More than 100 RNLI lifesavers provide safety cover for Ironman Wales spectacular
More than 100 RNLI lifesavers were on hand to make sure the swim element of the Ironman Wales in Tenby was as safe as it was spectacular.
Almost 1,900 swimmers took to the waters of Tenby North Beach shortly before 7am on Sunday morning for the 3.8km swim, which forms the first stage of the gruelling three-discipline race.
The race weekend is always one of the busiest in the RNLI’s Welsh calendar with 89 of the charity’s lifeguards on hand to make sure the swimmers completed the course safely. A number of swimmers needed assistance in the water, but thankfully there were no serious incidents.
Lifeguards used rescue boards, rescue water craft and inshore rescue boats as part of their safety cover. No fewer than 18 volunteer lifeboat crew members from Tenby RNLI were also on the water in the station’s D-class lifeboat, while the station’s all-weather Tamar class lifeboat was launched and on the water for a period in the morning. Nine coastguard rescue officers also provided on-water safety cover for the event
Sean Ellison, RNLI Lifeguard Supervisor, said: ‘Providing water safety cover for the Ironman Wales event requires a lot of planning and careful logistics, but I would like to praise our lifeguards, Tenby RNLI lifeboat volunteers and our emergency service partners for once again providing world-class safety cover for this global event.
'Our lifeguard colleagues from Atlantic College again provided valuable support in providing the safety service for the swim and our thanks goes to them.’
To see a fantastic timelapse video of the Ironman competitors taking to the water visit the Tenby RNLI Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Tenby-Lifeboats-RNLI-118759930889/?ref=br_rs
Notes to editors:
Picture captions: RNLI lifeguards provided a comprehensive safety cover during the swim section of Ironman Wales yesterday. Credit RNLI/Stephen Lowe
For more information please contact Chris Cousens, RNLI Press Officer, Wales and West, on 07748 265496 or 01745 585162 or by email on [email protected].
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