'It was very frightening': Race participants learn of tragic Ironman losses as they cross finish line
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The Ironman in Youghal continued this evening, with participants learning the news as they cross the finishing line that two fellow athletes lost their lives during this morning's swim.
Ivan Chittenden from Toronto in Canada, who was in his 60s, and Brendan Wall from Solihull in England, who was in his 40s, died in separate medical emergencies during the event.
The men were both attended by emergency personnel but were pronounced dead at different scenes at the sea front.
Post-mortem examinations will be conducted on Monday to determine the cause of the men’s deaths.
Thousands of spectators remained on the streets to cheer on the endeavours of family and friends at the end of the course in the east Cork town. Participants are only becoming aware of the deaths of the two competitors in the water as they finish the marathon leg.
While those who completed the swim, run and cycle throughout east Cork were basking in their achievement, many spoke of the difficult sea conditions for the swim part of the event.
Saturday's Ironman half triathlon had been postponed until today due to flooding and debris on the cycle course through east Cork as a result of Storm Betty overnight on Friday and into Saturday morning.
One participant said he heard people shouting for help in the water, and that some others didn’t feel safe and turned around.
Killian Vigna from Nass, Co Kildare, said he found out after the event about the two deaths when he had completed the half Ironman.
He said swimmers were battered by the high sea swells, adding that “it was tough”.
Robert Larkin from Dublin described the sea as “scary” during the swim part of the event. He said: “When we got in there, the waves were smacking us.”
He added: “The waves were coming up over my head. But once you got to the buoy and turned your head and saw the lighthouse, it was grand.”
He said he knew people who got back out of the water “because they were getting nowhere” because of the strength of the water.
His mother Jackie said she was proud of her son for competing the half Ironman but admitted she was particularly worried for him while he was doing the swim element of the event.
She said: “It was very frightening actually, looking at it. You just wanted them all to be finished.”
Glanmire man Matthew Browne of the East Cork Tribe described the sea conditions as “the worst I have ever been in”.
He continued: “Getting out to the first marker was insane because you were going backwards – you were being blown back.”
He said he saw people being rescued but said he was okay himself.
Ironman, who have responsibility for staging the event, issued a statement after the deaths, saying: “We are deeply saddened to confirm the death of two race participants at the IRONMAN 70.3 Ireland, Cork 2023. During the swim portion of Sunday’s race, safety personnel provided immediate medical attention upon recognising the athletes were in need of assistance.”
“We share our greatest sympathies with the families and friends of the athletes and will continue to offer them our support as they go through this very difficult time. We thank the safety personnel and first responders who worked quickly to provide the athletes with medical assistance. In respect of the families and athletes’ privacy, we will have no further comment.”
However, Ironmen did not respond to questions posed in relation to the safety concerns raised by participants, including who made the final decision to allow the event to go ahead.
In a statement, Cork County Council offered deepest sympathies to the families and friends of the dead men.
It said: “Our thoughts are with those who have been affected, and we are currently offering every assistance required to the IRONMAN GROUP and all those impacted. We wish to express our gratitude to the response agencies involved, including our dedicated Fire and Emergency personnel, for their unwavering efforts during this difficult time."
An Ironman race is a long-distance triathlon event known for its challenging nature and rigorous demands on participants.
It consists of three sequential endurance disciplines: swimming, cycling, and running.
The standard Ironman distance is a 3.86km swim, followed by a 180.25km bike ride, and finishes with a full marathon, which is a 42.2km run.
Here's a breakdown of each discipline and what's involved in an Ironman race:
- : The race typically begins with a 3.86km open-water swim, often in a lake or ocean. Participants in wetsuits start from a mass swim start or in waves, depending on the race size. Swimmers have to navigate through the course and complete the required distance.
- : After completing the swim, participants transition to the cycling portion of the race. They ride a total of 180.25km on a course typically made up of roads and can vary in terrain, including flat sections, climbs, and descents.
- : Once the cycling leg is finished, participants transition to a full 42.2km marathon distance run. The run is completed on foot and takes place on roads, trails, or a combination of both, depending on the location.
The race can take anywhere from around eight to 17 hours, depending on the athlete's skill level, training, and race conditions.
Due to water conditions in Youghal this morning, the swim course at the Ironman event was shortened and the start time delayed.
post went up on the Ironman Ireland Facebook page, updating participants on the changes to the swim course distance.
The post read: "Due to the current conditions of the water at the swim start, the swim course for both IRONMAN 70.3 Ireland, Cork and the full distance IRONMAN Ireland, Cork will now be 1.9km. This means that we can focus all of our swim safety crew on delivering the safest possible swim for all of our athletes."
The newly-shortened swim began. It had been due to start at 6.30am and from that time 2,000 contestants from 62 countries had started to assemble along the promenade along the Front Strand. Contestants were asked to swim towards red buoys out in the sea and then swim back. Ironmen Safety crews were in the water.
The half-triathlon had been postponed from yesterday due to flooding and debris on the bike course in the aftermath of Storm Betty. This added greatly to the numbers taking part in yesterday’s event. As well as 600-800 full Ironman contestants, it is estimated that 1,600-1,800 half-triathlon contestants were also competing.
The RNLI in Youghal received a call to assist with a male casualty in the water. Rescuers on board one of the safety boats were trying to revive the man He was taken on board and then brought to the medical evacuation point, at Claycastle Beach. He was later pronounced dead.
It is understood that the second man died around the same time but had only just entered the water.
The event has continued all day with participants completing the cycling and running sections to cross the finish line at Market Square.
their early morning Facebook post, IRONMAN organisers posted on the social media platform again confirming the news that two male participants, one in his 40s and one in his 60s had died.