Ted's excellent adventure around Ireland is complete

BY JACKIE KEOGH

GARY ‘Ted’ Sargent has completed his challenge to sail around Ireland from West Cork, in a Laser.

The 42-day challenge – which involved 36 days of sailing and just four capsizes – had its beginning and ending in Schull.

Gary, from Dublin, is better known to his friends as ‘Ted’, and set out from Schull on his 1,500k journey on May 14th last and arrived back at 2pm on Saturday, June 25th.

He received something of a hero’s welcome on his return because, in addition to achieving his goal, he also raised over €20,000 for ChildVision, the National Education Centre for Blind Children. Over the 42 days of the challenge, friends and supporters followed Gary on his website, which is appropriately called One Wild Ride Round Ireland.

There was something decidedly Herculean about Gary’s quest to single-handedly sail a 13-foot dinghy around the entire coastline of Ireland

But, as a lifelong sailor, he had the focus, determination and skills required to complete this marathon event. It wasn’t, however, his first time to challenge himself in a round Ireland trip. He had earlier completed a circumnavigation on a 47ft yacht in 2002.