AND THEY’RE OFF!
Competitors in the Tri the Hook triathlon taking to the water in Baginbun on Saturday.
DESPITE the wintry, inclement weather more than 320 triathletes turned out to brave challenging conditions for the Tri the Hook on the Hook Peninsula on Saturday.
The high cliffs of Baginbun head protected the bay to allow a sheltered but choppy swim take place.
Winds continued blowing during the 22.19km cycle but most of the route was protected to allow a pretty steady cycle to take place on a very technical route. The 5.3km run took competitors off road over the top of Carnivan and back on to local roads to finish in the village of Fethard-on-Sea.
21-year-old Kieran Jackson from Tramore won the male race in a time of 1:07:58 and Kim Hickey from Ranelagh, Dublin, won the female race in 1:20:19.
Once again Tri the Hook received huge support from the local community with assistance given by the RNLI, the Irish Coast Guard, St Mogue’s GAA, Fethard Amenity Park, Order of Malta, local land owners and members of the local community turned out in force to marshal the event.
Event equipment and prizes were supported by a number of local businesses and business people including Version 1, BAM Contractors, South East Form Work, South East Vegetables, Sincon Engineering, Foley Agri Hire, NVD, Hookless Holiday Village, Glendine Country House, Hooked Kite Surfing, Haven Lodge – Wellingtonbridge, Kilmokea Country Manor, Duncannon Holiday Park, the Moorings B&B – Duncannon, Sanibel B&B – Fethard, Hook Head B&B, Kehoe Marine, Roche’s bar and restaurant, Neville’s Fethard-onSea. Competitors’ goody bags were filled by Future Nutrition, Flahavans, Powerful Yogurt, Centra Floods and Dillon’s Londis.
This was the sixth Tri the Hook race which is organised by Hook Tourism, Neville’s and Dillon’s Londis.