pm

A little off topic, could any of you experienced open water swimmers give some advice on how I could safely go about getting some safe open water swimming experience for the first time? All my swimming has been indoors to date

Thanks

mad m · 29-10-2014 6:15pm

shaydy wrote: »

A little off topic, could any of you experienced open water swimmers give some advice on how I could safely go about getting some safe open water swimming experience for the first time? All my swimming has been indoors to date

Thanks

A great bunch of ladies and gents meet up every Saturday and Sunday at the 40ft at 12pm for a swim. They go around the yellow buoys. They stop at each buoy and depending on how cold it is they decide whether to go to the next buoy. They are mostly from Glenalbyn Sc and welcome anyone. Just tell them it's your first time and they will look after you.

slinky2000 · 04-11-2014 3:03pm

The Phoenix lads and lassies meet up on a sunday at 10am down the 40ft also. I sometimes tag along

2014 Open sea swim calendar

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