Christmas Day Swim In Youghal 2010

Click on image to enlarge: Pics: Kevin Power

The Tenth Youghal Triathlon was a tremendous success at the East Cork seaside town, with 248 competitors taking to the Atlantic Ocean, then on to the bicycles then finishing with a run. Report: Derek Kiely

There was over €3,000 in prizes, split amongst the field, with overall prizes as well as category awards too. The course was a massive 750m swim, 19k cycle and a 6.5k run and conditions were tough early Saturday morning with a rising tide and a sharp swell in the Atlantic Ocean for the 750m swim, but as the day drew on weather conditions improved significantly and the roads were dry for both the cycling and the run.

‘Youghal Triathlon Director’ Tommy Roche said “The day was a fantastic success and it is great when everything comes together and that is down to hard work from everyone involved in this event. The standard again this year was absolutely brilliant with a great range of athletes involved. It’s great to see a lot of local Cork athletes competing well at the top end of Triathlon competitions and I want to thank everyone who helped in making this Triathlon a success, the eleventh Youghal Triathlon can’t come quick enough”.

As the competition reached fever pitch it was Trevor Woods, a physical exercise teacher at UCC who emerged as the first man home and overall winner in a time of 1.05.15. Trevor originally from Belfast was thrilled with the victory and praised the organisers for putting together such a well designed course. The first Lady home was Cork’s Elizabeth Lee who won the Youghal Triathlon in 2008. Elizabeth crossed the finish line in 1.10.21 which was a very impressive time indeed.

Other competitors of note were Cork’s Chris Mintern who at just 16 years of age has already competed at International level. Mintern was first out of the water, first home in the cycle, but was caught in the run by the experiences Trevor Woods, also Donal Mahon also put in a fantastic performance claiming third place.

In the Ladies race, there was a bit of local flavour as Katie Cooke who is a niece of well known Youghal man Ken Brookes finished second and Catherine Brown was third and Leevale from Cork took first prize in the team event. The Youghal Triathlon was supported by Youghal Town Council and the Mayor Mary Linehan-Foley was full of high praise for the organisers and the competitors alike, stating that events like these are highly important for Youghal as a town and also sponsored by
the Aura Leisure Centre at Youghal’s swimming pool in the Front Strand.

A beautiful sunset last evening (Sunday 29th August 2010) over Youghal Bay finally drew a fitting curtain over an exciting day of powerboat racing in the East Cork town. Returning to Cork waters for the first time in many years this year’s ISA National Powerboat Championship is proving to be a huge success with intense competition across all classes and superb excitement for spectators.
Photos: Ger Leahy

With the waters directly off the quays in Youghal roaring to the sound of 14 race engines, the quays were equally buzzing with the chatter of keen spectators enjoying this unique blend of water, noise, bravery and spectacle.

Although only in it’s first year, this was Youghal Bay Boat Club’s second hosting of a round of the National Championships – the first being in Ardmore back in July. In Ardmore it was the P750 (Thundercat) classes that provided the excitement, this time out the entire national powerboat racing fleet came to party.

The weekend of maritime activities had begun the previous day with local marine training centre Aquatrek hosting the Munster Final of the Yachtsman Euromarine Rib Challenge and Youghal Bay Boat Club hosting their Commodore’s Cup and a thrilling aerobatics display by Gerry Humphries (and his wonderfully daft flying cow!) in the skies above Youghal. With two new ribs up for grabs in the national finals of the Rib Challenge, competition was naturally keen. Challenges were spread across land-based skills, questions and tasks – while on the water crews were tasked with a variety of tests. When the dust settled, the teams going through to the national final were announced as:

Seniors:
1st – Aquatrek Training Centre
2nd – Youghal Bay Boat Club
3rd – Tralee Bay Sailing Club

Juniors:
1st – Aquatrek Training Centre
2nd – Wexford Harbour Boat & Tennis Club
3rd – Wexford Harbour Boat & Tennis Club

Sunday morning arrived with a car-park full of very strange machines for the people of Youghal to wonder about – it’s not every day you see a van with what looks like a little jet plane parked on its roof. With crews and boats from the four corners of Ireland filling out the car park the excitement grew from early morning until the first boats hit the water just after noon to begin a long day of hot action. Under blue skies and mostly clear water the afternoon was filled with twelve races in total. Community Radio Youghal were on hand to provide informative commentary and fill the time between races with music and banter. With this being the penultimate round of the national championships the racing was always expected to be intense, and the crews didn’t disappoint. Turn after turn, race after race, the crowds were treated to top-notch racing directly in front of the town’s quays. The big F2′s rocketing past at 100 miles an hour throwing huge plumes of water into the skies, the little P750 (Thundercats) throwing their boats and crews into impossible turns just inches apart from one another, and the T850 monohulls buzzing, skimming and often flying across the water.

For Youghal Bay Boat Club this was the first year in the build towards a major annual Maritime Festival, and it proved to be a satisfying success. For the spectators it was another opportunity to enjoy the wonderful spectacle which the waters of Youghal can provide. For the competitors it was an opportunity to showcase their sport and battle hard for championship points.

At the end of a long and exciting day the honours went to the following:

T850 Class
1st: Oliver Haire (North East Powerboat & Racing Club)
2nd: Megan Anderson (North East Powerboat & Racing Club)
3rd: Philip Haire (North East Powerboat & Racing Club)

Formula 2 Class
1st: Will Chambers (Lisnaskea Boat Club)
2nd: Liam Ralph (East Coast Powerboat Racing Club)
3rd: Oliver Haire (North East Powerboat & Racing Club)

Formula 4 Class
1st: Will Chambers (Lisnaskea Boat Club)
2nd: Phil Boyle (Irish Powerboat Club)

P750 (Thundercats)
1st: Sean Dillon & Gary Hogg (Irish Offshore Powerboat Racing Club)
2nd: Colin Snow & Conor Mullally (East Coast Powerboat Racing Club)
3rd: Ronan O’Connor & Fionn Little (Youghal Bay Boat Club)

For further information please contact Aidan Foley (Club PRO) on 086 0401368

Irish Water Safety is the statutory body established to promote water safety in Ireland. Our role is to educate people in water safety best practices. We develop public awareness campaigns to promote necessary attitudes, rescue skills and behaviour to prevent drownings and water related accidents. Photo: www.youghalonline.com

Its never too late to learn to swim. Help protect yourself and your family from drowning by taking up Irish Water Safety’s swimming and lifesaving classes nationwide

Photo: Michael Hussey (YoughalOnline.com)

The athletes race to the water at the start of the annual Triathlon on Youghal beach

Over 300 competitors took part in the 8th Annual Youghal Triathlon held on Claycastle Beach. Starting at the Front Strand Youghal with a 750m swim followed by 19km on bike and finishing with a 6.5km run back at the start/ finish line on the strand.

Mark Dempsey from Limerick Triathlon was the winner in a time of 1hour 3minutes. Leading Lady was Elizabeth Lee, a Cork woman, running for the Piranha Club in Dublin. In a time of 1:14.
Youghal athletes also featured. Leading Youghal man was Brian Sanders 1:15 in 39th place, Vincent Lucey was Read more