Mick Mongey of the St Vincent's club was pursued all the way to the line by RTE television reporter Paul Reynolds in an exciting finish to the annual Liffey Swim on Saturday.
Mongey and Reynolds are club mates and there was only a couple of body lengths separating them at the finish with Larry Mooney of the Metro club, a former winner of the Irish Times/Dun Laoghaire Harbour swim in third place.
Mongey had more than a minute of a an advantage over Reynolds in the handicaps but both swimmers played a significant role in earning the team prize for their club.
Stephen Saunders of Terenure College, the back marker with a handicap of seven minutes and 50 seconds for the mile and a quarter race, clocked the fastest time 15;27.
1, M Mongey ( St Vincent's, at 1;15) 21;05. 2, P Reynolds (St Vincent's, at 2;25) 20;04. 3 L Mooney (Metro, at 2;15) 20;36. 4, K Healy (Sandycove, at 2;50) 20.02. 5 B Fitzsimons (ESB, at 4;50) 22;09 6, B O'Dwyer (Guinness at 1;45) 21;14. 7, D Smillie (Sandycove, at 3;45) 19;24. 8, P Wogan (Eastern Bay) at 1;15. (22.05).9, P O'Flynn (CRC, at 4;40 18;27.
