Wednesday 17^th July was the second running of the Limerick city centre Aquathon and again this was closed to limerick triathlon club members and invited guests. Like last year and every race none of this would be possible without the help from Limerick sporting clubs.  St. Michaels rowing club were so helpful with the use of their facilities. We are very grateful for having showers , a place to store gear and have hold the prize giving, what more could you ask for and when it is given to you for free you can’t get better than that.   So the race day started by picking up the van & Equipment from Castle cabins with Brendan Kennedy heading to the boat club to set up the race route with the help of Pat Lysaght,. Pat and Brendan put out the buoys and I said I would check the distance and Low & behold the very same as last year.After a quick hello and safety briefing the race was set for 19:00 which is something we need to keep in line as the river is tidal.

THE RACE:

There were two starts a dive start and a water start. The dive start got a 2 sec head so with half the field diving and half started in the water. The swim was tough with a slight coming tide that pushed a few swimmers up the river and they had to work hard to get to the first buoy but the second buoy was tide assisted then across to buoy 3 and back to the city slip way.

First out of the water was Ross Higgins with a time of 10.20 and second out was the leading lady Limerick swimming clubs Edie Reynolds on her first aquathon. Then they started to come in bunches with Liam Liddy , Club Chairman Richard Chapman, and a great swim from Ed Fahy and Evan o Sullivan Glynn were the top 6 out. The ladies were after Edie were Rebecca White, Amy O’ Connor and Ailbhe Healy.

The run was a flat enough course with one or two drags an out and back course along the river bank. The mens race  with Ross staying ahead from the swim and  in fact more than doubling his lead to win comfortably with Liam Liddy second and Richard Chapman 3^rd maybe not wearing the wetsuit cost him by I’d say he would be happy with the run.

The ladies race developed with Caitriona Farrell 15th out of the water ran all the Ladies in front to finish first lady and eight over all with the 8^th fastest run 21:49. With second and 3^rd only 40 sec between there was no time for errors so it was a good battle for all athletes

THE AFTERMATH:

After the race all athletes helped out with putting away the equipment and most stay around for the prize giving this year we spared no expense with a trophy 1^st male and female and a prize for the person who came home in last place. But the smile of the day goes to Edie Reynolds who finished her introduction to triathlon with her dad Bobby a proud moment for both well done. I see a future for her J

THANKS: to the following St Michael’s Rowing Club, Castle cabins, Pat Lysatt, Brendan Kennedy, All the marshals, and LTC committee who helped out Brenda, Sean, and Cllr. Elisa. Not to forget my own 2 children Donnacha and Aine

THE FUTURE: Keep an eye on LTC Facebook and website for more swims in limerick with swimmable Limerick

position	number	name	swim	postion	t1	position	run	position	finish
1	459	Ross Higgins	10.2	1	0.21	2	19.12	1	29.53
2	462	Liam Liddy	11.37	3	0.42	9	21.23	7	33.42
3	451	Richard Chapman	12.47	6	0.21	3	20.54	4	34.02
4	458	Christian Jones	14.06	8	0.57	25	20.38	2	35.41
5	460	Peter hunt	15.22	14	0.53	21	21.03	5	37.18
6	437	Ed Fahy	12.21	4	0.4	8	21.2	6	37.21
7	444	Bernard Loughlin	14.59	12	0.43	10	21.5	10	37.4
8	456	Caitriona Farrell	15.23	15	0.44	11	21.49	8	37.56
9	465	Nigel Laffan	15.2	13	0.49	17	22.16	12	38.25
10	435	Adrian Breen	16.32	21	1.17	30	20.38	3	38.27
11	449	Evan O’ Sullivan Glynn	12.31	5	0.37	7	26.33	24	39.41
12	447	Amy O’ Connor	14.35	9	0.5	18	24.26	19	39.51
13	466	Bob Mc Namara	15.51	17	0.46	13	23.22	15	39.59
14	457	Barry Sheehan	16.36	22	0.46	14	23.09	13	40.31
15	450	Ailbhe Healy	14.58	11	0.53	22	24.49	22	40.4
16	464	Tony Chawke	15.56	18	0.53	23	23.54	18	40.43
17	438	Ollie Foley	15.38	16	0.34	6	24.44	21	40.56
18	441	John O’Connell	18.18	27	0.55	24	21.59	9	41.12
34	434	Philip Manuel	16.24	20	0.23	4	24.76	32	41.23
19	440	Edel Foster	17.29	24	0.47	16	23.14	14	41.3
20	453	Ian Moore	16.17	19	0.45	12	24.42	20	41.44
21	439	Brendan Naughton	19.2	28	1.15	28	22.03	11	42.38
22	443	Rebecca White	14.41	10	0.19	1	28.22	26	43.22
23	448	Magdelena Mulligan	16.49	23	0.33	5	25	23	43.22
35	455	Yvonne Casey	22.2	34	0.46	15	21.64	33	44.7
24	454	Helen Hartigan	22.1	33	0.5	19	23.47	16	45.47
25	442	Micheal Collins	17.59	26	1.45	33	27	25	46.32
26	463	Steve Gleeson	22.07	32	0.59	27	23.48	17	46.54
27	432	Edie Reynolds	11.36	2	0.52	20	35.42	30	48.1
28	433	Bobby Reynolds	12.58	7	1.19	31	34.07	29	48.1
29	445	Catherine Quinn	17.52	25	0.58	26	29.45	27	48.25
30	452	Mike Garry	19.26	29	1.16	29	36.12	31	56.54
31	461	John Culleton	22.32	35	1.2	32	33	28	57
32	436	Keith Halloran	20.05	30		34			dnf
33	446	Shane Larkin	21	31		35			dnf