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NEW DATE SAME INSPIRATIONAL CHALLENGE

SUMMER 2017 STARTS ON JUNE 24TH

ICONIC ADVENTURE RACE THROUGH BREATHTAKING SCENERY

The route takes you from Glassilaun beach in Co. Galway to the heritage town of Westport, Co Mayo.

TRAIL AND MOUNTAIN RUNNING OR WALKING; CYCLING AND KAYAKING

Always varied, never boring – the terrain includes mountain scree, bogland, trails, sealed roads and the majestic waters of Killary Fjord.

CONNEMARA, KILLARY FJORD, CROAGH PATRICK & WESTPORT

So many highlights along the way on a route designed to challenge, delight and inspire.

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DISCIPLINE DISTANCES MAKING UP THE 67.5KM COURSE:

1. Running/walking: 21km approx   2. Cycling: 45.5km approx   3. Kayaking: 1km max

THE DETAILED BREAKDOWN:

STAGE 1: BEACH, TRAIL AND ROAD RUN (13KM)

Start line located at Glassilaun beach in Connemara. Continue by road around Little Killary Harbour and then over the hillside into Killary Fjord. Make your way along the old Famine greenway (muddy and uneven underfoot) to the shore below Killary Adventure Centre and the kayak transition area.

STAGE 2: KAYAKING ACROSS KILLARY HARBOUR (1KM)

Kayak from the southern shore of Killary Fjord to its northern shore in a two-man sit-on-top with the next competitor to you.

STAGE 3: TRAIL AND ROAD RUN (3.5KM)

Disembarking onto the foothills of Mweelrea, with tufted long grass and boggy holes underfoot. Next on to  a laneway and eventually a narrow road leading you into the Delphi Valley.

STAGE 4: CYCLING (33.5KM)

Leaving the Delphi Valley and heading for Drummin, spectacular hills to climb and extreme care needed on the downhills. Expect severe corners and narrow country roads. On to a gradual climb up to the back of Croagh Patrick and the transition area. The final 2km of this section is on a loose-stoned and rough forestry track. Punctures possible on a road bike.

For more information on bike choice go to our Race FAQs

STAGE 5: MOUNTAIN RUN/WALK (4.5KM)

Croagh Patrick (764m). Stay on the path and take care on the top section of this mountain as it has a lot of loose stones. If you do not reach the transition here by 2.00pm, you will not be allowed to ascend the mountain and you will be short coursed back to Westport.

Killary Gaelforce would like to acknowledge and thank all of the land owners of the Croagh Patrick mountain for the continued support of Gaelforce West, without which the event could not happen. Killary Gaelforce would like to share the ethos of care on Croagh Patrick with you our competitors. We ask that all competitors ensure that they ‘Leave No Trace’ on the mountain and that what they bring up with them MUST come down. We also encourage you to read the Mayo Mountain Rescue Safety Guidelines when climbing Croagh Patrick.

STAGE 6: CYCLING (10.5KM)

Always obey the rules of the road. Sealed road first and then onto a very rough off-road trail section that is 2 km long. Expect to carry road bikes over parts of this section. Coming off this there is a steep downhill section on a narrow road. Please take care on this section and watch out for traffic and fellow competitors.

STAGE 7: FINAL RUN

Cycle on to the bike drop by the lake at Westport Quay where you will leave your bike. The final run through the grounds of Westport House brings you to the finish line in Westport Leisure Park in Westport town centre.

PRICING & INFO

ENTRY IS ONLINE ONLY AND IS NOW OPEN

€75.00pp,    Until 17:00     January 31 2017 (Early Bird)

€85.00pp,    Until 17:00     June 16 2017

€95.00pp,    Until online entry closes & on the day.

All prices shown exclude €4.50 booking fee

Extras: Bike transfer to Delphi: €15.00 per bike

PLEASE NOTE

Online entry closes at 12:00 (midday) ?Thursday June 22 2017.

You must be over 18 years of age on the day of the race to enter.

RETURN CUSTOMERS DISCOUNT:

If you have taken part in a previous year you can avail of a further 10% discount off the entry price. Email us at info@gaelforceevents.com with the year and your finishing time and we will send you a discount code to use for your online entry. This discount is not available to use with any other discounts or promotions..

GROUP BOOKINGS DISCOUNT:

Book 10 competitors and get the 11th person free – email us at info@gaelforceevents.com to organise your discount.

PLEASE NOTE: This discount is only available ?after the Early Bird entry closes (Dec 31st 2016).

ENTRY FEE INCLUDES:

  • Bus transfer from Westport to start line.
  • Race clothing (previous years has been a fleece or Core Stretch jumper)
  • Race medal upon completion
  • Use of kayaks, paddles and buoyancy aids
  • Use of electronic timing devices
  • Post-event food from John West!

Please note t-shirts are ordered 4 weeks in advance of the race. Entries after this may have to have t-shirt posted out.

IMPORTANT TIMES

REGISTRATION:

(Friday June 23 2017)

Killary Adventure Centre 10:00 – 12:00

Westport Leisure Park 15:00 – 22:00

DROPPING OFF YOUR BIKE:

There are 3 options for this:

  • Leave it to Delphi yourself after registering
  • Leave it to Delphi yourself before registering (Bike transition opens at 10:30am)
  • Book the bike transfer service

WAVE AND START TIMES:

  • There are 4 wave times to choose from. For more information see our Race FAQs. These are the times the buses leave from Westport.
  • Your start time is 1.5hrs after your wave time.
  • You must be in the first wave to be the overall winner or to win a category prize.

EVENT PHOTOGRAPHY

Sign up for event photography during registration to avail of a special discounted price of €4.95 for 2 photos (normal price €8.60)

BOOK YOUR ACCOMMODATION PACKAGE WHEN YOU ENTER ONLINE AND YOUR WEEKEND IS SORTED!

Stay at Killary Adventure Centre with 2 nights B&B and 1 dinner for only €95.00pps in an ensuite dorm room. Transfers to start line and back to Killary Adventure Centre after the race with your bike are included.

A double/twin room may be booked directly by contacting Reservations on 095 43411 or emailing adventure@killary.com.

Bike transfer service to the bike transition is not included but can be added at a charge of €15.00 per bike

FIRST TIMER

IS IT POSSIBLE OR DO I NEED TO BE AN ATHLETE?

The reality is you need to be fit. There is no point thinking you can cover 67km of countryside under your own power if you do not prepare. However you do not need to be a finely-tuned athlete, you need to be somewhere in between. Gaelforce West is challenging yes, but possible. Here is some advice on times involved and what you need to prepare for as a first timer:

TIMING

The winners do the entire race in around 3.5 hours. The average time for contestants is approximtely 6.5 hours. You should be able to finish the race in less than 8 hours. If you take any longer, you will miss the cut-off time for Croagh Patrick (14:00), missing the last section of the race.

THE FIRST RUN – 12KM

You must remember that this is an adventure race, so expect mud and lots of it. The mud tends to slow the pace down in comparison to other surfaces. If you are planning to walk instead of run you should be able to walk 12km at a continuous fast pace and complete it in under 2hrs.

THE DREADED KILLARY KAYAK

This is a misplaced dread. The boats we use are called sit-on-top kayaks. Instead of sitting in to a boat you sit on top making them incredibly safe. They are also very easy to paddle even if this is your first time. They are two-man boats so there will be another competitor with you.

BACK ON DRY(ISH) LAND

Followed by a 2 km run through boggy ground and then a final 1.5km on a narrow road. You should be able to do this section in 40 mins.

THE FIRST CYCLE – 32.5KM

This cycle is through some of the most spectacular scenery you will see in Ireland. Expect steep uphills, scary downhills, windy corners and one or two pot holes! You should be able to do this in around 2.5hrs.

MIGHTY CROAGH PATRICK

This can be a technical downhill, if you are looking for a competitive time. But remember, people of all ages go up and down this mountain each year. There is a path up and down it which is recommended. You may think when you get to the bottom that going straight up looks quicker…it is not. It is very steep and will suck energy out of you and you’ll need for the sprint finish. You should be able to do this in 2 hours.

THE FINAL CYCLE – 12.5KM

Finally the cycle into town. This section encompasses a tricky off road bit (expect to walk your bike through some of this unless you are a skilled mountain biker) and then the mostly downhill cycle to Westport Quay. You should be able to do this in around 1hr.

SPRINT/HOBBLE FINISH

The last 1km from the bike-drop to the finish-line. It may feel like the longest journey of your life, but think of the elation as you cross the line.

SO THAT IS THE RACE. ARE YOU FIT ENOUGH?

Six months is enough time to go from couch potato to being able to do the race in under 8 hours. You will not get fit however by thinking about it – you must do it! Four x 1 hour training sessions a week should be enough to get you there.

We recommend you contact your doctor before you start your training to ensure you have no medical conditions that may be aggravated by your training. Ask your doctor about your heart rate and what level he recommends you should train at (especially if you are overweight). Get used to taking your own heart rate or buy a monitor.

Finally best of luck and remember… ?Life is not a spectator sport!

It may be your first Gaelforce West but you can still dream big! Read 2nd place finisher Peter O’Farrell’s race report from 2014 for some extra inspiration.

SPECTATOR INFO

COME & WATCH!

If you are a spectator or have supporters who wish ?to spectate, we would advise that the best places from which to watch the action are:

  • Killary Adventure Centre – you must park
    at the centre and walk down to the water site where the kayaking is taking place
  • Delphi Valley bike transition area
  • Westport Quay bike transition area
  • Finish line at Westport Leisure Park

See course maps

An option could be to park in the main tourist ?car park of Croagh Patrick at Murrisk and enjoy a day climbing ?the mountain. There is absolutely no spectating on the event side of the mountain, this is due to access issues and to make sure an ambulance can get through!

Road closure orders are in place on certain sections ?of the course, for the safety of cyclists and motorists. There will be Gardai and/or event marshals at road closure junctions. Please do not attempt to enter ?a “road closed” zone. See course map.

SUMMARY OF AREAS CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC ON RACE DAY (24TH JUNE 2017)

  • Glassillaun Beach and access road to the south
  • Minor road between R335 Doo Lough and Liscarney N59
  • Minor road turning west from N59 running to Teevenacroaghy to south of Croagh Patrick (Reek transition)
  • Minor road turning south from R335 Louisburgh road at Owenwee (Gannon’s Garage)

RESULTS & REPORTS

OVERALL WINNER

GFW winners (male and female) will receive cash prizes: €500 for 1st place, €300 for 2nd place, €200 for 3rd place. They will also receive trophies. The first male and first female will receive free entry into next year’s event.

CATEGORY WINNERS

Trophies for category winners (Vets and Super-Vets). Spot prizes at the prize-giving! And of course a whole heap of pride and glory!

NOTE: IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT YOU CAN ONLY WIN OVERALL OR A CATEGORY PRIZE IF YOU START IN WAVE 1 AND MUST NOT TAKE A TIME OUT.

ACCOMMODATION

SPECIAL ACCOMMODATION DEALS FOR GAELFORCE WEST

**Deal of the Week**

28th November 2016: Book this week to avail of a great offer at The Mill Times Hotel Westport

2 Nights B&B for €149.00pps.

You must quote Gaelforce17 to avail of this special rate. Proof of entry to the event is required. Limited rooms available so do not delay! Applies to the weekend of the event only.

ACCOMMODATION PACKAGE AT KILLARY ADVENTURE CENTRE

Why not organise your whole race weekend as part of your race registration and for a really great price? Killary Adventure Centre is along the route of the race and in a stunning location.

PACKAGE INCLUDES:

  • 2 Nights B&B, 1 Dinner
  • Transfers to start line and back to Killary Adventure Centre after the race with your bike.

Please note that the new bike transfer service to the bike transition is not included in this package but can be added at a charge of €15.00pp

€93.00pps in a dorm room

This accommodation package can now be booked online as part of your race registration.

A double/twin room must be booked directly by contacting Reservations on 095 43411 or emailing adventure@killary.com.

 

STAYING NEAR THE START LINE?

Don’t forget that if you are staying near the start line and do not want to drive into Westport to get the bus, you will need to organise your own transfer to the start line. The buses will not stop at any point to pick you up. If you are getting dropped to the start line please note that there is no parking and you must get dropped off only.

 

HOSTEL OPTIONS


KILLARY ADVENTURE CENTRE, Leenane, Co. Galway.
Phone: 095-43411 Email: adventure@killary.com

SLEEPZONE CONNEMARA, Leenane, Co. Galway.
Phone: 095-42929 Email: info@sleepzone.ie

CROAGH PATRICK HOSTEL, Murrisk, Westport, Co Mayo.
Phone: 087 4191953 Email: cphvillage@gmail.com

 

HOTELS


THE LEENANE HOTEL, Leenane, Co. Galway.
Phone: 095-42249, Email: info@leenanehotel.com

DELPHI MOUNTAIN RESORT & SPA.
Phone: 095-42208, Email: info@delphiescape.com

 

WESTPORT ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS

HOTELS IN WESTPORT


Carlton Atlantic Coast Hotel
Castlecourt Hotel
Clew Bay Hotel
Hotel Westport
Knockranny House Hotel
Westport Plaza Hotel
Westport Woods Hotel & Spa
Wyatt Hotel
Mill Times Hotel Westport

 

HOLIDAY HOMES WESTPORT


Atlantic Coast Holiday Homes
Eaglewood lodge
Oak Leaf Cottage
Tower View
An Teach Beag – 087 3179668

 

APARTMENTS WESTPORT


Harbour Mill

For further info visit
WWW.DESTINATIONWESTPORT.COM

B & B’S WESTPORT


ST CATHERINES B & B – lugrevagh, Aughagower,
Westport. Tel: 087 2052160 or 098 26812

MOHER HOUSE B & B – Drummin,
Westport, Co. Mayo. Tel: 098 21360

CILLCOMAN LODGE B & B – Rosbeg,
Westport, Co. Mayo. Tel: 098 26379

ADARE HOUSE BED & BREAKFAST – Quay Road, Westport, Co. Mayo. Tel:  098 26102

CEDER LODGE B & B – Kings Hill, Newport Road,
Westport, Co. Mayo. Tel: 098 25417

CEOL NA MARA B & B – Lower Quay,
Westport, Co Mayo. Tel:  098 50674

TEALLACH AN GHABHA B & B – Altamont Street, Westport, Co. Mayo. Tel: 098 25704

CLOONEEN HOUSE B & B – Castlebar Street,
Westport, Co. Mayo. Tel:098 25361

BROADLANDS B&B Quay Road
Email: info@westportholidays.com Tel:098 27377

ABBEY COURT DEERPARK EAST, Newport Road,
Westport Tel:098 28166

HAZEL BROOK HOUSE DEERPARK EAST,
Newport Road N59, Westport,  Tel:098 26865

SEAPOINT HOUSE KILMEENA, Westport, Mayo
Email: info@seapointhouse.com Tel:098 41254

ROCKVILLE GUEST HOUSE MOYHASTIN, Westport
Phone: 098 28949 Email: info@rockvilleguesthouse.com

PLOUGASTEL HOUSE DISTILLERY RD, Westport
Email: info@plougastel-house.com Tel:098 25198

MOHER HOUSE DRUMMIN, Westport
Tel:098 21360 Email: moherbandb@eircom.net

MCCARTHY’S LODGE, Quay Street, Westport, Co. Mayo, Tel:098 27050 Email: mccartys1@eircom.net

WATERSIDE B&B 1 THE HARBOUR, Westport
Tel:098 29603  Email: catherine@watersidebb.com

GLENDERAN B & B ROSBEG,
Westport Tel:098 26585

HILLSIDE REST B & B FARNAGHT, Westport,
Tel:086 1947198 Email: hillsiderest@hotmail.com

BOFFIN LODGE, The Quay, Westport,
Co. Mayo. Email: info@boffinlodge.com

LURGAN HOUSE CARROWNALURGAN, Westport, Co. Mayo.
Tel:098 27126 Email: lurganhouse@eircom.net

AURORA HOUSE, Louisburgh Road, Westport,
Co. Mayo. Tel:086 6484146

ASHVILLE GUESTHOUSE,, Westport, Co. Mayo. Tel: 098 27060 Email: ashvilleguesthouse@eircom.net

HOSTELS WESTPORT


THE OLD MILL HOLIDAY Hostel James St, Westport
Tel:098 27045 Email: oldmillhostel@eircom.net

ABBEYWOOD HOUSE Newport Road, Westport
Tel: 098 25496 Email: info@abbeywoodhouse.com

HORIZON IRELAND KILAVALLEY, Westport, Co. Mayo
Tel:098 35844 Email: info@horizonireland.com

CAMPING WESTPORT


CROAGH PATRICK CARAVAN & CAMPING PARK
Tel:087 6597842 E-mail: campingwestport@hotmail.com

WESTPORT HOUSE CARAVAN & CAMPING PARK WESTPORT House, Westport. Tel: 098 27766 / 27780

ACCOMMODATION OUTSIDE OF WESTPORT


CLOON RIVER B & B, Partry Village
(20km from Westport). Tel:091 395716 or 087 62183332.
Email: paul@cloonriver.com

Lough Carra House B&B – Partry, Westport, Co Mayo.
Tel: 087 2895904  Email: evelynbyrne5@gmail.com

HAWTHORN APARTMENTS, Milebush Rd, Castlebar.
Tel:094 9043900. Email: info@hawthornvillage.ie.

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