NAC Masters Swimming Club
AL Masters Gala Results
Well done everyone on some smashing swims at the Aer Lingus gala on Sunday. Lots of medals by the look of things, not to mention a score or two to settle next time out to settle some intra-club/lane friendly rivalry! Results are available here. Gala report to follow.
Aer Lingus Gala Parking
Additional car parking at the ALSAA pool for the Gala on Sunday.
When you come into the Airport the Clarion Hotel will be on your right hand side. Just past the hotel you will see a sign for ALSAA pool and the hotel - turn right. Go to the end of the road (25m approx.), turn right at T junction and 1st left. The car park is on your left. Press the buzzer at the barrier and say you are at the gala. The pool is just facing you.
Aer Lingus Gala Programme & Start Lists
Aer Lingus have published the programme and start lists (session 1 & session 2) for the Gala on 12 May. Declan has details of the relay teams entered.
Kingdom Masters, Tralee
The small but select NAC team descended on the Kerry pool with determination all round… but the ladies were extra focused on doing well in the relays… so much so that I was informed to ‘max to the wall’. For God’s sake, I wasn’t really sure what lingo that was, but I did max to the wall…sure we won gold in both racesJ
Declan wore his ITT’S (Italian turquoise togs) see below, and he still sports a tan… must be quare blood in him somewhere!!
I did, in fact pop down to Tralee for the Kingdom Masters Gala, which was on 23rd March to do my lovely caterpillar, not butterfly 100 metres and 50 metres. So there I was, chatting away to a 5-year-old when I saw the 1st 50 fly heat in the pool ….. I did a PB in getting from the gallery to the diving blocks for I was performing (not racing) in the 2nd heat!! After that excitement, I managed to pull out 2 lengths of the pool. The legs went half way through the 100 fly though, not a pretty sight I can tell you!
The team performed really well.. medals all round and enjoyed the day so much. One member of the team was seen playing shark with some 5 year olds…. And looked like she enjoyed that more….. event for next year perhaps? Of course, the team relaxed in between races, but a few did climb the walls !!
Enough of that anyway … some information on the day J
The Kingdom Masters annual Gala of 2013 was run with the same proficiency and friendship that makes this Gala one of the best to support. It used to be the highlight of the swimming world but for some reason (recession?), it does not attract the same numbers. That is not to say that the Gala is lacking any components ... actually, the Gala is the same, it is run with the same efficiency and enthusiasm by the organisers.
There are a couple of points though that make it special, one being the dedication of twins, Michael and Tim O’Connell, who are recognisable by the fact that no-one can tell who is who! Story goes that they wear different flip-flops so the kids they coach can tell them apart.
There were a few changes during the day, with a team of Kingdom Masters Ladies supplying the helpers and swimmers with a spread of wonderful food and tea and coffee. The spread of sandwiches, pasta, couscous, quiches, and an array of cakes and pasties could have been from any gourmet bakery, but were baked by the Ladies of the Club, and probably a few men too!
The evening event was great fun. We met in Stokers Pub/Restaurant for a very competitively priced 4-course dinner with wine for €25.00. Scrumptious too. There was a lovely speech given by Tim or Michael (oops) on the Gala, who presented Declan Harte with the Man of the Meet trophy. Nice touch, although I must confess that there was literally no competition as we were the only two from any other club who went to the afters do. Declan reciprocated with an impromptu speech, thanking Kingdom Masters for their hospitality, fun and determination to keep the gala going. The event carried on downstairs with a band and dancing until about 1.30. It was overall a very successful gala.
