The 13th ILDSA Awards, celebrating the achievements of swimmers during both 2020 and 2021, took place on March 26th, 2022.

Below is a selection of the awards presented during the event.

Female Senior Swimmer of the Year

Elaine Burrows Dillane

Junior Female Swimmer of the Year

Abi McNamara

Senior Best Newcomer Female

Caroline Corkery

Male Senior Swimmer of the Year

Jordan Leckey

Junior Male Swimmer of the Year

Brian Foster

Senior Best Newcomer Male

Steven Grimley

Sheena Paterson Spirit of Open Water Swimming Award

Imelda Lynch

Best Organised Open Water Swim

Gaddin Abt Garnish

Margaret Smith Award

Atlantic Masters Swimming Club

Shane Moraghan Award for Best Overseas performance by an Irish Open Water/Marathon Swimmer

Linda Clarke

Ted Keenan Ulster Swimmer of the Year 2021

Francie McAlinden

Páraic Casey Munster Swimmer of the Year 2021

Ann Smyth

Jimmy Cranny Connaught Swimmer of the Year 2021

Mark Dunleavey

Pat Manning Leinster Swimmer of the Year 2021

Patrick Corkery

Irish Triple Crown recognition of achievement medal

Fastnet 10.09.2020
Galway Bay 25.05.2021
North Channel 13.08.2019

Fastnet 12.08.2020
Galway Bay 19.06.2021
North Channel 21.07.2021

The ILDSA Original Triple Crown recognition of achievement medal

1968 – English Channel- in 15 hours 55 minutes.
1970 – North Channel – in 11 hours 21 minutes.
1971 – Bristol Channel- in 13 hours 54 minutes.

13 August 1972 – English Channel in 18 hours 11 minutes
11 August 1973 – North Channel in 18 hours, 27 minutes
17 July 1975 – Bristol Channel in 14 hours 26 minutes

4 September 2012 English Channel in 13 hours 19 minutes
29 July 2019 – North Channel in 13 hours, 55 minutes, 37 seconds
10 September 2020 – Bristol Channel in 13 hours 8 minutes

Jack McClelland Award for a Pioneering Swim

Swim For Sorcha (Annette Cullen, Helen Colfer, Michelle Power, Cliona Pierse)

Around Lough Neagh – Francie McAlinden
St George’s Channel – OA Giants (Keith Garry, Dominic Mudge, Bill Donnelly, Chris Judge, Colin Lindsay, John McElroy)
Slyne Head to Bunowen Pier – Barry Doyle, Mike Flannery, Peter Cunningham, Mick McCarthy, Joe Kennelly, Shane Devoy,
Dara Foley, Paschal Phelan, Stephen O Neill & Fergal Madden
Carlingford Lough 22.5K – Steven Grimley
Sandycove Harbour to Bray Harbour 10K – Ger Kennedy
Baily Lighthouse to Bray Harbour 17K – Ger Kennedy

Luca Estrada Pozzi (ITALY/USA)

Stève Stievenart (FRANCE)

Jordan Leckey (IRELAND)

Patricia Heffernan

Dál Riata 2021

MNÁ Na MARA (Grace McLaughlin, Gillian Sagesby, Nuala Glynn, Jane Reilly)

Ireland Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame

The class of 2021 were inducted in two waves – details can be found here and here

Nuala Moore

ILDSA express our gratitude to you for your invaluable contribution, dedication to Open Water Swimming and in particular to the development of the North Channel.