'He was doing what he loved': Tributes to men who died at Youghal Ironman event

Ivan Chittenden 'was doing what he loved when he left us', while Brendan Wall was remembered as 'a gentleman'

Brendan Wall and Ivan Chittenden.

The coach of one of the two men who died during the Ironman in Youghal on Sunday said he “was doing what he loved when he left us”.

Ivan Chittenden, 64, from Toronto, was taking part in the swim section of the Ironman event on Sunday when he died. Meath man Brendan Wall also died in the same event.

Mr Chittenden’s coach of 12 years, Lisa Bentley, said she had been blessed to have had the “gift of coaching and supporting” him.

She described him on Tuesday as her friend and “he was my family”.

“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. I rode with Ivan three weeks ago — four hours of hilly bliss where 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'."

The start of the swim at the Youghal Ironman on Sunday. Picture: Tri Coach Bjorn

As well as competing in Ironman, Mr Chittenden had run marathons in Tokyo, Berlin, London, Chicago, New York and Boston. He became involved in the sport after the death of his first wife.

"When I met Ivan, he had just lost his first wife. He was so sad and so quiet. I knew that triathlon could bring him new life after this loss. I knew the power of sport and I was determined that our group of coached athletes would become his family.

"That year, he ran the NYC half marathon in March, then his first triathlon in Guelph and ultimately his first half Ironman at Ironman 70.3 in Muskoka in September. 

"In 2013, he did his first Ironman. And he mixed in a few marathons here and there. And those 'here and there' marathons were good enough to qualify for Boston."

Mr Chittenden is survived by his second wife Siobhan and her children Kate and Jack. He met Siobhan in 2012 and Ms Bentley said it was "a joy for all of us to see Ivan’s new life was complete". 

He had his work at EY. He had his new sport and his new triathlon friends, and he now had his beautiful Siobhan. Ivan was no longer a quiet, reserved man but a man, full of life with sporting goals, a new bride and her beautiful kids, Kate and Jack.

Ms Bentley said: “Ivan loved triathlon and over those 12 years, he became the elder statesman of our training group. He was no longer the rookie doing 45 minute rides and 1,000m swims. He was a confident athlete routinely throwing down three to four hour rides, 90-minute runs and 2,500-3,000m swims and strength work.” 

She added he had lived more in the 12 years than “many of us live in a lifetime”.

She spoke to Mr Chittenden nearly every day last week, in his build-up to the competition on Sunday.

She said her friend had lived life to the full, with a happy marriage, worldwide travel and accomplishments in his chosen sport.

Meanwhile, Mr Wall, who was originally from Cardrath in Slane, worked as a sales director for a company in England. He will be laid to rest on Thursday in Grangegeeth in Meath. He is survived by his fiancée, parents and three siblings.

Flowers left at the spot where the swimmers entered the water. Picture: Howard Crowdy

Mr Wall became engaged to fiancée Tina earlier this year. He will lie in repose at Watters Funeral Home in Collon on Wednesday from 4pm to 8pm. His funeral Mass will take place on Thursday at 1pm in the Church of St Brigid, Grangegeeth in Slane, with burial afterwards in the adjoining cemetery.

Mr Wall was a graduate of Trinity College in Dublin where he studied manufacturing and mechanical engineering. He also completed an MBA at the University of Hull.

He started work as a sales director at Top Tubes in Wednesbury in England in May of this year, having previously been employed by Cavan-based cutting tools manufacturer, the ATA Group.

Top Tubes managing director April Pearson Myatt extended her heartfelt condolences to Mr Wall's fiancée and family of their late employee.

In a statement, the ATA Group said it had learned of the death of their much admired former colleague with "great sadness".

"Brendan was sales and marketing director EMEA, from April 2020 until March of this year. He was a great co-worker and was very well-liked and admired by all those who worked with him at ATA.

"Most importantly, Brendan was a gentleman and always dealt with those who he encountered in the most professional and courteous manner. Our thoughts are with his partner, Tina and his family in Meath who will be grieving his tragic loss at this time. May he rest in peace.” 

Mr Wall and Mr Chittenden were among seven people who have died in Ironman competitions across the world since the start of the year, while an eighth person died on August 10 after getting into difficulty in Ironman Tallinn in Estonia on August 6.

An aerial shot from the start of the swim at the Youghal Ironman 2023. Picture: Tri Coach Bjorn

It comes as Triathlon Ireland told race organisers of the Ironman event on Sunday morning that it was not possible to sanction the race because of "adverse conditions" on the day.

The board of Triathlon Ireland met on Monday night and issued a statement. Triathlon Ireland is the national governing body for triathlons here. Part of its role is to sanction for club and commercial races to proceed.

Chief executive of the organisation, Darren Coombes, said it was “reeling” from the deaths of the two men.

“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. Due to adverse conditions on the day, Triathlon Ireland technical officials confirmed to the race organisers that it was not possible to sanction the race.

“As there is an investigation ongoing, at this stage it would not be appropriate for us to make any further comment only to state that Triathlon Ireland will provide any assistance that the authorities require.”