Kilkee Hell of the West

sconhome

Anyone know the actual distance of the swim as opposed to the official distance? I'm a slow swimmer but fairly straight point to point and I'm judging it to be a couple of hundred metres longer than prescribed. Possibly to do with the tide.

My only gripe is that a few hollow blocks should be tied to the base of the buoys to make them stand up in the water. Other than that it is a class act and I can't see any other race providing goody bags like that never mind the organisation that goes around it.

Briando

amphkingwest wrote: »

Anyone know the actual distance of the swim as opposed to the official distance? I'm a slow swimmer but fairly straight point to point and I'm judging it to be a couple of hundred metres longer than prescribed. Possibly to do with the tide.

My only gripe is that a few hollow blocks should be tied to the base of the buoys to make them stand up in the water. Other than that it is a class act and I can't see any other race providing goody bags like that never mind the organisation that goes around it.

My garmin 910xt clocked it as 1600 of swimming. Does not count running around the beach etc.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/192362496

peter kern

Briando wrote: »

My garmin 910xt clocked it as 1600 of swimming. Does not count running around the beach etc.

if you where in the first group thats correct
the 2nd start most people did 1800 ( they followed a kayak which apparently had nothing to do with the race.......)

sconhome

Thanks Peter, that makes sense now.

Cheers for the shouts on the run too, by the way.

shotgunmcos

I got 1.84km which included the run up the beach to transition. I started the watch about 10-15 strokes late too as I was caught on the hop. My uncle was one of the Kayakers and estimated the swim to be anything up to 1800. I'd estimate 1600-1650 realistically, 1700 tops

sconhome

shotgunmcos wrote: »

I was caught on the hop.

I think half of wave 2 were caught mid-pee judging by the amount that got swam over at the front.

peter kern

the whole 2nd wave was comical..
from the start which was the funniest i have ever seen to people swimming to the wrong buoys following a kajak....
I have quite a it on video as I did quite a it of video analyzing at swim and run.

sconhome

In fairness, in the beach pen it was impossible to hear the instructions being called out and there was a lot of confusion about the buoy placement, had the course been changed? buoy moved? "don't know, can't hear".

Then into the water and literally hooter went off and go, no arm / flag raised just go. People caught completely unaware.

peter kern

i know !!!
on the other hand since prep is everything Aron o brian and another guy got it right after a few secs of total disbelief what the starter was trying to do with his 15en or so blasts.

the start was a bit over scienced ;-) they had it spot on till 2010 and after the issue last year they tried to much.
kiss principle still the best;-)
On the other hand what would we have to complain if there was not a small glitch in the race.

sconhome

peter kern wrote: »

the start was a bit over scienced ;-)

Science making things slower

Is the video of the start on line?

slayer91

In wave 2, 2 guys with 910xt made the swim as 1850m.

From my view in the pen, we were allowed into the water and as the first few waves of swmimmers started to swim out to the start bouy, the starter in the boat either mistook their intentions or 'panicked', he gave a couple blasts of the horn to indicate a false start, they rest of the wave took this as the start signal and with the great irish herd mentality we all cursed and start swimming, this left some people just getting into the water so their swim was deffo longer than 1500m.

Nwm2

slayer91 wrote: »

In wave 2, 2 guys with 910xt made the swim as 1850m.

From my view in the pen, we were allowed into the water and as the first few waves of swmimmers started to swim out to the start bouy, the starter in the boat either mistook their intentions or 'panicked', he gave a couple blasts of the horn to indicate a false start, they rest of the wave took this as the start signal and with the great irish herd mentality we all cursed and start swimming, this left some people just getting into the water so their swim was deffo longer than 1500m.

Absolutely no way was it 1850m. As I mentioned in my race report, swim times were 3:30min longer than average. The average swimmer does not swim 350m in 3:30. Your 2 guys with the 1850 measurements, what do they think their swim time should have been if they work backwards from 1850 and does this stack with their capabilities? I doubt it.

shotgunmcos

Nwm2 wrote: »

Absolutely no way was it 1850m. As I mentioned in my race report, swim times were 3:30min longer than average. The average swimmer does not swim 350m in 3:30. Your 2 guys with the 1850 measurements, what do they think their swim time should have been if they work backwards from 1850 and does this stack with their capabilities? I doubt it.

+1 agree.. how did their swim go? what was their expected time in a flt Bay? Was the beach run taken into account? etc.... Not a hope it was 1800+

HardyEustace

slayer91 wrote: »

In wave 2, 2 guys with 910xt made the swim as 1850m.

From my view in the pen, we were allowed into the water and as the first few waves of swmimmers started to swim out to the start bouy, the starter in the boat either mistook their intentions or 'panicked', he gave a couple blasts of the horn to indicate a false start, they rest of the wave took this as the start signal and with the great irish herd mentality we all cursed and start swimming, this left some people just getting into the water so their swim was deffo longer than 1500m.

I don't think so as why did they repeat the process for each wave? Surely if it was a mistake for wave 1, they wouldn't do it for wave 2?

Great race but swim start was a disaster. People ankle deep in water as the front of the pack was heading off!

peter kern

Nwm2 wrote: »

Absolutely no way was it 1850m. As I mentioned in my race report, swim times were 3:30min longer than average. The average swimmer does not swim 350m in 3:30. Your 2 guys with the 1850 measurements, what do they think their swim time should have been if they work backwards from 1850 and does this stack with their capabilities? I doubt it.

last year they were 25 min and pool times would suggest 90 sec improvement anyway they where in the lead of the 2nd group that most likely got it most wrong.

the race was offically 1600 m long prob 1650 so they really stuffed it up as most 2nd group fast people.
I almost had a heart attack watching the 2nd wave

El Director

Regarding the start of this race, as far as I remember it was not a problem in 2009 and 2010, the previous two times I did this race. But last year and this year it was. I mentioned the start in Crooked Lake in my log last week as an example as to how it should be done. A rope with flags, everybody must line up behind this and then a person, on a boat beside us, blows the klaxon and the kayakers lift the rope. Easy, very easy.

Here is my report if interested.....clear the next few hours or so :rolleyes: