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Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Beast Of Ballyhoura Adventure Race

Following several months of planning and many days and nights of training in all weather conditions competitors arrived to Ballyhoura over the Bank Holiday weekend to challenge for the 2009 Beast of Ballyhoura.

The weekend encompassed three races the Beast of Ballyhoura, a non stop 36 hour event race for teams of four, the Blackrock Challenge an 80 km hill running and mountain biking challenge and the Ballyhoura Blitz a 30 km hill running and mountain biking course on the Ballyhoura Mountains.

14 teams with members from countries as far afield as South Africa and New Zealand took on the challenge of the Beast of Ballyhoura across the uplands and low lands of Tipperary, Waterford, Limerick and Cork.

An early start of 5am from Blackwater Castle in Castletownnroche had competitors tackle the first stage of the day, a short orienteering course taking teams through the village and down the banks of the jungle like Awbeg River as they searched out archaeological and heritage sites of interest.

A river crossing along a fallen tree was the first time many competitors had the opportunity to test the water temperature and discover what lay ahead over the following 36 hours.

Following the orienteering warm up and just in time for sunrise the teams climbed the steps and abseiled down from the dizzy heights of the 15th century tower at Blackwater Castle, handled by Kilfinane Outdoor Education Centre before taking to the water to kayak down the Awbeg River and Blackwater.

With a nice flow on the river following the heavy rains of previous days teams made up time, before being slowed down as they kayaked against the current up the Funchion River to Kilworth.

Orienteering
in Kilsheskin Wood and Mountain Barrack expertly organised by Sean Cotter of Bishopstown Orienteering Club preceded a tough hill run across the Knockmealdown Mountains with teams getting a well earned rest to take on some Robin Hood style archery provided by Ballyhass Lakes.

The race also took in the Galty and Ballyhoura mountains with teams navigating their way back to Castletownroche taking in key checkpoints and challenges all along the route.

Competitors ran, mountain biked, kayaked their way, day and night, taking in famous sights such as the Vee, Mitchelstown Caves and the Ballyhoura Mountain Bike Trails.

Along the route teams took on the epic Blackrock Challenge, a way marked loop on the Ballyhoura Mountain Bike Trails mapped by Chris O Callaghan of XCT1 bike rental that provided a memorable piece of mountain biking to test teams to the limits of their physical and mental strength.

Competitors were delighted to have a moment to sample Ballyhoura hospitality
at its finest at TO Park, Labbamologga on Saturday night and Sunday morning, a well earned break following the first 20 hours of the race.

Teams reached the magical Blackwater Castle in Castletownroche on Sunday afternoon having battled through day and night to overcome their demons, both real and imagined.

While many teams were in contention for first place the eventual winners were Paul Mahon, Taryn McCoy, Gerry Kingston and Billy Reed who enjoyed discovering so many new places across Tipperary, Waterford, Cork and Limerick over the two days.


The Blackrock Challenge and Ballyhoura Blitz, hill running and mountain biking events for individuals created a great buzz about the Greenwood Mountain Bike Trail Head in the Ballyhoura Forest near the picturesque village of Ardpatrick, Co. Limerick on Sunday morning.


Following tough hill runs across the summit of Seefin racers arrived back to test their nerves across sections of the world class Ballyhoura Mountain Bike trails discovering unknown parts of the Ballyhoura Mountains.

Plans are underway for the 2010 Beast of Ballyhoura Adventure Race which will take place on the August Bank Holiday weekend so there is plenty of time to start training.

For further details and pictures of the event log onto www.ballyhourabeast.com

Some photos from the race are also available here: Ballyhoura Beast

For further inforamtion contact:
Pádraig Casey,
Ballyhoura Fáilte,
Main Street,
Kilfinane,
Co. Limerick

Tel: 063 91747

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