RACE OFF -- PARTY ON!

Due to the continuing monsoon season, it had been decided in the interests of safety and fairness that we cannot race in the river this weekend. For that reason we have decided to postpone the 2009 John Butler Sports Therapists Aquathon Handicap race to a later date. We have, on the other hand decided that, the rain can’t dampen our party animal instincts, and the Prize-giving ceremony will go ahead in Monroe’s tavern, Saturday evening at 8:30pm.

The river was raging last Tuesday evening when even the most accomplished swimmers in the group were unsure if they would be able to make progress upstream. However John Eagleton has had a bit a twinkle in his eye over the last few days, as has forecast a pick up in the weather from the weekend onwards. There fore we have decided to provisionally re-schedule the Handicap to Sat Sept 16th at 4pm in the hope that a week or two of better weather will calm the torrent.

None the less there is the serious matter of winners and losers to be sorted and the prize giving ceremony will go ahead on Saturday evening in Monroe’s. We are hoping for a big turnout from all members to congratulate the winners.

The Series finished as follows

Men’s race:

1st Dermott Lowe   (Best 5 = 1,1,1,1,1, = total 5)
2nd Tony McNicholas   (Best 5 = 1,2,2,2,4 = total 11)
3rd Owen Percy   (Best 5 = 2,3,3,3,4 = total 15)

Ladies race:

1st Tara Whyte    (Best 5 = 1,1,1,1,13 = total 17)
2nd Catherine Dufficy   (Best 5 = 1,3,4,5,13 = total 26)
3rd Ciara Conway   (Best 5 = 5,5,6,13,13 = total 42)

Special mention should also go to Ruth Lynch in the ladies race who finished 2nd in both races she took part in, but unfortunately injury curtailed her taking any further part. Mike Ryder, similarly, only competed in 2 races , winning 1 and finishing 2nd in the other. No doubt that Mike would have been in among the prizes had he had greater opportunity to race.

Congratulations to all winners and competitors for making the series a huge success.See you all Sat night.