Last week saw the launch of the annual Atlantic Lifeboat Swim , hosted by the Atlantic Masters Swimming Club.
In its 6th year, the popular event will be held at Renville Pier on June 29, and is a key fundraiser for both the RNLI lifeboat station in Galway and the Oranmore Maree Coastal Search Unit.
Both of these organisations are entirely volunteer-run, and rely on fundraising efforts to purchase and maintain essential equipment.
The event has two distances for swimmers, a 400m at 10:30am, which is perfect as a first open water swim event, or for those who might be getting started. The swim route will run along the shoreline for 200m, to a turning point, and has full safety cover.
The 2km distance will kick off at 12:30pm, and will bring swimmers out across the bay before returning to the slip.
This year’s event will be rounded out with a BBQ in O’Reillys from 5pm, open to swimmers and non swimmers alike.
Over the previous 5 years, this event has raised in excess of €35,000. With this year’s event tying in with both Atlantic Masters 10 year anniversary, and the 200th year of the RNLI, the organisers are hoping to make this the best one yet!
Spokesperson for Atlantic Masters, Eimear Keane says, “We have all seen such a huge increase in the number of people swimming especially since Covid, it’s always reassuring to know that if anything was to happen in the water, we have these exceptional organisations that are there to help.”
“We hope we never need them, but we’re proud to be able to say thank you for their work by raising these funds.”
