Youghal Ironman: Justice Minister warns full facts of triathlon tragedy need to be determined

But she said it was vital the full facts were ascertained into the precise circumstances in which Ivan Chittenden (65) and Brendan Wall (44) died last Sunday during the event in Youghal.

Ms McEntee said inquiries were already under way by the event organisers and gardaí as part of a Cork Coroner’s Court inquest process and via Sport Minister Thomas Byrne through Triathlon Ireland and Sport Ireland.

“Two people have died here – this was very distressing for everybody involved and we need to make sure about what happened. Whether that is a public inquiry, I think that is too early to tell,” she told RTÉ’s Today with Claire Byrne.

Video shows swimming conditions at Youghal Ironman over weekend

“We need to make sure that what is happening now is allowed to happen [without delay]. Then we will make a decision after that if more is needed to happened.

“I think we need to understand the facts,” she added.

“I have to offer my deepest condolences to the Brendan and Ivan’s families – one of them [from] very close to where I live.”

“This is an absolute tragedy and devastating for all of their families. We need to understand what happened and obviously my colleague in the constituency, Thomas Byrne, has asked Sport Ireland to liaise with Triathlon Ireland to try and ascertain the facts but also to provide support where it is necessary.

“The gardaí are also preparing to send a file to the coroner so, without getting involved in what is happening there, we just need to have the facts and we need to know what happened.”

Gardaí are to prepare a file on the two deaths for the Cork coroner while investigations are also expected to be carried out by Ironman Cork/Ireland and Water Safety Ireland/Sport Ireland.

Inquests into both deaths are expected to be held next year.

Ms McEntee’s comments came as a dispute erupted over the precise timeline of Sunday’s event – and exactly when the event organisers, Ironman Cork/Ireland, were informed by the sports umbrella body, Triathlon Ireland, that they could not give the race the go-ahead given the adverse weather and sea conditions in Youghal.

Ironman insisted it was only told about the refusal to greenlight the event after the sea swim race was over.

“Ironman works in collaboration with national federations around the world as we organise over 150 events annually,” a spokesperson said.

“As such, federation representatives were present during the event and performed their duties. Several hours after the swim was completed, they communicated to the onsite Ironman Ireland officials that they would not approve the sanctioning for the event.”

The sea swim leg of the event had been shortened from 3.8km to 1.9km because of the adverse conditions.

However, Triathlon Ireland (TI) insisted the notice about their refusal to sanction the event came before the race ever commenced.

“For the Ironman Cork event, in line with normal practice, Triathlon Ireland technical officials attended before the start of the race to review the conditions and carry out a water safety assessment,” a TI spokesperson said.

“Due to adverse conditions on the day, before the start of the race, TI technical officials confirmed to the race organisers that it was not possible to sanction the race.”

Minister Simon Harris said the disagreement around facts over the tragedy was “unedifying”.

Asked about the disagreement on the timeline between Triathlon Ireland and Ironman organisers as to whether the swim section was sanctioned, or given the go-ahead, Mr Harris said the facts had to be clearly established.

“I think some of the disagreement around facts is unedifying, and it’s really important is that the truth is established. And there is only obviously one set of facts,” he said.

“First and foremost it had been a horrifically sad tragedy, he said, and everyone was concerned for the families and friends of the deceased.”

Mr Harris added: “Sport Ireland now has the space and the opportunity to help try and ascertain some of those facts, and I’m also very conscious that the Gardaí will be preparing a file for the coroner.

“So there’ll be a number of processes underway. And I don’t want to comment too far in respect of those facts, but I do think it is really important that the truth emerges.

“It’s really important that we move beyond statements and counter-statements, and those different versions — so that the facts can be established, so that any lessons that need to be learned in terms of public safety and keeping people safe participating on such events can be learned.”

Cork County Council, the main event sponsors, said all responsibility for operating the event rested with the organisers.

“The council recognises that the fatalities may be the subject of a coroner’s inquest and is seeking a full account of the event from Ironman,” a spokesperson said.

“The council will determine its future position as host sponsor once it is in receipt of and has considered same.”

Cork County Council sponsored the Ironman event in Youghal both last year and this year and is currently planned to back it next year.

Competitors spoke of frightening sea conditions with large swells, waves and currents – so powerful that many competitors were thrown back against other athletes trying to get into the water.

A number of competitors have since spoken about how frightened they were in the water as they struggled to reach marker buoys and escape the large swell.

Meanwhile, the funerals are set to take place of the two men who died in Sunday’s swim tragedies.

Both Brendan Wall (44) from Slane, Co Meath, and Ivan Chittenden (65) from Toronto, Canada, died during the sea swim leg of the Ironman competition last Sunday morning.

They were found in difficulty in the water at separate areas of the course and, despite the desperate efforts of doctors and paramedics onshore, they were pronounced dead before they could be transferred to Cork University Hospital (CUH).

Mr Wall’s requiem mass will take place at 1pm on Thursday at the Church of St Brigid in Grangegeeth.

He will lay in repose this evening at Watters funeral home in Collon.

Mr Wall is survived by his fiancee Tina, his parents, Oliver and Gertrude, his siblings Martin, Joe and Maria and extended family.

He had worked for a Cavan firm before securing a promotion to sales director of a specialist manufacturing company based in Solihull in the UK.

Mr Chittenden’s remains are to be cremated in preparation for a funeral service in Canada next week.

The trainer of the retired Canadian accountant, who adored endurance sports, said he died at an Ironman event in Ireland “doing what he loved”.

Mr Chittenden had successfully completed all six of the world’s leading marathons – and had loved competing in Ironman competitions across North America and Europe.

Family members flew into Ireland on Monday to supervise the repatriation of his remains.

Lisa Bentley, a multiple Ironman champion, was asked to help train Mr Chittenden in Canada when he first became interested in endurance sports almost two decades ago.

She said she agreed to help train him but they eventually became great friends, rather than coach and competitor.

“He was my friend,” Ms Bentley said as she paid tribute to Mr Chittenden as a great athlete and a wonderful human being.

“He was my friend. He was my family. Those are not words. That is a fact. I will miss him very much,” she said.

“I know in my heart that he was doing what he loved when he left us. Ivan was in the shape of his life. He kept getting faster as he got older.

“And guiding him as he aspired to do his first triathlon, then his first half Ironman and ultimately his first Ironman. And he did it all again and again and even ran all six of the marathon majors in Tokyo, Berlin, London, Chicago, New York city and Boston.”

Just last month, she went for a training cycle with Mr Chittenden and he was looking forward to his next endurance challenge.

“In the usual Ivan fashion, he blasted the downhills leaving me in his wake! Part of me thought, ‘I want to keep up’ and the other part thought; ‘Well, I guess I am doing my job as a coach since he is so fast’.”

She said the accountant came to love triathlon competitions and travelled overseas to indulge his passion for competition.

Eventually, he became widely respected as a sort of “elder statesman” of the triathlon community.

“He was no longer the rookie doing 45-minute rides and 1000m swims. He was a confident athlete routinely throwing down three- to four-hour rides, 90-minute runs and 2500-3000m swims and strength work.”

“Ivan lived more in the last 12 years than many of us live in a lifetime. He got out of his comfort zone. He travelled. He trained. He raced.”

“I reminded him, ‘Hey, you better go to the Ironman 70.3 World Championships roll down because there are not many 65-year-olds faster than you’.”

“Ivan lived [life to the] full. He was happily married – so happy. He got to travel the world. He accomplished his goal of racing triathlon, racing multiple Ironman events, racing multiple Boston marathons and the six World Marathon Majors. He was a true gentleman.”