Medals for Sligo life saving squad at regionals

THE Junior Squad of Sligo Surf Lifesaving Club travelled to Rossnowlagh Beach recently to compete at the Connaught and Ulster Regional Surf Lifesaving Championships.

The squad have been training hard all season on Sundays and Mondays at Rosses Point Beach and were looking forward to testing themselves against the best surf lifesaving competitors from the two provinces.

County Sligo has a relatively small group of juniors and with a team of around 10 were outnumbered three to one by their County Donegal competitors on the day.

But what Sligo lacked in quantity, they more than made up for in quality.

This year, the girls’ team consisted of Zoe and Sarah Melvin, Cianna Ruddy, Ella O’Donovan, Alice McPartlan and Keri Mitchell. The boy’s team consisted of Orin Mitchell, Adam Hunter, Paddy McPartlan and Niall O’Connor.

The squad punched well above their weight, bringing home 15 medals and 19 qualification spots in individual events for the national championships which will be held in Kilkee, County Clare next week.

In the boys’ flags event our athletes managed to eliminate 17 competitors without conceding a single flag. The final ended with Orin Mitchell taking gold and Paddy McParland taking bronze for Sligo with all four competitors qualifying for the beach flags event at the national championships.

Alice McPartlan, Cianna Ruddy, Ella O’Donovan and Keri Mitchell gave a great performance in the Taplin Relay event and narrowly missed out on a medal spot.

With very little rest between events, two juniors boys’ teams withdrew from the final event of the day and two of the younger competitors, Ronan O’Connor and Max Hunter teamed up with Orin Mitchell and Niall O’Connor to compete in the sprint relay.

In a David versus Goliath contest the Sligo team held their own against competitors four years their senior and managed to take home the silver medal.

The squad won medals in the following events:

Orin Mitchell – Gold Medal - Flags. Alice McPartlan – Gold Medal - 400m Surf Swim.

Alice McPartlan and Keri Mitchell – Gold Medal - Board Rescue.

Orin Mitchell and Paddy McPartlan – Gold Medal - Board Rescue.

Adam Hunter, Paddy McPartlan, Niall O’Connor and Orin Mitchell – Silver Medal – Taplin Relay.

Niall O’Connor and Adam Hunter – Silver Medal – Board Rescue Relay.

Orin Mitchell and Paddy McPartlan – Silver Medal – Tube Rescue Relay.

Zoe Melvin, Alice McPartlan, Keri Mitchell, Cianna Ruddy – Silver Medal – Sprint Relay.

Max Hunter, Ronin O’Connor, Niall O’Connor and Orin Mitchell – Silver Medal – Sprint Relay.

Orin Mitchell – Silver Medal – 90m Beach Sprint.

Keri Mitchell – Bronze Medal – 90m Beach Sprint.

Paddy McPartlan – Bronze Medal – Flags.

Alice McPartlan – Bronze Medal – 400m Board Race.

Niall O’Connor – Bronze Medal – 400m Board Race.

Niall O’Connor and Adam Hunter – Bronze Medal – Tube Rescue Relay.

Sligo Surf Lifesaving Club have thanked Donegal Surf Lifesaving Club and all their hard working volunteers for hosting a great regional event.

For more information on the sport of Surf Lifesaving Check out Sligo Surf Lifesaving Club on Facebook - IWSSligo or go to https://sligowatersafety.com/.

First place for Sligo Surf Lifesaving Club in the Board Rescue Relay are Keri Mitchell and Alice McPartlan. Photos courtesy of Phil Newell.

Sprint Relay Medal Presentation at the recent Regional Surf Lifesaving Championship. In black on right: Second Place Keri Mitchell, Alice McPartlan, Cianna Ruddy (Zoe Melvin not present).

Girls’ Junior Squad. From left: Sarah Melvin, Keri Mitchell, Alice McPartlan, Ella O’Donovan, Zoe Melvin, Cianna Ruddy.

First place in the Boys’ Board Rescue was the Sligo club’s Orin Mitchell and Paddy McPartlan while in second place was Niall O’Connor and Adam Hunter, also of the Sligo team.

Boys’ Junior Squad. From left: Orin Mitchell, Niall O’Connor, Adam Hunter, Paddy McPartlan.

The Sligo Team competing at the Beach Flags Final.