A record number of 330 swimmers will take to the water for the 86th Liffey Swim on Saturday.
A total of 230 men and 100 women will brave the 2.2km (1.4 mile) course for the event sponsored by Dublin City Council. The men's race starts at Watling Street Bridge at 1pm and finishes at the Custom House. The women's race starts at 2pm.
Each swimmer completed five races during the season to qualify, and a time penalty has been placed on entrants according to their ability. The slowest competitor sets off first and is followed at regular intervals by the other competitors. This should make for an exciting finish, as the fastest swimmers try to catch up.
At the launch of the event yesterday competitor Ian Claxton said he felt the high tide would make it difficult for the faster swimmers like himself to catch the rest. "The dams will be open so there'll be a big, high tide," said Mr Claxton. "I'd say one of the guys that are starting at the front of the group will win."
Among the competitors are a number of different generations of families, entrants from the UK and France, as well as a superintendent from Store Street Garda station and RTÉ crime correspondent Paul Reynolds.
"It's a tough race but a great day out for competitors and spectators alike," said the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Cllr Vincent Jackson. "I encourage everybody in Dublin on Saturday to come down the quays and cheer on the swimmers."
The first Liffey Swim, the brainchild of Bernard Fagan, Dublin Corporation's then water analyst, took place on July 22nd, 1920 and featured 27 male competitors. The first women's race was in 1991.