The Irish Sailing and Mountaineering Adventure Challenge – The ISAMAC (“eye-sa-mack”) – is a sailing and mountaineering race from Kinsale to Dingle, taking in three mountains, two of them being amongst the highest in Ireland.

3rd ISAMAC: 5pm Saturday 30 May 2020

Early-bird entry for the 2020 race is £300 per team, rising to the standard rate of GBP£400 on 1 January 2020 and then to a final ‘late rate’ of GBP£500 per crew on 1 April 2020. Entry closes on 1 May 2020.

Race outline

The ISAMAC starts at 5pm on a Saturday in Kinsale with a 12.5km ‘Two Forts’ running race in Kinsale. Crews then sail to Adrigole to run the Hungry Hill ridge, before sailing to Templenoe to cycle to and climb Carrauntoohil – Ireland’s highest mountain at 1038m. The final sailing leg is to Dingle, from where the runners will take the spectacular ridge to Mount Brandon (952m) and back to Dingle to the finish – in John Benny’s Pub. Rowing is allowed.

Teams can enter in one of two classes, the ‘All Rounders Class’ or the ‘Runners Class’: In the ‘All-rounders Class,’ every member of the crew must summit at least one of the three ‘peaks,’ with teams of at least two required for each leg. In the ‘Runners Class,’ each boat has two nominated runners – these two nominated specialised runners must summit every peak. Additional support runners are not allowed in the Runners Class.

The ISAMAC has been created to take in the most spectacular sailing in Ireland – as well as its most challenging and iconic mountain landscapes. The mountain sections are the most direct and elegant routes, keeping runners off roads as much as is possible and practical, while making the most of ridge walking/running opportunities and views. Dolphins, gannets, seals, skylarks and plenty of other wildlife awaits you too!