#openseaswim – Well known open water swimmer Steve Redmond from Ballydehob in Cork is about to embark on a record breaking challenge to raise funds and awareness for the RNLI. Steve has already made history for being the first man ever to complete the gruelling Seven Oceans Swim and he is now taking on his biggest challenge to date, swimming from Ireland to Wales.
Steve is a former rugby player and triathlete who has become well known for his long distance open water swims. He was the first person to swim around the Fastnet Rock off the Cork coast. Now at the age of 48 he wants to complete one more big challenge and swim the 80 kilometres from Ireland to Wales. He plans to depart from Rosslare in County Wexford in the early hours on Friday 23 August, weather permitting and swim non-stop to Wales, arriving in St. David's approximately 35 hours later.
These locations are also home to lifeboat stations in the RNLI, a charity that is close to Steve's heart. Living in West Cork and training in the sea near Baltimore lifeboat station, Steve is very familiar with the work of the charity and three of his support team are volunteer lifeboat crew with Baltimore RNLI.
Speaking on the challenge Steve said, "Sadly there have been a number of tragedies off our coast in the last few months and it has brought home to me that while the sea is beautiful it can also be dangerous. I want to do something for the people who volunteer to rescue those in trouble at sea or who have to bring loved ones home when they have lost their lives out there. I am very familiar with the work of search and rescue agencies and in particular the RNLI and it would be great to raise funds and awareness for them through this swim."
Steve is under no illusions how challenging the swim will be for him. It will be much further than he has ever swam before and will take a huge amount of strength and mental endurance. By his side for the challenge will be his support team who will keep him under constant surveillance. Steve is not allowed touch the boat or another person while he is swimming and will need to be independently observed by a member of the Irish Long Distance Swimming Association to verify the challenge. Medical personnel will also be close at hand should Steve get into difficulty and be unable to complete the swim.
He is currently swimming up to 90 kilometres a week in training and is now keen to undertake the challenge. He added, "This time last year I vowed never to put my body through another endurance swim. A year later and I am now looking forward to this next challenge, which I have always wanted to complete. The fact that this swim has never been done by one person alone makes it more enticing to me and if the weather and tides allow I am confident that I can make it. I am also looking forward to raising some funds for the RNLI who battle the elements day in day out to save lives at sea."
Steve Redmond will depart Rosslare in the early hours of Friday 23 August, weather permitting. To donate to Steve's swim in aid of the RNLI please go to: www.mycharity.ie/event/irelandtowales2013/
