Gaelforce 6
Force of Nature
Rob Howard / 29.08.2008
After two years to introduce and consolidate the race and format, word had spread that this was a challenging but accessible event and the entry doubled from last year! Adventure racers, runners and mountain bikers made up a multi-sport mix of contestants and those who were returning were back on the same course as last year – why change a winning formula?
The majority were first-timers of course and on Friday night they collected their double-sided course map, printed on water-resistant paper by OSI, whose Trail Master maps are a sponsor of the event. This showed the 65km route, starting on Glassilaun beach and finishing in Westport. One of the attractions of the race is that it’s a linear route – a journey across the spectacular mountains and fjords of the west coast.
Making the logistics work for this journey, for such a large number of competitors, was a huge challenge for the race organisation, and for some competitors meant an early start from Westport. There were to be 4 starts from 7.30 to 9.30, roughly graded with Elite going first, and the first of 18 buses left Westport at 06.00. Just getting everyone on the buses was a major operation!
Ferry Across the Fjord
The first buses set off in the dark, and though it was well after dawn when they arrived there wasn’t much daylight, heavy cloud and rain made sure of that. At least there was a large tent available for shelter and it was just big enough for the 200 elite racers to huddle under while Father John Kenny of Leenane gave a blessing. (He did this for each start and was at the finish to see the competitors arrive as well.) Then everyone walked down onto the beach where Gael Force 6 Race Director Brian Elliot set them off.
The first run (approx 12k) lead them around Killary Bay Little on minor roads, then along the shore of Killary Harbour on tracks to reach the first Transition at the Killary Adventure Centre. One of the advantages of the course is that no real navigation is required – opening up the competition to a wider entry.
On arrival at the first transition everyone had to pair up with other competitors and paddle sit-on-tops 1km across the grey waters of the harbour. It’s a stunning location but on the day the surrounding mountains were wreathed in low cloud and the wet weather didn’t lend itself to enjoying the view.
For many of the competitors this was their first paddle so they had enough to concentrate on and for the organisation this was the crunch point of their logistics. They’d assembled the largest fleet of SOT kayaks seen in Ireland (125 of them), but still needed to ferry them back to the transition regularly. There were marshal teams on both sides of the water assembling and breaking roped lines of kayaks and half a dozen boats ferrying them back, as well as Civil Defence craft providing safety cover. It was a remarkable scene (and one reason the elite were set off first) and everything worked well, reducing the longest time-out to only 10 minutes.
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