Event FAQ
Parking on race day is in Leenane village. To find out all the information you need on parking, permits, car-pooling and shuttle buses read our Finer Details section before you plan your trip.
The distance is 31km total:
Running/Walking: 12km Approx
Cycling: 17km Approx
Kayaking: 2km Max
A detailed breakdown of the course can be found in our Event Details section.
The category/waves and their start times are as follows:
Elite/ Runner 9.30am
Runner/Jogger 10.00am
General 10.30am
This is the time that your wave will leave the start line at Killary Adventure Centre. You need to get dropped at the centre or picked up by the bus in Leenane Village at least one hour before your wave leaves. Please remember that cars will not be allowed to park at the centre on race day.
- Hybrid - Suitable
- Mountain bike - You can put slick tires on to increase speed on road
- Cycle cross - Good for both terrains
- A racer is not suitable for the forestry track
No, you do not need to organise a partner before the event for the kayak section.
This is a race for individuals. When you arrive into the kayak transition area you will take a buoyancy aid and a paddle. Then you will go to the shore to get a kayak, your kayaking partner will be the next person waiting for a kayak also.
If you arrive with a friend to the kayak transition it is no problem to take a kayak together.
When paying for your entry to the Connemara Adventure Challenge it is stipulated that this is a non-refundable payment. As soon as a competitor enters we incur costs such as administration, etc. It is also not possible to transfer entries to any other Gaelforce Event, next year’s event, or a different competitor.
No is the simple answer here. You personally will choose your wave/category when you enter Connemara Adventure Challenge. It is not possible under any circumstances to change waves/category at any time. There are around 1,000 people taking part in this event and so we cannot deal with each individual’s entry in that way.
Your progress through the course (and results) are measured with the use of SPORTIdent electronic timing equipment, part of which requires the wearing of a small device on your wrist – the dibber. See www.sportident.co.uk for full information on this system. Lost dibbers must be paid for and will set you back around €30 – they are not cheap! Look after them.
For safety reasons, you are not allowed to use an ipod/MP3 etc. while competing.
Registration will take place at K2 Killary Centre from 14.00 - 22.00 on Friday 10th May. You will be allowed to drive to the K2 centre and park for registration, but please note you will not be allowed park there on race day.
When you register, you will receive your race pack containing your competitor number, map and any other information you will need for the race. There will be staff on hand to answer questions.
You will also receive your electronic timing chip (known as a “dibber”) which you will wear on your wrist throughout the event.
You will be required, as part of registration, to bring your bike to the bike transition area. It is the responsibility of each competitor to ensure they bring their bike to the relevant area. The bike drop is approx 1.6km from K2, you will not be allowed to drive to this. You must cycle to the bike drop area and walk back to your car. The road to this area has no lights so we highly recommend you arrive before dark (approx 9.30pm). If not make sure you have a good head-torch with you.
Here are the best locations to view competitors from:
- Start/finish line at K2/Killary Adventure Centre - please note that there will be no parking at the K2 centre on race day. If you wish to view the start/finish line, please use the free shuttle bus from Leenane from 11.00 to 17.00. Before 11am there will be a local mini bus at a small cost, leaving from the main car park.
- Cycle section - Creeragh Church (Stop and Pray church) - along the Clifden road.
- Kayak section - you will be able to see the kayakers on the fjord from along the road or take a cruise on Killary cruises who are doing half-price cruises for the weekend.
- Running section - if you park at Killary Cruises you can watch the runners as they run along the road after the kayak section.
While navigation skills are not a requirement, do not travel faster than your route knowledge. You will be issued with an OSI overview map and we advise that you read it carefully. The route will be described and marked with signs/arrows, but no fixed marshalls. This is an unsupported adventure challenge, not a triathlon.
For the kayak section two person sit-on-top kayaks with paddles and buoyancy aids will be provided. You will need your own bike. Connemara Adventure Challenge will not rent bikes or have a bike rental partner for 2013. You will also need some more mandatory kit, check the list here.
Due to insurance reasons we cannot accept anyone under the age of 18 into this event. All participants must be 18 years old on the date of the event.
Yes!!
There will be a party at the Killary Adventure Centre on the Saturday night, starting at 9pm. Again parking will be tight for the evening so please car pool or get a taxi from the village.
Just in case you are wondering what expenses your entry fee goes towards covering this is some of what is included:
Bus transfers, permissions and risk assessments for access to beautiful parts of the countryside, safety cover and race marshals, adventure equipment (kayaks, paddles, etc), safety boat cover on water, electronic timing devices, course design and maintenance and lots lots more!
And then of course there are the all-important goodies:
•Race prizes
•Unique medal on completion
•Cool event t-shirt
•Post event food (lovely homemade soup and fresh baguettes!)
Please read our Directions and Travel for all the information you will need for your journey to Killary Adventure Centre (start line/finish line).
You can leave anything to do with your bike - helmet, cycle shoes, repair kit - with your bike at the transition area. They must be securely tied to the bike when you leave it into the transition area. However you cannot leave anything behind you when you leave the transition area.
You can leave some food and drink with your bike but you must also have some with you from the start line.
You must bring all other mandatory kit with you from the start line - this is for your safety and the safety of other competitors.
The only timeout is just as you reach the kayak section as there may be a short wait time for kayaks.
ELITES - if you are in the elites category you will not get a timeout or have a choice of a timeout at the kayak section.
To make it fair to everyone involved we have made the decision that you can only win your category if you are in the elite wave. This means that you will not have had a time out at the kayaks.We recommend that you look at times from previous years to see the usual range of times achieved by competitors in the elite wave. Remember if you beat a winning time but you are not in the elite wave you will not be placed 1st, 2nd or 3rd in your category.
