The Beast of Ballyhoura
Over and Round the Galtee Mountains
Rob Howard / 04.08.2013
Through the night teams arrived at TA4 in Cahir Community Hall, riding in from the checkpoint at Swiss Cottage and passing the walls of the castle and the weirs in the centre of town to reach the hall. Those who arrived early enough took a detour in the town square looking for pizza or chips, but most arrived later in the night after the take-outs were shut. They had to settle for hot drinks and packet meals in the hall.
There was a steady stream of teams through the night, most taking time out in transition to recover after the bad weather on the ride across the Knockmealdowns and some trying to grab a few minutes sleep, though there wasn’t really anywhere it was possible to keep out of the hubbub in the hall. One team found an old blanket used by the scenery painters at the back of the stage and wrapped themselves in that as they lay on the hard wood floor.
The leading teams are still collecting bonus checkpoints, making the run up and down Suguarloaf during the ride, and of these the Skandia team were first to arrive. They had planned to get a bit of sleep but were just settling down when they heard the voice of Paul Mahon, captain of one of their rivals, Outfront Events. They got up again and set off on the trek when they heard him as it looks the leading few are all very close together on their scores! None of the lead teams are giving much away about what they have done or their tactics, but they all tried to find out about their rivals had been up to!
Through the night the heavy rain eased off, though it was still foggy and misty on the hills, and the teams at the back were struggling to get to Cahir and keep on schedule for the race. Team 21, ‘My Boyfriends Weddin’, got as far as checkpoint at the Vee then decided to bivvy for the night. They had enough food and huddled down in their bivvy sack and were met by the race medic in the morning, who took them to TA5, so they were the first team to arrive there. They were glad of the warmth and some hot tea and some of them plan to carry on to complete the final stage of the race.
The other team which didn’t make to TA4 were no. 14 (Silver River AR). They did keep on the move but were diverted to ride straight to the TA5, missing out the long trek, which they wouldn’t now have had time to do. The Race Director met them with their food box and they seemed in good spirits. “The fog was difficult last night,” they said, “and we spent ages looking for the waterfall checkpoint but wouldn’t give in. There was quite a bit of hike-a-biking too.” They added, “It is a lot tougher than last year, easily the hardest Beast. The paddle was easier with the fresh water in the river, but the mountain biking has been much harder and the 2am start makes a real difference. “
After eating they carried on, riding directly to the new TA5 at Angleborough. The plan had been to have it somewhere else, but is was moved to shorten the trek a little for the teams. The change cut almost 8km from the end of the trek.
Two of team 9 (The Lost Sheep) are also riding around and missing the trek, while their team mates joined the remaining 3 members of Team CostaDawson for the trek. (Aedamar O’Neil decided she could not carry on, though Ivan Park tried hard to persuade her to at least give the trek a try.) The other team down to 3 are Misadventures after Nigel McKernman felt ill and pulled out of the race.
The remaining teams are now finishing the trek over the Galtee mountains and have until 6pm tonight to finish the race, so there is still a long time to go. Once they have passed through TA5 they will move on to the Clay Pigeon Shooting at Lazy Dog Shooting and towards the final stages in the Ballyhoura mountains before returning to finish back at Blackwater Castle.
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