Gaelforce West

Running/walking: 22km approx

Cycling: 45km approx

Kayaking: 1km max

STAGE 1: BEACH, TRAIL AND ROAD RUN (13.5KM)

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 (4.0KM)

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 (32.0KM)

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 rough, loose-stoned forestry track. Punctures possible on a road bike so caution advised.

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 at the bottom by 2.30pm, 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 for climbing Croagh Patrick.

STAGE 6: CYCLING (13.0KM)

The off road section affectionally know as 'the Skelp' was removed from the route for the 2019 race. We have no plans to reintroduce it for 2020.

Always obey the rules of the road. Return to the junction with the N59 along a sealed road and on towards the finish line at Westport. Turning right off the N59 and down a steep hill to the town centre. At the bottom of the hill you will take a sharp left down Church street. Note there are speed ramps on the final decent. You will be asked to slow down and dismount before you proceed down Church Street.

STAGE 7: FINAL RUN

Drop your bike at the final bike drop on the green area and make the short run to the finish line in Westport Leisure Park in Westport town centre.

What type of bike should I use?

The terrain which you will be cycling on is almost all sealed roads apart from approximately 2.5km of unsealed bog road as you climb to Croagh Patrick. We would recommend a cyclocross bike with fast rolling semi-slick cyclocross tyres. After that it does depend on how fast you want to go and how much risk of a puncture you are willing to take as follows:

• For high speed/high risk choose a road bike with high volume tyres
• For less risk and less speed choose a mountain bike with semi-slick tyres
• For low risk but less speed choose a mountain bike with knobbly tyres.

Please note that only one bike can be used by each competitor. Changing bikes during the course is not allowed.

Aaerobars are not allowed and need to be taken off for the event.

What facilities are at the finish line?

We will be providing the following at the finish line: finisher food, water, fruit, tea & coffee.

Showers will be available at the Westport Leisure park for 5 Euro.

How do I get my bike to the bike transition at Delphi?

• Drop it there yourself after registering in Westport Leisure Park
• Choose to avail of our bike transfer service from Westport Leisure Park to Delphi. Book online when registering.
• If you are coming from Galway or it suits you better, you can drop your bike at Delphi before you register. We will provide you with a bike sticker, you will need to know your race number.

Which wave should I enter?

You are free to choose any wave but if you want to compete for an overall winner or category prize then you must enter Wave 1 at 6:00am.

Is the time given for each wave the bus time or the start time?

The time given is the time the buses will leave Westport for that wave. Your wave will then start from the beach 1.5hrs after this time. For example if you choose the 6:00am wave you will be starting the race at 7:30am.

Where are the best spectator points

The best places from which to watch the action are:

• Killary Adventure Centre – park here 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
• You could also climb Croagh Patrick from the Murrisk side (main tourist path). Access to the event side of the mountain is strictly prohibited for spectators.

Can I get a refund?

No, entry fees are non-refundable so do make sure that you can commit to both the event and the training before you enter one of our events.

Can I transfer my entry?

No, entry fees are non-transferable to either other years or other events.

What is Gaelforce’s environmental policy

Gaelforce aims to promote and inspire responsible outdoor recreation. We work with our competitors to implement our strong environmental protection policy and values at each of our events.

Do Gaelforce hire bicycles for any event?

No Gaelforce does not hire bicycles. However we may be able to advise you on bike hire in the local area of the race, so do not hesitate to contact us if you need further information.

Do you need to be able to navigate for any of the Gaelforce events?

No, it is not necessary to be able to navigate for any of our events, however we do encourage participants to read the course descriptions and study the course maps so that they are familiar with the course layout and what lies ahead.

Is water provided along the courses?

Yes water is provided along all of the courses (apart from the Swim!) and is usually to be found at the transition areas. However you must bring along your own water vessel (bottle, platypus, etc).