Displaying items by tag: International Federation Of Swimming Teachers Associations

14th September 2010

International Honour for Irish Water Safety Official

The International Federation Of Swimming Teachers Associations (IFSTA) and Irish Water Safety (IWS) have announced the election of Jim Lawlor of Sligo as President West of IFSTA with responsibility for Europe, Africa, the Americas and Oceania at the World Conference of IFSTA in Holland on Thursday 9th Sept 2010.This position means that Jim Lawlor is also the Senior Vice President of the world body and he will become World President of IFSTA in 2012.

To put this achievement into perspective, a number of facts reflect the importance of IFSTA's contribution to water safety worldwide:

- 1,020,000 Members worldwide;
- 830,000 swimmers trained and certified every year;
- 27,185 Swimming Teachers / Instructors worldwide;
- 10,135 Examiners/ Assessors worldwide;
- 8,000 Swimming Teachers newly trained every year.

Jim is a member of the Council of IWS, a statutory body and he has represented IWS on the world board of IFSTA for five years. He is also Chairman of the Sports Commission within IWS and has chaired the Promotion Commission prior to taking responsibility for Sport.

Congratulations were immediately extended to Mr Lawlor by both the Minister of State at the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Mr Michael Finneran and also by the Chairman of Irish Water Safety, Mr Frank Nolan, who added that this was a wonderful occasion not only for Mr Lawlor but also for Irish Water Safety.

Speaking after his election, Jim stated that his election was a measure of the esteem in which his colleagues in Irish Water Safety were held by contemporaries around the world and he says he is honoured to have been chosen and he will continue to work with his colleagues worldwide to try to reduce the significant loss of life by drowning over the term of his appointment.

The latest report into worldwide drowning was published by WHO, based on statistics for 2002 and it showed that 403,000 persons drowned in 2002.This equates to 8% of all deaths due to injuries, both intentional and unintentional. The rate per 100,000 of population averaged 6.8 for the whole world but this varied greatly between countries. In some Asian countries the rate is over 10. In Ireland during the 1980s there was an average of over 200 deaths by drowning each year but that has steadily declined to last year's 145 which is a rate of .003%.
This is due to the many programmes promoted by Irish Water Safety which raise public awareness and address the four key issues associated with reducing death by drowning.
1.    Removing the hazards - Drain baths, ponds etc
2.    Creating Physical Barriers - Fence ponds, Protective Barrier Grills over wells etc
3.    Protecting those at risk - Promoting learn to swim schemes such as the IWS PAWS (Primary Aquatics Water Safety), teaching water safety, using trained lifeguards.
4.    Countering the damage - Teaching resuscitation

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Ireland & La Solitaire du Figaro

The Solitaire du Figaro, was originally called the course de l’Aurore until 1980, was created in 1970 by Jean-Louis Guillemard and Jean-Michel Barrault.

Half a decade later, the race has created some of France's top offshore sailors, and it celebrated its 50th anniversary with a new boat equipped with foils and almost 50 skippers Including novices, aficionados and six former winners.

The solo multi-stage offshore sailing race is one of the most cherished races in French sailing and one that has had Irish interest stretching back over 20 years due to the number of Irish stopovers, usually the only foreign leg of the French race.

What Irish ports have hosted The Solitaire du Figaro?

The race has previously called to Ireland to the following ports; Dingle, Kinsale, Crosshaven, Howth and Dun Laoghaire.

What Irish sailors have raced The Solitaire du Figaro?

So far there have been seven Irish skippers to participate in La Solitaire du Figaro.

In 1997, County Kerry's Damian Foxall first tackled the Figaro from Ireland. His win in the Rookie division in DHL gave him the budget to compete again the following year with Barlo Plastics where he won the final leg of the race from Gijon to Concarneau. That same year a second Irish sailor Marcus Hutchinson sailing Bergamotte completed the course in 26th place and third Rookie.

In 2000, Hutchinson of Howth Yacht Club completed the course again with IMPACT, again finishing in the twenties.

In 2006, Paul O’Riain became the third Irish skipper to complete the course.

In 2013, Royal Cork's David Kenefick raised the bar by becoming a top rookie sailor in the race.

In 2018, for the first time, Ireland had two Irish boats in the offshore race thanks to Tom Dolan and Joan Mulloy who joined the rookie ranks and kept the Irish tricolour flying high in France. Mulloy became the first Irish female to take on the race.

Tom Dolan in Smurfit Kappa competed for his third year in 2020 after a 25th place finish in 2019. Dolan sailed a remarkably consistent series in 2020 and took fifth overall, the best finish by a non-French skipper since 1997 when Switzerland’s Dominique Wavre finished runner up. Dolan wins the VIVI Trophy.

Dolan finished 10th on the first stage, 11th on the second and seventh into Saint Nazaire at the end of the third stage. Stage four was abandoned due to lack of wind.

Also in 2020, Dun Laoghaire’s Kenneth Rumball became the eleventh Irish sailor to sail the Figaro.

At A Glance – Figaro Race

It starts in June or July from a French port.
The race is split into four stages varying from year to year, from the length of the French coast and making up a total of around 1,500 to 2,000 nautical miles (1,700 to 2,300 mi; 2,800 to 3,700 km) on average.
Over the years the race has lasted between 10 and 13 days at sea.
The competitor is alone in the boat, participation is mixed.
Since 1990, all boats are of one design.