Matthew McGarrigle wins Galway Bay Swim
THE annual Frances Thornton Memorial Galway Bay Swim took place recently, with the event hoping to raise €120,000 for Cancer Care West.
Ballyshannon native Matthew McGarrigle, a former resident of Sligo and now living in Galway, was the fastest swimmer home in the skin category, that is without a wetsuit. His time was 3 hours and 22 minutes.
The event which started with just three swimmers in 2006 has become one of Ireland’s biggest and longest one day swims.
Matthew was instrumental in reviving the Surf Lifesaving Team in Sligo before moving to Galway. He is a former winner of all three Warrior Swims in Sligo bay in 2014.
Safety is of the utmost importance and each swimmer has to have their own safety boat tracking their progress and providing food and liquids.
Matthew’s safety boat was crewed by his brothers Simon and Daniel who is living in Sligo.
The swim from Aughinish in Co Clare to Blackrock Diving Tower in Salthill is a distance of 10.5 kilometres as the crow flies.
However it is not a straight line crossing.
Swimmers have to navigate a number of swim gates (Buoys) in addition to currents,wind and tidal ranges of up to 5 metres. Swimmers can cover a distance of up to 13 kilometres on the cross- ing as they cross the finishing line of the race.