Scot Reid is Warrior of the Sea
Sunday last saw the inaugural Warrior of the Sea swim from Rosses Point to Strandhill run in perfect swimming conditions.
The event was a 6km open water sea swim comprising some of the finest open water swimmers Sligo has to offer, including an equally impressive array of other national swimmers, to complete the band of hardy Warriors brave enough to take on the mighty Atlantic ocean.
Competitors left Sligo Yacht Club at 10:15am and headed out across the infamous Sligo channel from Rosses Point to Coney Island. A brief exit from the water to run across the Lighthouse Causeway and they reentered the water to face the grueling 5km stretch to Strandhill.
The field of 26 competitors stuck together for the first leg to Coney Island then started to spread out as the distance grew and bodies started to grow weary.
After 1hr 31min the first swimmer (Scot Reid) made it home to Strandhill beach to a warming crowd of supporters with a blistering swim, closely followed by Metalman Swim Series winner Mathew McGarrigle (1hr45min) and Shane O'Doherty (1hr 46min) back on the podium in 3rd place.
First home in the ladies was Caoimhe NiMhurchu in a time of 1hr 54min followed by Kimberly Johnson (2hr 4min), Lyndsey Dunne (2hrs 14min) and Martha Van der Meulen (2hr 21min). An event such as this would never be possible without the support and Safety Assistance supplied by many volunteers. A big thank you goes out to the Civil Defence Lifeboat, The Sligo Kayak Club, The Support Boats, Sligo Yacht Club, The RNLI and paddlers and all the Marshals from the Sligo Triathlon Club.
Sligo Triathlon Club runs weekly swim training sessions at Rosses Point on Weds and Friday at 6:15pm. Meet up location is the Rosses Point Beach Car Park, for more details check out
