Northern Ireland adds 2 more: Lough Erne Swim.. and The Ballygally Beach Swim!

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Northern Ireland has added 2 more great races!  That makes 10 races in Northern Ireland… not to mention the 11 races in Ireland!

The first Lough Erne Swim took place in 1991 as a celebration of the Silver Jubilee or 25 years of the ILDSA (Irish Long Distance Swimming Assoc).

Since then the Lough Erne Swim has brought swimmers from around the world to participate and has been used by many in the past as preparation for channel swims. There is a great history surrounding the swim, rich with stories and achievements from national record breaking swim times to Kathryn Mason who swam the full 25km using the butterfly stroke.

Over the years there have been changes to the swim itself with distances of 25km,10km and 5km being added.  The 25km and 17km swims became National Championship Swims under Swim Ireland.

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The challenges posed by Lough Erne has also attracted 2 of the only 11 people to have completed the “7 Oceans” challenge, the first female “7 Oceans” swimmer Anna Carin-Nordin and the newest “7 Oceans” swimmer Ion Lazarenco Tiron.

Last year also saw the addition of the relay option for the 25km and 17km swims, so swim teams can now try out the swims.

Lots of extra distance points available for your Global Rankings with these races over 10k, and don’t forget relays count towards your Global Rankings this year too!

We hope to see you at the Lough Erne Swim… on August 4, 2018!

Then comes the BallyGally Beach Swim.  It is situated on the world famous Antrim Coast Road in Northern Ireland, just north of Belfast, where you will find Ballygally’s award winning sand beach.  It is nestled under the Sallagh Braes and home to the historic Ballygally Castle.

Standing at the sandy beach start will give you views of the Mull of Kintyre (yes, this is the place where Paul McCartney wrote his classic song “Mull of Kintyre“!) across the infamous North Channel.  Then you are off and charging into the chilly waters of BG!  Mark September 8th on your calendar!