The Clare Champion Clare news, sport, entertainment and local notes
The Regional Surf Lifesaving Nipper Championships were held in Tramore last Saturday. Over 70 young surf lifesavers represented Clare and competed in open water (sea) events against teams from Cork and Waterford.
The competitors ranged in age from eight to 14. Individual events included 200m swim, board race and fin swim parallel to the shore. The water taplin relay consists of four people who swim, board race, swim and run. Beach events included beach flags, 50m beach sprint and beach relay with teams of four.
The Clare team already represented the county at the National Nipper Stillwater Lifesaving Championships in Kilkenny last April and brought home the overall trophy on the day.
Winning at surf lifesaving competition is based on achieving points in pool events and sea events initially at regional level and then to national level.
The National Nipper Open Water Championships are being hosted by Clare Water Safety this year on August 27 at Spanish Point.
Celtic Cup Challenge
Twenty Junior Clare Surf Lifesavers will head to Aberavon in Wales this weekend to compete at the Celtic Cup Challenge. This is a prestigious event organised in association with the Surf Life Saving Association of Wales and Aberavon Surf Life Saving Club.
It brings together the best senior surf lifesaving competitors from across the Celtic waters including Wales, Devon, Ireland, Cornwall, France and other European Countries.
Clare surf lifesavers have earned the majority of places on the Irish teams. Following trials at Spanish Point and Seafield recently, the Irish teams for junior boys and girls and senior ladies and men were selected for upcoming international competitions in Copenhagen and Spain. Each Irish team consists of five places.
Junior teams
Girls: Ciara Gleeson, Siobhan McGrath and Ciara Sexton (all Clare); boys: Bernard Cahill, Eoin Gleeson, Adam McEvoy and Rory Sexton (all Clare).
Senior teams
Ladies: Norma Cahill and Siobhan McGrath (Clare); men: Dylan Barrett, Bernard Cahill, Colm Fitzgerald and Oisín McGrath (all Clare)
