Sport

Saunders goes for harbour record

The Dun Laoghaire Harbour swims, sponsored by The Irish Times, are rapidly assuming the status of "sport for all" endurance tests…

By PAT ROCHE
Sat Aug 23 1997 - 01:00

The Dun Laoghaire Harbour swims, sponsored by The Irish Times, are rapidly assuming the status of "sport for all" endurance tests. The trend is set to gather momentum tomorrow with the record entries including an Olympic Games record breaker, two 12year-olds and old-age pensioner.

Joe Browne, the handicapper of the men's race over one and a half miles approximately, notes the sharp increase in varied interest since offering his services for what can be a thankless job in 1986, the year after he won the event. The men's entries have risen during Browne's tenure from a modest 50 to this year's 175.

Stephen Saunders , the 20-yearold Terenure College back-marker (15 minutes 20 seconds) will command a great deal of attention, especially since proclaiming his intention to attack the course record (25 minutes 38 seconds) held by Ken Turner since 1992.

Kevin Wiliamson claims the record for the previous course (25:04) and is preparing Saunders for his record attempt. Williamson's own ability to compete still at this level is reflected in a handicap of 13:30.

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While the rest of the field are well on the way towards the lighthouse, the early stages of a terrific battle between Saunders and Robin Brew of Scotland (14:50) will be unfolding.

Brew is one of the more interesting entries, for he broke a world record in the heats of the 4 x 100 metres individual medley when competing at the Seoul Olympics. These days, he spends his time organising swimming seminars around the world.

The younger set is well represented by 12-year-olds Eoghan McCarthy of Glenalbyn and Owen McCarthy of Dublin, who are both off at 4 minutes.

One of the great veterans of the event, Jackie Kearney, is among a resilient bunch of limit men which also includes Half Moon's Mick Fitzpatrick.

World masters champion Claire O'Dwyer looks to be in with a good chance on the 7:45 mark in the women's 1,000 metres event. And Anne Cummins, the first Irish woman to swim 100 metres in less than a minute, goes at 10:00. Sandra Trappe can also launch a worthwhile challenge off 8:45 and Mary Rose Keegan would appear to stand a good chance from the 9:15 mark.

Handicaps

Men (1 1/2 miles approx)

At go - J Bailey, J Kearney, J Waters (Dublin), B Brewer, R Clarke, P Lynch, J Martin, J O'Loughlin, G McGrath, M Mooney, E Flynn (Eastern Bay), P Burke, J Campbell, B Carroll, P Coyne, C Kinsella, R Mongey, T Nulty, T O'Brien (Glenalbyn), P Byrne, J Kavanagh (North Dublin), P Dolan, M Fitzpatrick (Half Moon), J Conway (Clontarf), E Duffy, E Finnucane (Garda), V Farrell (Millenium), W Finlay, E Fitzharris, W McKeon (ESB), J Healy, M Kenny, K Symes, P O'Kane (Wicklow), G Mongey, S Moran (St Vincent's), P McDonnell (KH), R Hardie ( Otter).

At 3 mins - B Byrne, A Flood, B Judge (Eastern Bay), D Sherry, C Duffy (Garda), P Collins (Dublin), C Conroy, C McGrattan, F O'Meara (Clontarf), M Murphy, C McCarthy (Glenalbyn), F Cooney (Sandycove), D Foley, F Conroy (ESB), T Loftus (Marian), L Nolan (Half Moon), A Hughes (Mullingar), D O'Grady (Millenium).

At 4 mins - E Coll, M Monks (Millenium), P Coogan, L Pike (Eastern Bay), F Cope (North Dublin), D Dunne, E McCarthy, M McCarthy (Glenalbyn), B Fitzsimoms (ESB), J Fortune ( Half Moon), E Healy (Metro), J Kiersey (Viking), O McCarthy, P O'Driscoll, J Sexton, J Pickering (Dublin), M Mongey (St Vincent's), P Monks (Carraig), G Morton, S Morton (Wicklow), J Murphy (Sandycove), M O'Connor (CRC), B O'Dwyer (Guinness), A Saab( Dundrum).

At 4:25 - P Ahern (Dublin), K Chaney (Eastern Bay), D Conroy, M Finnegan (ESB), S Dillon (KH), D Hobson, O O'Farrell (Setanta), J Smith, P Moore (North Dublin).

At 5:00 - D Donfield (Eastern Bay), J Kearns (Clontarf), P Manning (KH). 5:50 - P Coyne, T Dalton(Glenalbyn), P Gray (Dublin), S Hardie (Otter), O Hughes (Castlebar), B McCann (Terenure College), P McCarthy (Aer Lungus), N Witter ( Eastern Bay). At 6:15 - S Balfe (Guinness), G Byrne (Dublin), A Dunne (Half Moon), T Mitchell (Athlone), B O'Connor (Half Moon), N O'Meara (Clontarf), W Wolohan (Metro). 6:30 - P Halton (St Vincent's), M O'Meara (Clontarf). 6:45 - J Meade (Dublin), B O'Regan (Terenure College), P Reynolds (St Vincent's).

At 7:00 - B Furlong (Eastern Bay), P Murphy (ESB). 7:30 - D O'Brien and E Ryan (ESB).

At 8:00 - K Boucher (Marian), M Daly (Dundrum), P Emmet (Half Moon), N Murphy (ESB), P Nash (Half Moon), F O'Dwyer (Guinness), K Rossi (Eastern Bay). 8:30 - D Barry (Eastern Bay), M Bowers (Dublin), K Healy (Sandycove), B Mongey (Millenium), P Wynne, K Murray (Half Moon), J Sheridan (CRC), J Redmond (Carraig). 8:55 - G Carroll (KH), L Colvin, K Saunders (ESB), A Hampson, G Rice, G Wickham (Millenium), B Kinnear (Dundrum), L Mooney (Metro), B O'Brien (Sandycove), M Waine (Guinness) .

At 9:15 - P Corkery, T Murphy (St Vincent's), R Gallagher, J McCarthy (Glenalbyn), R P Emmet (KH), P Murphy ( Sandycove). 9:30 - J Morton (Trojan), D O'Callabghan (ESB). 9:45 - A Donnellan (Eastern Bay), S Doyle (Sandycove), G Dunne (Half Moon), J Rohan (Marian), G Wilkes (North Dublin).

At 10:00 - F Chatham (North Dublin), A Colvin (ESB), A Connaughton (KH), C Walsh (Half Moon). 10:30 - G Dunne (ESB), P Mooney (Guinness), P O'Flynn (CRC).

At 11:00 - M Boyle (KH). 11:45 - C Cassidy (St Vincent's), D Farrell (Sandycove), S Fitzgerald (Trojan), P Johnson (Terenure College), G Thom (Terenure College).

At 12:00 - F Carroll (Sandycove), T Cruise (Terenure College), D Turner (St Vincent's). 13:30 - B Harris (Trojan), A McLaughlin (KH), K Williamson (Terenure College). 14:50 - R Brew (Eastern Bay). 15:20 - S Saunders (Terenure College).

Women (1,000 metres)

At Go - A Beacom (Wicklow), L Meehan (Dublin). At 2:00 - D Kenny (Wicklow). 2:30 - C Gibson (Glenalbyn Masters). 3:00 - N Mulholland (Carraig Masters). 3:15 - M Molloy (Dublin). 3:45 - M Brady (KH), L Evans (North Dublin), S Knowles (Millenium).

At 4:00 - M Aldridge (Dublin), L Brennan (Wicklow), M Kilbane ( Dublin). 4:15 - C O'Donovan (Millenium). 4:30 - V Conlon (Carraig Masters). 4:45 - O Doyle (Dublin), D Hogan (Otter), H O'Dwyer (Glenalbyn Masters), J Olohan (Wicklow).

At 5:00 - B Cashin (Dublin), P Daly (KH), M Kelly (Glenalbyn Masters), A Kiernan (ESB), M Lanigan (Glenalbyn Masters), M McDevitt (Dublin), E O'Kane (Wickow), S O'Sullivan (North Dublin), M Thomas (Glenalbyn Masters). 5:15 - T McGuirk (Glenalbyn Masters), S Moran (Wicklow). 5:30 - U O'Shaughnessy (Garda). 5:45 - L Mooney (Polar Bears), Z Saab (Dundrum).

At 6:00 - M Burbage (Dublin), E Cantwell (North Dublin), J Hickey (Millenium), M McDermott (Dublin), J Morton (Wicklow), B O'Brien (Setanta), P O'Neill (Glenalbyn Masters), S Saab (Dundrum), N Savage (Otter). 6:15 - A Martin (Eastern Bay), S O'Brien (Millenium). 6:30 - N Carroll (Glenalbyn). 6:45 - B Byrne (Wicklow), C Conroy (ESB), L Hanrahan (Polar Bears), B O'Halloran (ESB). At 7:00 - S Kelly (Otter). 7:15 - F McNally (Terenure College). 7.45 - C O'Dwyer (Dublin).

At 8:00 - K Kelly (Trojan), C McDonagh (Terenure College), O McGlade (Dundrum), B O'Malley (Tallaght), J Reid (Carraig Masters). 8:15 - A Conway (Glenalbyn), S Naughton (Athlone), C Teeves (Dundrum), M Wickham (Dundrum). 8:30 - J Carroll (Glenalbyn), D Naughton (Athlone), C Nolan (Carraig Masters). 8:45 - E Dunne (ESB), A McAdam (KH), F McDonagh (Terenure College), T McNally (Polar Bears), M Roche (Tallaght) S Trappe (Dublin).

At 9:00 - R Egan (Eastern Bay), C Finlay (Half Moon). 9:15 - A Brady (KH), H Butterfield, O Furey, E Mulholland (Glenalbyn), M R Keegan (Otter), J Nestor (Carraig Masters). 9:45 - L Mitchell (Glenalbyn). 10.00 - A Cummins (Millenium), A Ollquist, D Ward (Glenalbyn).