Two men died within 10 minutes of each other at Youghal Ironman, inquest hears

Inquest hears Ivan Chittenden and Brendan Wall were pronounced dead after being taken from water during the swim section of the event in August 2023

Brendan Wall and Ivan Chittenden: Both men were competing in the 70.3 half Ironman section of the event. File pictures

Two men who died at an Ironman event in Youghal, Co Cork, in summer 2023 passed away within 10 minutes of each other after strenuous efforts to resuscitate them failed, an inquest has heard.

The inquest in Youghal today heard that Ivan Chittenden, 64, from Brantford, near Toronto, Canada, and Brendan Wall, 45, from Cardrath, Co Meath, were pronounced dead after being taken from water during the swim section of the event on Sunday August 20th, 2023. Both men were completing the 70.3 half Ironman section of the event.

The inquest previously opened in July 2024 for the purpose of registering the deaths. At that time Dr Margot Bolster, the assistant State pathologist, said that both Mr Chittenden and Mr Wall died of acute respiratory failure due to drowning. She said Mr Chittenden had also sustained a “mild blunt force trauma” to the left temporal area of his head which had caused significant bruising.

The inquest today heard that that the half Ironman event was cancelled on Saturday, August 19, because conditions were deemed unsuitable following Storm Betty the previous day. It went ahead alongside the full Ironman event the following day albeit with staggered start time.

Attendees at the inquest were shown video footage and photographs of the men at the start line and during the swim. Coroner Frank O’Connell was also informed by gardaí that a file had been prepared by gardaí for the consideration of the DPP. However, no prosecutions arose in the aftermath of the deaths.

Raise the alarm

Colin Ryan, who was a participant in the Ironman, was the person who found Mr Chittenden motionless and face down in the water. Mr Ryan said that he saw what he thought was a rock or seaweed in his peripheral vision in the water.

He attempted to raise the alarm. When he realised Mr Chittenden was unconscious he immediately commenced CPR in the water.

“I found him face down in the water. I didn’t want to stop CPR so I put my hand up (to raise the alarm). It was about 30 seconds or a minute before somebody was with me and that was a kayaker. He called (for help) on the radio. I asked him if he knew CPR and I told him we would do it from the kayak.” 

Mr Ryan said that the nearest safety boat was around 50m away. He said that a girl gave them her surf rescue board and they again commenced CPR on Mr Chittenden.

“I was looking for a sign of a response but there was none. I shouted at a small boat approaching. I told them to mind his head (lifting him on to the boat).” 

Mr Ryan said that he was upset at what had occurred and did not continue to participate in the event which was his first Ironman race.

Meanwhile, CPR continued on the safety boat where it was noted that Mr Chittenden was grey in colour and foaming at the mouth. CPR continued on dry land once Chittenden was taken from the water. Resuscitation continued for an hour before he was pronounced dead at 9.08am by Dr Hugh Doran. The inquest heard that Mr Wall was pronounced dead around 10 minutes later.

Siobhan Hyland, the widow of the late Mr Chittenden, said that her husband was an experienced athlete who had completed a number of full Ironman events as well as marathons. She was not in Ireland when the tragedy occurred but immediately made her way to this country once she was informed.

Legal representatives for Ironman, the event organiser; Triathlon Ireland, the national body for triathlons' and for families of Mr Wall and Mr Chittenden are in attendance at the inquest today. 

Coroner Frank O’Connell said at the outset of the inquest that they don't plan to get “bogged down” on issues outside of the scope of the inquest. Specifically, Mr O’Connell said he wasn’t adjudicating between Ironman and Triathlon Ireland in relation to controversies which arose in the aftermath of the deaths.

Jane Hyland, for Ironman, extended her condolences to the families on behalf of the organisation.

Men's lives

Mr Wall got engaged to his fiancée Tina just months before his passing and was living in Solihull in the West Midlands in the UK.

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

Mr Wall commenced work as a sales director at Top Tubes Ltd in Wednesbury in the UK three months before his death having previously been employed by Cavan based cutting tools manufacturer, the ATA Group.

The late Mr Chittenden was a native of Brantford, Ontario, and had studied business at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Canada.

He was a senior partner in Ernst & Young prior to his retirement in 2021 having first started in the London, Ontario, office as a co-op student in May 1979. He was a keen triathlete and had previously competed in Ironman events. Mr Chittenden, who was married with a family, also ran  the Boston and Dallas marathons.

He was predeceased by his first wife Dianne Dyer who died suddenly in 2011.

Mr Chittenden began training for marathons and Ironman events in the wake of her bereavement. He subsequently met his second wife, Ms Hyland, during a trip to Paris. 

The inquest continues this afternoon.