Nessie Battered By 40 Foot Walruses - Guinness World Records - Fundsraised - Fancy a swim on Sunday? - Next Years Swim(s)?

Congrats to all 18 40 Foot Walruses who took on and conquered the Nessie Challenge!!! It was long, feezing and very fun swim, and everybody swam through it in flying colours (although mainly blue).

In swimming across the Loch we have raised €10k for charity, gotten super fit and had not just a small slice of craic!

The whole challenge from inception to completion has been a fantastic experience and thats down to you the swimmers so pats on the back all round.

We've sent in an official application to the Guinness Book of Records to be "The Largest Group to swim across Loch Ness". The locals certainly think we are and we hope to hear back from Guinness over the coming weeks.

As regards funds raised, The easiest way for you to hand over your funds raised to us in the club is to lodge them in the club bank account.

it's acc no: 10215834
Sort code: 98-50-30
Tran code(what ever that is) : 71

Account : The Nessie Challenge
Ulster Bank
Lower Camden Street

After lodging it send me a mail with the amount you lodged so I can cross reference it.

This way every euro is accounted for.

Get all your photos/footage of the day to Denny, by way of e-mail or CD/DVD. Then he will put them up somewhere where everybody has access to them.

The Captain of our Boat George has kindly offered to put up a Nessie Challenge Trophy for next year should we want it! We're keen to hear your thoughts on this. It could be a team trophy, or maybe you feel the nessie challenge is about craic not a cup. Dont be shy (as if!), send in a mail with your thoughts.

On the subject of next year. Given the lack of fatalities we are hoping to hold the Nessie Challenge again, just like this year it is impossible without your super support and participation. So we hope you enjoyed it so much you will come back to become part of Nessie Challenge 09, and maybe bring a pal or two too. Any ideas on how we can make the whole experience even better are gratefully accepted.

We also want to add a second swim into our calendar, something a little loopy, you know the style! So we're open to suggestions. So far we've had:

Iceland
Denmark to Sweden
Croatia to Italy
Sardinia to Corsica
Alcatraz
Lake Malawi
The Dardenelles

Remember the swim can be a relay swim if the distances are mad.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

This Sunday should you fancy a swim you have 2 choices! There is a charity swim (not a race) which is always great craic heading from the 40 Foot to Bullock and back, then there is loads of tea and sambos and sausies and bikkies and stuff after. I think its at 11.30 but I'm not sure! Maybe somebody could confirm by way of group mail.

And then there is a race from windsurfers pier at Seapoint. Men 12.30 Women 1.30.

I'm undecided, i'll go with the group.

The Blog will be back weekly again from Jan 09.

Any exceptional news in the meantime I'll update it and blast out a mail.

Congrats to one and all again.

Thanks to you for making Nessie Challenge 08 such a special experience.

Happy paddling,

alfonso

P.S. Did you see the article beside us in the Post and Journal News? Drumnadrochit are experiencing a severe lime green towel shortage.

1 week to go! - Vote on Lake Swim - Iron Man - Sponsorship

Howdy Folkys,

It is now the final week of training. We jet off to conquer Nessie on Friday week! After next Tuesday don't swim any distances above 1km. Let the body build up its reserves for the Saturday. I'm officially off the booze now until Saturday lunchtime.

There will be 2 more Lake swims before we depart. Sunday in either Mullingear or Loch Dan(we'll have a vote). And then next Tuesday in Lough Dan . The more of these you do the better, there is certainly an adjustment to be made. Lough Dan was a spectacular swim yesterday by the way!

The Tommy Dorgan Sea Swim is on Sat 26th of July. This is the Iron Man of the Dublin Sea Swim Calendar. It's a 5k swim from Seapoint to the Poolbeg Lighhouse at the mouth of the Liffey (the red one with the white wall).
If you are interested let me know. We'll do 1 increasing long distance swim every week between now and then (2.75, 3.5, 4 then Tommy D).

Hows your sponsorship going? I'm even hitting my dentist for money! We've a couple of swimmers who are on the second form. Well done to Denny and Dave who have raised €500 so far selling raffle tickets to drunk people. Well done also to Brian and Brian who have got Vodafone to double all the money they raise. And Well done to Fran who is getting Bank of Ireland to do a double up with her too!

Happy Paddling,

alfonso