IT IS A CONDITION OF ENTRY FOR ANY NEW ENTRIES FROM 3RD JULY TO SUPPLY THEIR OWN KAYAKER TO ACCOMPANY THEM DURING THE SWIM. THIS DOES NOT APPLY TO ANY ENTRANTS ENTERED BEFORE 3RD JULY.
Lough Gill Swim – Saturday August 11th 2012. www.loughgillswim.com This is a 10 kilometre swim is now in its second year and crosses counties Sligo and Leitrim in one of the most scenic areas of the country. It starts in County Leitrim at Parkes Castle, crosses the lake and enters the Garavogue River finishing in Sligo Town at Doorley Park.
The event is inspired by the tireless work of those at NW Hospice, a cherished charity in Sligo Town with all funds raised via sponsorship cards, bucket collections etc going to them. Entry fees are used to cover the cost of running the event. Last year we raised €11,400 for the hospice with the swimmers afforded a Civic Reception in Sligo Town Hall. The swim won the Irish Long Distance Swimming Association Swim of the Year for 2011 and is now the ILDSA Connaught 10km Championships.
Swimmers are encouraged to take a sponsorship card to help the hospice but this is optional and not a condition of entry.
Swimmers will be provided with a high quality t shirt, silicone swim hat, goodie bag including sandwiches, hot meal afterwards, finishers medal drinks and energy gells which are all part of the entry fee. Each swimmer will be accompanied by a kayak for the full duration of the swim. Kayakers will be happy to carry drinks, food and provide navigation for the swimmers. There will be prizes in the wetsuit and non wetsuit categories for both male and female.
Along the way you will pass The Lake Isle of Innisfree, immortalised by Nobel Laureate WB Yeats and swim in the same waters Captain Matthew Webb trained in before becoming the first man to swim the English Channel.
The finish area at Doorley Park will have a festival atmosphere with music, activities for children and the display of Sligo’s first fire engine from the 1930s restored by vintage enthusiast John Fallon in recent years. For more information see www.loughgillswim.com
The event gets underway August 11th (Sat) at 11:30am. The briefing will take place at Sligo Regional Sports Centre that morning and we encourage swimmers or supporters not to bring their cars to Parkes Castle as there is limited parking. We wil be providing a shuttle bus from the finish point to accomodate swimmers and supporters.
You must have completed a 5km open water swim in the last two years to take part or prove your ability to the organisers to complete the swim.
Please contact the organisers for more information on this.