Metalman Swim Series

Pictured above: Swim Series Competitors on way to start line during 2011 series.
 
Dates and Distances
 
Weds   May 23rd    400m    7pm
Sat        May 26th    750m    10:30am
Sun      June 10th   750m    10:30am
Sun      June 24th   1000m  10:30am
Sat       June 30th   1500m   TBC
 
To enter, return to home page and there is an entry link on the LHS.
 
Committee for the 2012 series is:
Shane O'Doherty (Chair), Phelim O'Doherty, Scot Reid, Donnacha O'Connor, Shile Ryan, Jana Dresse, Siobhain Durkin and Anthony Blake.
 
We started out small with approximately 20 competitors in 2009 and grew such that we had 60 entries last year.
It is a club training event and as such is limited to members of Sligo Triathlon Club only.
 
The purpose of the event is to help prepare members for the triathlon season. For the less experienced swimmers it gives the confidence required to complete the swim leg and for the faster swimmers it hones their swim before the season gets underway.
 
We have made donations to RNLI, Special Olympics Sligo and Sligo Cancer Support Services over the life of the event.
 
We get a lot of help to run this event from a few different groups:
Sligo Kayak Club
Sligo Civil Defence Lifeboat
Leitrim Civil Defence Lifeboat
Sligo Sub Aqua Club
Rosses Point Sailing Club
Their help and skills are critical to running a safe enjoyable event and their generosity with their time is commendable.
 
The Sligo Triathlon Club Metalman Swim Series Committee is proud to announce details of the 2012 event, now in its fourth year.
 
Venue:
The venue is Rosses Point beach, 5 miles from Sligo Town Centre and the base for the club’s summer swim training. In the event of weather conditions making swimming unsafe (per Triathlon Ireland guidelines) we will move to the more sheltered Mullaghmore Beach. This is approximately 16 miles from Sligo Town. This will be announced at least 48 Hrs before the race is scheduled to take place on the club website.
 
How to Enter:
Entry opens on April 10th at 9am with details on how to enter appearing on the website homepage newsfeed at that time. We are restricted by TI guidelines to 50 entries so don’t delay. Entry will be on a first come first serve basis. Entries close on Friday 20th April at 6pm. Payment will be made via paypal on the club website.
 
Entry Criteria:
Strict entry criteria will be used when assigning places. You must be a current member of Triathlon Ireland and paid up member of Sligo Triathlon Club to take part. This will be strictly enforced. If you have not taken part in an open water swim in the past two years you must take part in the pre-race 400m event.
 
Marshalling
Each swimmer is required to bring along one marshal for one of the races. This does not include the first race (pre-race).This is not unreasonable considering other groups outside the club are giving up their time so that we can race. Each swimmer will be assigned a date by email on which to bring their marshal. Unless in special circumstances where a marshal cannot be provided, your race results will not count on that day if your marshal is not present. Arrangements must be made in advance of the first race if you genuinely cannot provide a marshal.
 
How are we supporting less experienced swimmers?
To accommodate less experienced swimmers we are again running a pre-race event. This does not count for points and is in a more relaxed and supportive environment. Its shorter distance provides a good stepping stone to the sprint triathlon swim distance. Previous entrants to Swim Series and experienced open water swimmers are not to take part in the 400m pre-race. If anyone wants to do the 400m race only and not the rest of the swim series, we will do our best to accommodate you. Get in touch with Donncha as soon as you can. We will have water support from our friends in Civil Defence and Sligo Kayak Club once again.
 
What about the faster swimmers?
You get to compete in what’s been a hotly contested swim against your peers and can monitor progress over the 4 weeks and try new tactics, pacing etc. Sprint and Olympic distance swims are covered.
 
How much does it cost?
We are conscious of costs and with this in mind have reduced entry from last year’s €30 to only €20 (€10 for unemployed/students). For this you get 5 well marshalled, insured and well organised swims and a swim hat. Typical Swim Ireland events can cost up to €50 for a one off 1500m swim so we feel we’re offering very good value to our members. Any surplus will be reinvested back into our club.
 
How does the competition work:

• The pre-race event does not count for points, all the other four weeks do.
• Before each race you are assigned a time handicap.
• Each time you race you get an outright time, ie how long it actually took to swim as well as a time handicapped time.

Time handicapped Time = Outright time + Assigned handicap

• You’re automatically entered into each league with these scores.
• After the final race, your top three scores are added together and prizes are awarded based on these totals. So if you miss a race you still have the three others to count for points. If you make them all, you get points for your best finishes.

 
Categories:
Time handicap: Everyone has an equal chance of finishing first.
Ladies Outright: Fastest swimmer is first place etc….
Mens Outright: Fastest swimmer is first place etc….
 
What are the prizes?
The Brendan Currid memorial cup will go to the overall time handicap winner. The club perpetual shields will go to the ladies and mens winners. There will be trophies for the other placings in the categories. We hope to have some sponsored spot prizes as well. There will be no cash prizes.
For more information contact the committee chairman shane_odoherty@yahoo.co.uk
 
To all Newcomers and First Time Open Swimmers…
 
Here's something from club member and swim series committee member Jana Dresse. Jana is one of our top ladies and is a very active club member, recently helping to run our successful ladies initiative.
 
The Sligo Triathlon season was officially open last weekend with a very successful Dualthon in Rosses Point.
I am sure for those who are starting out this season first time around and getting a feel for what multi sport is about, are well aware that the one discipline missing in a duathlon is the swim! The Sligo Triathlon Club is running an annual open water event – the ‘Metalman Swim Series’ as well as casual ‘Meet and Swim’ sessions several times a week starting in May, to give members the opportunity for this all important practice swim in open water. Many of us have trained all winter in the pool, building fitness and improving technique. So why not put it all to the test in Rosses Point this summer?!
 
Ahead of this upcoming event and season I like to share my experience to encourage all members, especially the Ladies, to partake in open water swimming. I suppose as swimming is my favourite discipline of all three disciplines I like training in the pool any time of the year. However, I can not emphasis enough how much more fun open water swimming can be. When I got involved with the club in 2010, I’ve never been any nearer to the Atlantic than walking the beach. So even as a comfortable swimmer generally I was unsure about how this would fare out.
And this is where the various ‘Meet and Swim’ sessions and the ‘Swim Series’ came into play to help me to experience open water swimming in the most gradual and safe way. There were always other club members around who were more than happy to offer support and advice.
In the Swim Series there are 5 events building from 400m up to 1500m swims at Rosses Point which was the perfect introduction for me to open water swimming and the route that is set out for the Triathlon. Swimming at the Point could not be easier by having the option to practice safely on the small beach at first and build gradually up swimming longer distances at the main beach.
 
I would encourage all newcomers and again especially the women who train so hard on Sunday evenings to try open water swimming in your own leisure and pace. Don’t be shy to part take in the shorter distances during the Swim Series 2012. You won’t regret it!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Sligo Triathlon Club Metalman Swim Series Committee is proud to announce details of the 2012 event, now in its fourth year.