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Two competitors tragically died after getting into difficulty in the water during the swim section of the Ironman 70.3 event in Youghal.
Triathlon Ireland maintained tonight that they confirmed to the race organisers that it was not possible to sanction the race before it started.
However, the Ironman group has said their officials were not informed of this until hours after the race was completed.
Brendan Wall (44), from Co Meath, and Ivan Chittenden (65), from Toronto in Canada, died after getting into difficulty during the swim section of an Ironman triathlon in Youghal, Co Cork, on Sunday.
The swim had been shortened by organisers due to rough weather conditions following Storm Betty last weekend but on Monday night a statement from Triathlon Ireland, a separate governing body to the organisers of the event in Youghal, confirmed it told organisers it could not sanction the event due to the safety risks to participants over weather conditions.
Triathlon Ireland reiterated its statement from earlier this week to the Irish Independent tonight.
“Triathlon Ireland Technical Officials attended before the start of the race to review the conditions and carry out a water safety assessment.
“Due to adverse conditions on the day, before the start of the race Triathlon Ireland Technical Officials confirmed to the race organisers that it was not possible to sanction the race.
Ivan Chittenden. Photo: Strava/Ivan Chittenden.
However, in a statement this evening, the Ironman group said that following the postponement of the event on Saturday “Ironman Ireland officials and the specific on-swim safety team carried out all standard safety protocol checks that are completed at every race and determined water conditions were safe for the swim to take place.”
“Ironman works in collaboration with national federations around the world as we organize over 150 Ironman and Ironma 70.3 events annually.
“As such, federation representatives were present during the event and performed their duties. Several hours after the swim was completed, they communicated to the onsite Ironman Ireland officials that they would not approve the sanctioning for the event,” the statement added.
Two separate investigations into the incident are now under way, with government minister Darragh O’Brien calling for all involved in the event to be “very forthright” on what safety measures were or were not taken on the day.
“It’s an awful tragedy and all of us know that. My thoughts and the thoughts of Government are with the two families of the two people who died very, very tragically,” said Mr O’Brien.
“Unquestionably, there are very serious issues that need to be addressed. I noted the statement of Triathlon Ireland yesterday evening with interest and indeed with some concern.”
He said safety should be “at the centre” of such events.
In a statement also released this evening, host sponsor Cork County Council said: “In terms of event responsibility, Ironman has sole responsibility for the management and co-ordination of the Event, this responsibility includes to run the Event with due care, skill and attention.
“Cork County Council does not have any responsibility for the management and operation of the event and any decisions related to the races proceeding, nor indeed the different elements of the individual races.
“Cork County Council recognises that the fatalities may be the subject of a coroner’s Inquest and is seeking a full account of the event from Ironman.
The council will determine its future position as host sponsor once it is in receipt of and has considered same,” it added.
Triathlon Ireland, the Ironman group and the county council all extended their condolences to the two competitors who died.
Triathletes have told how people were “screaming, terrified” and “uncontrollably crying” while some were pulled from the water during an Ironman triathlon in Cork in which two men lost their lives.
Brendan Wall. Photo: RIP.ie
Triathlete Keith O’Sullivan was competing in the Ironman on Sunday and said there was a “sense of panic” and people were “being pulled from the water”.
“People were screaming out that were terrified and were suffering with fear in the water.
“There was people being pulled out of the water and it just wasn’t a place for people with any type of inexperience or any nervousness to be in there.
“I felt days in advance it should have been called off because the winds down here on the Friday night were reaching in excess of 105kmh. On that morning, I knew we shouldn’t have been getting into it but I got caught up in the moment and I’m disappointed in myself for going into it.
“It’s communicated to us from the organisers that you put your hand up in the air if you’re in difficulty and somebody will come to you in a kayak. The kayakers were struggling to stay upright and the spotters were struggling to keep the boats upright because the swell was so large. They couldn’t even see anybody… they were doing the best they possibly can,” Mr O’Sullivan told RTÉ’s News at One.
Winnie Moore also took part in the triathlon on Sunday and said there were people “uncontrollably crying” in the water and added she decided not to continue with the swim due to conditions being too dangerous.
“I was knocked down. It took me a good few times to get by the waves initially,” she said. “I only made it about 200 metres out and there was a very big swell, and I was looking around me and I started to panic. And then another swimmer stopped beside me and he said, ‘Are you OK?’ And I said, ‘Actually, no. No, I’m not I don’t feel comfortable.’
“I was going to attempt going on to reach this buoy, which seemed a good distance away from me. So, then I put my head down and made my attempts to get up to the buoy, when I looked around he [the kayaker] had gone over to another girl who was very distressed off to the left, she was uncontrollably crying.
“I just had said to myself that it’s not worth that, I didn’t have to prove anything to myself.”
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