Gaelforce 12 West Adventure Race
A 3 Day, 4 stage adventure race
Gary Tompsett / 14.09.2006
As part of the Gaelforcewest Adventure weekend, and in parallel to the Gaelforce 6, the nine teams of the Gaelforce 12 event were tackling a tougher world. (See the separate report on GF6, and also Andy Wilson’s excellent report on the GF12. He was in The Gobi Paddlers, who were battling for second place all the way.)
At Delphi Adventure centre, GF12 teams had been anxiously waiting for the lead runner of GF6 to arrive to trigger their start. They had fettled their bikes and kit, and were stood in their wetsuits, ready to reverse the run route of GF6, down to the shore and to collect their kayaks for a short but brutal 5km towards the mouth of the fjord.
Next was a monster climb up a monster mountain - Mweelrea, rising direct from the sea, and all predictions for race timing were ruined here as teams struggled to negotiate its hulk and find the optimal descent route out of the clouds and around to the crag abseil location above beautiful Doo Lough.
Struggling against the terrain became a constant theme for the next few hours, with the ultimate destination being the summit of the holy mountain of Croagh Patrick, and only half the field reached this day’s target.
Stage 2. The Bay of Islands
Sunday dawned pleasant and calm. Perfect for kayaking 30km (or maybe 20km) amongst the Islands of Clew Bay. It was soon evident that the winds were up, that calm had gone home, and that the kayak course would revert to plan B, landing not at the exposed and stunning Mulranny beach, but at the moody Rockfleet Castle.
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