Ireland's Beast of Ballyhoura Joins European Series

News Release / 08.04.2013

The Beast of Ballyhoura Adventure Race in August is looking forward to welcoming more international teams now it has joined the Adventure Racing Europe series.

The race is a uniquely Irish 40-hour non-stop race across the ancient & magical surroundings of counties Cork, Limerick & Tipperary. Mixed teams of four mountain run, bike, kayak, abseil, orienteer their way through the Irish countryside, and there are some surprise challenges too, which in the past have included shooting, river tubing and swimming.

However, taming the Beast requires more than strength, team work and versatility, cunning is needed too as tactics and navigation play a vital role in the final results. This year’s race will take place over the Irish Bank Holiday weekend of August 2nd-5th, with its base at Blackwater Castle, Castletownroche, County Cork.

The Ballyhoura area is easily accessible from several airports and is one of Irish tourism’s showpiece locations for outdoor and adventure activities and local and national authorities support the race. The region is home to some of Europe’s finest single track mountain bike trails and Ireland's National Mountain Biking Park, 1500 km of waymarked and national looped walks, the Ballyhoura Mountains and the Galtees, and numerous beautiful rivers and lakes.

This year’s championships course is estimated at 300km (and there are also short course options), with teams covering as much of the distance and as many of the checkpoints as they are able to over the 40 hours of the race. The race once again will also incorporate the 9th All Ireland Inter Services Challenge to unearth Ireland’s toughest service men and women.

The race is organised by the Causeway Coast Adventure Racing Club with the support of Ballyhoura Failte and local landowners, and they are looking forward to welcoming teams from home and abroad this year.

For full details of the race and to enter see http://www.beastofballyhoura.com/ and to find out more about the area see http://visitballyhoura.com/

Go to the next page to see the video of the 2011 event.