LADIES RESULTS

1^ST RUTH BUTLER 13.25

2^ND JANE RICHIE 17.15

MENS RESULTS

1^ST GEORGE MEENAN 11.24

2^ND RICHARD YAMIN-ALI 12.17

3^RD GARY KNOX 12.35

4^TH GAVIN SMYTH 12.47

5^TH ROBERT BARRY 12.54

6^TH ADAM WILSON 14.19

7^TH STEPHEN MCCONELL 15.10

8^TH ROBERT FENNELLY 17.11

9^TH PATRICK TAGGART 17.52

10^TH IAN MAGEE 23.52

WEST BAY SWIM A SUCCESS!!

THERE WAS A BRISK WESTERLY WIND BLOWING THROUGHOUT THE DAY THAT CAUSED A FEW WHITE HORSES TO APPEAR ON THE BAY.

HOWEVER THIS WAS TO PROVE ADVANTAGEOUS TO THE SWIMMERS GIVING THEM A PUSH TOWARDS THE HARBOUR FROM THE STARTING POINT JUST OFF THE BLACK ROCKS.

THE SWIMMERS WERE FERRIED OUT FROM PORTRUSH HARBOUR JUST AFTER 5PM and dropped off approx 100 yards from the BLACK ROCKS.

ONCE ALL SWIMMERS HAD ENTERED THE WATER EVENT SECRETARY JEFF WILSON STARTED THE RACE AND WITH A FLURRY OF ARMS AND LEGS THE SWIMMERS HEADED FOR PORTRUSH HARBOUR.

IT WAS CLEAR FROM THE START THAT DERRYS GEORGE MEENAN WAS THE MAN TO BEAT AS HE IMMEDIATELY OPENED UP A GAP ON RICHARD YAMIN-ALI AND LAST YEARS CHAMPION GARY KNOX.

GAVIN SMYTH AND ROBERT BARRY WERE ALSO SWIMMING WELL AND WERE ALWAYS DANGEROUS NEVER LOSING TOUCH WITH THE TOP THREE.

IN THE LADIES RACE THE EXPERIENCED RUTH BUTLER HAD AN EXCELLENT WIN WHILE PRAISE MUST ALSO GO TO THE 2^ND PLACED LADY JANE RICHIE IN WHAT WAS HER FIRST COMPETITIVE SEA SWIM. WELL DONE TO BOTH LADIES!!

THE MENS RACE FINISHED WITH GEORGE MEENAN IN 1^ST POSITION FOLLOWED CLOSELY BY RICHARD YAMIN-ALI AND GARY KNOX WHO INCIDENTLY WERE NECK AND NECK FOR MUCH OF THE RACE PROVIDING AN EXCITING FINISH AS THEY ENTERED THE HARBOUR. SPECIAL MENTION MUST ALSO GO TO IAN MAGEE WHO MANAGED TO COMPLETE HIS FIRST EVER SEA SWIM GUTS AND DETERMINATION.

AFTER THE SWIM ALL CONCERNED WERE TREATED TO HOT SOUP AND SANDWICHES IN THE PORTRUSH YACHT CLUB AND JEFF WILSON THANKED THE CAUSEWAY COAST KAYAK ASSOCIATION FOR THEIR BRILLIANT SAFETY COVER AND THE YACHT CLUB FOR THEIR HOSPITALITY.