A THREE MAN crew has set a new speed record for navigating the Shannon in a powered boat, according to the chief co ordinator of the charity event, Mr Barry O'Flynn.
He said the crew, Mr John Plummer, Mr David Nolan and Mr Mark Griffin, completed the 133 mile journey from Battlebridge, Co Leitrim, to Sarsfield's Bridge in Limerick in three hours, 29 minutes and 45 seconds.
The crew set off at daybreak on Saturday and benefited from a "hole in the weather" to complete the journey without incident, Mr O'Flynn said. "It was an unmitigated success." They travelled in the Scapa II, a 6.5 m rigid inflatable boat powered by two 75 h.p. engines.
They knocked just over half an hour off the previous record of four hours and 58 seconds, set in 1993 by Bundoran RNLI.
As Lough Allen was reopened to navigation earlier this year, they also set a new speed record of five hours four minutes and 50 seconds for completing the entire 201 mile length of the Shannon, from the upper reaches of Lough Allen to Loop Head.
The "Shannon Sprint" was authorised by the Office of Public Works, and supported by a backup team of about 60 people.
Proceeds from the sponsored event go to the RNLI and rescue services operating on the upped Shannon.
The first speed record for navigating the Shannon was set in 1991 by the Defence Forces, when Capt Stuart McNamara and his crew set a record of four hours and 58 minutes. Capt McNamara also assisted last Saturday's attempt.