Best triathlon event in Ireland?

TheCruiser

I'm living abroad but would like to train for one event in Ireland next year. Wondering what is the most well-organised, scenic and enjoyable olympic distance course in Ireland, based on people's experiences.

Would be good to have a nice event in mind to keep me going training on the cold winter nights!

MrCreosote

Hell of the west in Kilkee would tick all the boxes for you. Not too late in the season either.

If only it was in Kerry, it would approach perfection.

bryangiggsy

MrCreosote wrote: »

Hell of the west in Kilkee would tick all the boxes for you. Not too late in the season either.

If only it was in Kerry, it would approach perfection.

Hell of West +1

pgibbo

I'd have to agree with Hell of the West as it's a great race and a beautiful location. Mind you, Rosses Point is very nice too and worth considering.

tunney

TheCruiser wrote: »

I'm living abroad but would like to train for one event in Ireland next year. Wondering what is the most well-organised, scenic and enjoyable olympic distance course in Ireland, based on people's experiences.

Would be good to have a nice event in mind to keep me going training on the cold winter nights!

The main thing to remember is that if you start a thread on the race and it gets locked/deleted by a mod - avoid it.

Nuff said #Voldemort

mossym

this may help:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057025668

but, from my limited exposure this year, hell of the west gets the nod from me as well, definitely one on my radar for next year

aaronosiochain

If you're feeling really brave..

www.therace.ie

Oryx

aaronosiochain wrote: »

If you're feeling really brave..

www.therace.ie

600 quid? Are they MAD???

sconhome

TheCruiser wrote: »

I'm living abroad but would like to train for one event in Ireland next year. Wondering what is the most well-organised, scenic and enjoyable olympic distance course in Ireland, based on people's experiences.

Based on the criteria I would go with pgibbo's suggestion of Rosses Point.

pgibbo wrote: »

I'd have to agree with Hell of the West as it's a great race and a beautiful location. Mind you, Rosses Point is very nice too and worth considering.

Hell of the West is a great race, but more a war of attrition. If the wind is blowing, it can be hell on earth on the bike and that 5k uphill, 5k downhill 'run' is torture on the quads. Its not definable as 'enjoyable' but the party atmosphere in the town is great. Make a weekend out of it, if you can get in! Registration is a challenge in itself.

The only con with Rosses Point is the poxy beach run and up the slip. Hopefully that run route will revert back to the original in 2014.

mossym

Oryx wrote: »

600 quid? Are they MAD???

but it's The Race

Enduro

mossym wrote: »

but it's The Race

A load of overhyped overexpensive rubbish. The claims to be Ireland's toughest just make the organiser look like (1) teenagers boasting (2) liers

Oryx

Enduro wrote: »

A load of overhyped overexpensive rubbish. The claims to be Ireland's toughest just make the organiser look like (1) teenagers boasting (2) liers

What is the general cost of similar endurance races?

MrCreosote

Enduro wrote: »

A load of overhyped overexpensive rubbish. The claims to be Ireland's toughest just make the organiser look like (1) teenagers boasting (2) liers

Or they could be (3)Telling the truth! Some event has to be the toughest after all.

Daft time of year to be holding it though.

aaronosiochain

Enduro wrote: »

A load of overhyped overexpensive rubbish. The claims to be Ireland's toughest just make the organiser look like (1) teenagers boasting (2) liers

not for profit event. all proceeds to charity in fact

fair play to them if you ask me

Kurt Godel

aaronosiochain wrote: »

not for profit event. all proceeds to charity in fact

fair play to them if you ask me

Yes but €600 entry, versus an IMRA hill race €7?

(seeing as the OP asked about Oly distance tri's and we're comparing apples and oranges)

tunney

aaronosiochain wrote: »

not for profit event. all proceeds to charity in fact

fair play to them if you ask me

Not for profit.

So after costs the rest goes to charity?

For alot of races the costs include huge payouts to organisers. (Not saying that this is the case here)

Oryx

Might be of help to the op.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=86244404

mossym

Oryx wrote: »

Might be of help to the op.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=86244404

ahem, post 6...:(

Oryx

mossym wrote: »

ahem, post 6...:(

Note to self. Must not speed read threads.

:P

mossym

Oryx wrote: »

Note to self. Must not speed read threads.

:P

a notable aspiration for a mod..:)

Oryx

mossym wrote: »

a notable aspiration for a mod..:)

Not in TDAR I'm not!

Enduro

MrCreosote wrote: »

Or they could be (3)Telling the truth! Some event has to be the toughest after all.

Daft time of year to be holding it though.

It isn't the toughest race in Ireland. It isn't the toughest one day race in Ireland. Hence my opinion of them. Hype merchants.

Examples of tougher races....
(1) Race around Ireland (cycling)
(2) Kerry Way Ultra (trail running)
(3) Beast of Ballyhoura (a real AR)

Example of a tougher races which is definitely and exactly a one day race: Irish 24 hour running championships

Enduro

Oryx wrote: »

What is the general cost of similar endurance races?

Bigger races, such as the Beast of Ballyhoura, would cost about 200 quid per person (for a 40 hour race)

kchsligo

My vote would have to go to HOTW, the challenge starts well before race day as you try to get registered.

tunney

Enduro wrote: »

Bigger races, such as the Beast of Ballyhoura, would cost about 200 quid per person (for a 40 hour race)

Ah but what is the t-shirt like?

bryangiggsy

kchsligo wrote: »

My vote would have to go to HOTW, the challenge starts well before race day as you try to get registered.

Never had an issue registering before and have done the race 3 times

pgibbo

kchsligo wrote: »

My vote would have to go to HOTW, the challenge starts well before race day as you try to get registered.

It's harder to get a goody bag than it is to register - for the last 2 years anyway

TheCruiser

Cheers for the tips. Found some good footage of HOTW here, looks like some choppy water!

http://vimeo.com/69426668

mossym

TheCruiser wrote: »

Cheers for the tips. Found some good footage of HOTW here, looks like some choppy water!

http://vimeo.com/69426668

the first 20 seconds of that video illustrate perfectly why HOTW has been named as the pointing man's triathlon

side of my head makes an appearance in that, i was marshalling for it this year but going to be involved in a more fun way next year

Diamond_25

hell of the west, well organised and scenic enough, bit of a pain in the arse to get to this one though

some here wont agree at all but i enjoy the following triathlons, i think the courses are decent although they are not that scenic:

triathy
tri grand prix kilkenny

bopperr

HOTW is great... Lost sheep is equally as good if not better but double the distance basically

promethius

amphkingwest wrote: »

The only con with Rosses Point is the poxy beach run and up the slip. Hopefully that run route will revert back to the original in 2014.

Organisers thought it was a success and plan on keeping it for next year as well as the beach run.

dave04

Hotw for me personally , maybe difficult to get into on the first round but not on the last round , as long as your logged into active and all your details are correct ! though have been guilty of " shaky hands" when registering...but have managed to do it 12 times.

Also the Hardman is an Excellent race in my opinion ,did the first one and will go back again , not a branded iron distance and kind of looked down on for that ( I think ! ) but still 140.6 miles in stunning scenery , without the bike route being brutal , challenging alright though!

wfdrun

dave04 wrote: »

Hotw for me personally , maybe difficult to get into on the first round but not on the last round , as long as your logged into active and all your details are correct ! though have been guilty of " shaky hands" when registering...but have managed to do it 12 times.

Also the Hardman is an Excellent race in my opinion ,did the first one and will go back again , not a branded iron distance and kind of looked down on for that ( I think ! ) but still 140.6 miles in stunning scenery , without the bike route being brutal , challenging alright though!

+1 on the hardman. Did it this year, first long distance. Stunning scenery/location and friendly.

paddyh117

bopperr wrote: »

HOTW is great... Lost sheep is equally as good if not better but double the distance basically

If it's Olympic then Kenmare's Little Bo Peep deserves a shout - Cycle is scenic, run not so much, but great event - Also, Black Sod deserves a shout out I think

tunney

I like Camlough Sprint.

Tough decent bike.
Tough honest run.

Great atmosphere and since 2004 its mostly been cracking weather.