Displaying items by tag: Baltimore Harbour

21st July 2020

West Cork Man Swims To Fastnet Rock In 40km Ocean Challenge

Challenging tides mark the distance between the West Cork mainland and Fastnet Rock

West Cork man Steve Redmond has become the first person to swim non-stop from Baltimore Harbour to Fastnet Rock and back, as RTÉ News reports.

The 54-year-old endurance swimmer had to content with jellyfish stings and strong currents in the cold sea water as he made the round trip to the iconic offshore island and lighthouse.

But he was also joined by some curious minke and humpback whales as he strove to complete the 40km challenge in 15 hours and 35 minutes yesterday evening, Monday 20 July.

Redmond is no strange to breaking records, however, as he was previously named World Open Water Swimming’s Man of the Year for 2012 after he completed the Oceans7 Challenge — the sea swimming equivalent of climbing the world’s seven highest peaks.

This is what exhaustion and elation look like, in a 5-second video. Steve Redmond @iswimcoldwater set out at 4.30am from #Baltimore to swim to the #Fastnet and back. 15 hours 35 minutes later he arrived back. “First time it’s been done; now I understand why,” he says... @rtenews pic.twitter.com/cMANhi4IrX
— Paschal Sheehy (@PaschalSheehy) July 20, 2020

Published in West Cork

Tagged under

About the Watersports Inclusion Games

The Watersports Inclusion Games are an award-winning event organised by Irish Sailing with partners from across the watersports sector, that enable people of all abilities from the physical, sensory, intellectual and learning spectrums to take to the water to participate in a wide range of water activities.

More than 250 people with physical, sensory, intellectual and learning disabilities typically take part in the weekend's events.

Participants will have the opportunity to try more sports than ever before, with an expanded range including sailing, kayaking, canoeing, paddle-boarding, rowing, surfing, water skiing and powerboating all on offer.

The Games typically take place each August.

The organisers of the Games want to let people of all abilities know that there are multiple watersports available to them, and to encourage more people from all backgrounds to get involved and out on the water regardless of ability. They aim to highlight that any barriers faced by people with disabilities can be eliminated.

There are social, health and wellness benefits associated with sailing and all watersports. These include improved muscle strength and endurance, improved cardiovascular fitness and increased agility, enhanced spatial awareness, greater mental wellness through the balancing of serotonin levels and the lowering of stress levels, improved concentration and the forging of positive relationships.