Displaying items by tag: FEXCO

8th June 2015

Dukarska Lands Sponsorship as she Targets Olympic Spot for Ireland Pair

#Rowing: Ireland rower Monika Dukarska will be sponsored by foreign exchange specialist FEXCO this season as she and rowing partner Leonora Kennedy target qualification for the Ireland pair for the Olympic Games next year. FEXCO is a multinational finance and business solutions provider with operations in 28 countries. Its head office is in Killorglin in Kerry.

The Ireland crew of Dukarska and Kennedy will qualify the pair for Rio 2016 if they finish in the top 11 at the World Rowing Championships in Aiguebelette in France in September.

Dukarska, who is 24, started rowing at the Killorglin Rowing Club shortly after moving to Ireland from Poland when she was 16.

Shane Kavanagh, the group marketing director of FEXCO, said: “We are delighted to be working with Monika during her training for the Olympics, and it would be great to see a women’s pair qualify and make Irish history.

“Monika is an extremely talented athlete, with an incredible amount of drive and ambition. This is clear through her dedication to rowing throughout her school years, as well as receiving a first class bachelors and masters degree, while competing at a professional level. We look forward to supporting Monika on the road to Rio.”

Dukarska said: “It’s great to have FEXCO behind me during the Rio qualifying rounds.

“Our success at the Memorial Paolo d’Aloja Regatta was a great start to the season. Despite being my first international regatta in the women’s pair event, my partner Leonora Kennedy and I managed to take home the gold in both races. We had a good result last week in Poznan finishing ninth in the European Championships. I’m glad to be home in Ireland now and training harder than ever for September’s qualifier.”

Published in Rowing

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Forty Foot Swimming Spot on Dublin Bay

The 'Forty Foot' is a rocky outcrop located at the southern tip of Dublin Bay at Sandycove, County Dublin from which people have been swimming in the Irish Sea all year round for 300 years or more. It is popular because it is one of few spots between Dublin city and Greystones in County Wicklow that allows for swimming at all stages of the tide, subject to the sea state.

Forty Foot History

Traditionally, the bathing spot was exclusively a men's bathing spot and the gentlemen's swimming club was established to help conserve the area.

Owing to its relative isolation and gender-specific nature it became a popular spot for nudists, but in the 1970s, during the women's liberation movement, a group of female equal-rights activists plunged into the waters and now it is also open to everyone and it is in the control of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council.

Many people believe that swimming in extremely cold water is healthy and good for the immune system.

Is it safe to swim at the Forty Foot?

The Forty-Foot is a great place to swim because there is always enough water to get a dip but like all sea swimming, there are always hazards you need to be aware of. For example, a lot of people like to dive into to the pool at the Forty-foot but there are submerged rocks that can be hazardous especially at low water. The Council have erected signs to warn people of the underwater dangers. Other hazards include slippy granite cut stone steps that can often be covered with seaweed and of course marine wildlife including jellyfish that make their presence felt in the summer months as do an inquisitive nearby Sandycove seal colony.