Displaying items by tag: Sunderland

7th August 2023

Scores Fall Ill After Triathlon Swims in North-East England

Nearly 60 people fell ill after taking part in the swimming portion of events at the World Triathlon Championship Series in Sunderland at the weekend.

As the Guardian reports, at least 57 triathletes out of some 2,000 who took part in the open sea swimming portion off Roker Beach in the north-east of England came down with symptoms that ran from upset stomachs to diarrhoea.

While organisers British Triathlon say its water quality testing results passed acceptable standards, an Environment Agency sampling from nearby waters three days before the event reportedly showed highly elevated level of E. coli.

The Roker Beach area on the North Sea coast has been at the centre of a lengthy dispute between campaigners and the UK government over sewage discharges, though the local water supplier denies there was any incident that would have affected water quality over the weekend.

No such illnesses were reported after the 93rd Dun Laoghaire Harbour Race, which took place on Sunday (6 August). Clodagh Sweeney of Sandycove was first among the women, while Colm Leonard of the Phoenix Swimming Club won the men’s race. Full results can be found HERE.

Published in Sea Swim

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RNLI Volunteer Among Cork Plane Crash Dead

A former volunteer with Sunderland RNLI was among the five people who died in the plane crash tragedy at Cork Airport last week, according to BBC News.

Twenty-seven-year-old Andrew Cantle was co-pilot of the ill-fated Manx2 flight which came down in thick fog on Thursday morning.

He had previously spent eight years as a volunteer with RNLI Sunderland in north-east England, joining in 2000. Thereater he moved to York, where be began his career as a commercial pilot. He had only been with Manx2 for a few months before the incident.

The RNLI said Cantle had volunteers on 65 emergency missions and helped save the lives of 66 people.

Sunderland RNLI senior helmsman Paul Nicholson said: "Everyone involved with the lifeboat station is in total shock about the tragic loss of a very close and dear friend."

BBC News has more on the story HERE.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wear-12429693

A former volunteer with Sunderland RNLI was among the five people who died in the plane crash tragedy at Cork Airport last week, according to BBC News.

Twenty-seven-year-old Andrew Cantle was co-pilot of the ill-fated Manx2 flight which came down in thick fog on Thursday morning.

He had previously spent eight years as a volunteer with RNLI Sunderland in north-east England, joining in 2000. Thereafter he moved to York, where be began his career as a commercial pilot. He had only been with Manx2 for a few months before the incident.

The RNLI said Cantle had volunteers on 65 emergency missions and helped save the lives of 66 people.
Sunderland RNLI senior helmsman Paul Nicholson said: "Everyone involved with the lifeboat station is in total shock about the tragic loss of a very close and dear friend."

BBC News has more on the story HERE.

Published in RNLI Lifeboats

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About the Golden Globe Race

The Golden Globe Race is the original round the world yacht race. In 1968, while man was preparing to take his first steps on the moon, a mild mannered and modest young man was setting out on his own record breaking voyage of discovery. Off shore yacht racing changed forever with adventurers and sailors, inspired by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, following in his pioneering wake. Nine men started the first solo non-stop sailing race around the World. Only one finished. History was made. Navigating with a sextant, paper charts and an accurate and reliable time piece, Sir Robin navigated around the world. In 2018, to celebrate 50 years since that first record breaking achievement, the Golden Globe Race was resurrected. It instantly caught the attention of the worlds media as well as adventures, captivated by the spirit and opportunity. The original race is back.

The Golden Globe Race: Stepping back to the golden age of solo sailing

Like the original Sunday Times event back in 1968/9, the 2018 Golden Globe Race was very simple. Depart Les Sables d'Olonne, France on July 1st 2018 and sail solo, non-stop around the world, via the five Great Capes and return to Les Sables d'Olonne. Entrants are limited to use the same type of yachts and equipment that were available to Robin Knox-Johnston in that first race. That means sailing without modern technology or benefit of satellite-based navigation aids.

Competitors must sail in production boats between 32ft and 36ft overall (9.75 10.97m) designed prior to 1988 and having a full-length keel with rudder attached to their trailing edge. These yachts will be heavily built, strong and steady, similar in concept to Robin's 32ft vessel Suhaili.

In contrast to the current professional world of elite ocean racing, this edition travels back to a time known as the 'Golden Age' of solo sailing. Suhaili was a slow and steady 32ft double-ended ketch based on a William Atkins ERIC design. She is heavily built of teak and carried no computers, GPS, satellite phone nor water-maker, and Robin completed the challenge without the aid of modern-day shore-based weather routing advice. He had only a wind-up chronometer and a barograph to face the world alone, and caught rainwater to survive, but was at one with the ocean, able to contemplate and absorb all that this epic voyage had to offer.

This anniversary edition of the Golden Globe Race is a celebration of the original event, the winner, his boat and that significant world-first achievement. Competitors in this race will be sailing simple boats using basic equipment to guarantee a satisfying and personal experience. The challenge is pure and very raw, placing the adventure ahead of winning at all costs. It is for 'those who dare', just as it was for Knox-Johnston.

They will be navigating with sextant on paper charts, without electronic instruments or autopilots. They will hand-write their logs and determine the weather for themselves.

Only occasionally will they talk to loved ones and the outside world when long-range high frequency and ham radios allow.

It is now possible to race a monohull solo around the world in under 80 days, but sailors entered in this race will spend around 300 days at sea, challenging themselves and each other. The 2018 Golden Globe Race was a fitting tribute to the first edition and it's winner, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston.

Background on Don McIntyre (61) Race Founder

Don is an inveterate sailor and recognised as one of Australia s greatest explorers. Passionate about all forms of adventure and inspiring others, his desire is to recreate the Golden Age of solo sailing. Don finished 2nd in class in the 1990-91 BOC Challenge solo around the world yacht race. In 2010, he led the 4-man Talisker Bounty Boat challenge to re-enact the Mutiny on the Bounty voyage from Tonga to West Timor, in a simil