“Amazing swim,” said visiting American swimmer Bill Ireland of the State New Zealand Ocean Swim Series Round 2 swim, the State Harbour Crossing.

“There were 30 knot winds, 63ºF (17.2ºC) water, with a current pulling out to sea so sighting on the course was very challenging and so was staying on course. There were 6 waves – one for the elites, then 5 other waves following about a minute apart.

I was amazed they ran the race with the wind as strong as it was. It was strong enough that I wouldn’t want to be sailing in it -and that [English Channel record holder] Trent Grimsey was quoted saying that it the worst conditions that he had ever done a race in. I felt the same.”

Ireland, an attorney when he is not traveling the world participating in open water swims, liked the swim almost he did about the phrase the event uses for its bag drop: “This is on all care and no responsibility basis.”

Photo above shows Bill Ireland swimming in the Catalina Channel.

Copyright © 2012 by Open Water Source