A Big Beast for the European Championship Adventure Race Final

Rob Howard / 27.01.2015

This year’s European Adventure Racing Championship race will be the Beast of Ballyhoura in Ireland, taking place from July 28^th to August 3^rd.

The race has been run for the past 8 years with the support of Ballyhoura Fáilte and after joining the AR EuroSeries has stepped up to host the 2015 finals, which judging by the rush of entries from international teams is a popular choice.  Lots of teams are keen to race in Ireland and the limit of 40 teams for race is filling quickly. The first entry was from Belgian squad Team FAR – that’s the Flemish Adventure Racing Team …

Within days of entries opening there had been enquiries from 13 countries, including Canada and South Africa!  (They may not be in Europe but they want to come and race anyway.)  Ask any Race Director in Ireland and they will tell you that Irish teams generally enter a race very late in the day, but given the overwhelming interest doing that might mean they miss out on their own countries biggest race for years!

The race will be 72 hours (approx 450kms, but with short course options), which is a bigger ‘Beast’ than ever before due to the championship status of this year’s race.  It is for mixed 4 person teams, but single sex teams can enter, they will just be categorised separately, and the entry fee is €1200. This includes 3 nights’ accommodation at the race venue at the University of Limerick and a fully supported race plus transfers for international teams.

The race is organised by Causeway Coast Adventure Racing, a voluntary, non-profit club established to promote adventure racing in Ireland (www.causewaycoastar.co.uk ) and the Race Director is Ivan Park, who has competed internationally for many years. The race always makes the most of the varied Irish countryside, hill ranges and waterways, and incorporates historic sites and some special challenges, with plenty of navigational options to test the teams.  The final course will remain secret until just before the start and at the moment all teams know is that the route will cross the counties of Cork, Limerick and Tipperary.

The winners will not only claim the European Adventure Racing crown, they will win a paid entry to Adventure Racing World Championships in Brazil later in the year.  (The prize, but not the title can also be won by any teams from outside of Europe.)  

Last year’s champions, who won the Lycian Challenge in Turkey, were adidas TERREX from the UK and they will be racing to defend their title.  International teams entering may also have an eye on next year’s World Series calendar as the ITERA race will take place in Ireland, with Park planning the course.

All the race details including online entry are on the race website at http://www.beastofballyhoura.com/home.php and you can follow the race on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/BallyhouraBeast

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