Swimmers braved Irish Sea to set historic record

A team of six swimmers from Ireland have set braved the Irish Sea to an historic record, completing the North Channel swim from Ireland to Scotland, without wet suits, and in the middle of winter. The swim was undertaken to raise money for the Gavin Glynn Foundation which supports families fighting childhood cancer.
The epic swim took the Walrus Swim Team (Niamh McCarthy, Declan Bradshaw, Vincent Donegan, Ger Kennedy, Colm Morris and Dave Berry) just under 13 hours, finishing yesterday evening. Usually undertaken during the summer months, the team completed the journey on hour-long rotations.
The swim is considered one the toughest of the seven ocean sea swims, more tough than the English Channel and the Cook Strait between North and South Islands in New Zealand.
To make sure swimmers were safe, the Irish Long Distance Swimming Association placed strict medical conditions on all swimmers in order to participate with core body temperatures dropping to dangerous levels.
Mr Berry said: “It was great, but it was tough. Core body temperatures dropped as low as 28C, but we had our routine and full medical support. That all worked with military precision.
“We arrived in pitch darkness, but it was lovely to be welcomed into the harbour and to see our families and friends.”
Mr Kennedy, the last of the swimmers completed the final leg setting the historic record, arriving in Portpatrick in Scotland just before 8pm.


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Written by

Peter McLaren-Kennedy

Originally from South Africa, Peter is based on the Costa Blanca and is a web reporter for the Euro Weekly News covering international and Spanish national news. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com.

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