News

Welcome to Gaelforce West 2010,

This mail out contains very important information and we ask you to please read through it all very carefully. We know it is long and contains a lot of information but it is important that you take in all in as failure to read it correctly may result in you missing the race. This is the last email you will receive before the event!!

Registration will be taking place over 2 days, Thursday 19th August from 4pm - 9pm and on Friday the 20th August from 12pm - 10pm. You MUST register during one of these times, it is NOT possible to do the event without registering. Registration takes place at 2 venues, Killary Adventure Centre and the Delphi bike drop, you MUST visit BOTH venues to complete registration. Please read on for a detailed description of what you must do at each venue.

Step 1: Killary Adventure Centre

Killary adventure is the first place that you have to register. DO NOT go to Delphi until you have received your registration pack in Killary Adventure. There are 2 areas you must visit before you leave Killary registration, these are detailed below. It is your responsibility to ensure you visit both before you leave Killary registration.

Area 1: Registration Pack and Event T-shirt
You MUST know your race number when you arrive at registration. Your race number can be located here.
You will enter the registration room where there will be clear signs directing you to the correct area based on your race number. For example if your race number is 150 you will go to the area signed 'Race Numbers 01-300'. Here you will receive you registration pack with you event map, bike sticker, event T-shirt, safety pins, and race numbers to be worn on the day. If you pre-booked a parking permit this will be here also.

Area 2: Timing Device
You will then proceed to the timing area to pick up your timing dibber. This is a very important piece of equipment you need to ensure you are timed during the event. Once you receive your dibber it is your responsibility not to lose it and to return it at the finish line. Should you lose it you will be required to pay €30 for a replacement.

Step 2: Delphi Bike Drop Off
 

Directions to the Bike Drop Off from Killary Adventure Centre are below. Please note you MUST visit the Killary registration BEFORE proceeding to the Delphi bike drop off.
You will take a right turn at the exit from Killary Adventure Centre onto the N59 heading in the direction of Leenane. The water/Fjord will be on you left as you head towards Leenane. When you come into the village of Leenane the road continues around to the left and across the infamous Leenane Bridge! This is still the N59 but you will now be heading in the direction of Westport. Approx 3.3km along this road there will be a turn off to the left with sigh posts for Asleagh Falls and Delphi Mountain resort, take this road. Continue along this road for approx 9.4km and you will arrive the bike drop off destination.

Bike Drop Off Procedure

• Getting your bike ready

It is VERY IMPORTANT that your bike is ready to go before you arrive at the Delphi bike drop off. You must have already attached you nutrition and hydration products to your bike as you will not be seeing it again until you arrive at the bike transition during the race on Saturday. You can leave all of you cycling gear with your bike in the bike transition area such as you helmet (this is mandatory kit and you will be disqualified if you leave the bike transition area without it on race day), cycling shoes if you have them etc. This equipment must be securely attached to your bike.This area is secure and there will be security there on the Thursday and Friday night. If you wish too you can lock your bike, but you will have to carry your lock for the rest of the event on race day. It is important to note that when you leave the bike transition area on race day you must take everything with you, NOTHING can be left in the bike transition area once you pick up your bike on race day. Anyone found littering will be disqualified.

• What do I do when I arrive at the drop off?

The Delphi bike drop off is as it says, a drop off area ONLY. You must have your bike ready to go before you arrive at the drop off area. There is nowhere here to work on your bike this must be done BEFORE you arrive. At Killary registration you will have received you registration pack, in here is a sticker for your bike with your race number on it. This MUST be attached to the cross bar of your bike BEFORE you enter the bike compound, if you do not have a sticker on your bike you will not be allowed to enter.
Once you have your sticker on your bike and have all of your cycling gear you should go to the bike area assigned to you. This is done based on RACE NUMBER. A copy of the Bike Transition map can be found at the bottom of the page here, please download and print a copy for yourself.

Find the rack and field which has been allocated your race number and proceed to it. For example a rack may be labelled 1551 - 1580, if your race number falls between this you should rack you bike here. Please be aware of other competitors bikes and take care when placing your bike on the bike racks.
Once you have racked your bike we would ask that you return to your car immediately and continue on to your accommodation. We would ask that you do not hang around the bike drop off area as there is limited parking and the quicker everyone gets in and out of the bike compound the shorter the delays for other competitors. If you need to wait for a fellow competitor please do so at Killary Adventure or in Leenane village.
 

Please Note The Busy Times at registration!!
We expect our busiest time at registration to be from 4pm – 10pm on Friday. If you arrive to registration between these times expect to have to wait, there will be free tea and coffee available and we will try and get through you all as quickly as possible. To speed up the process come prepared!!

If you live locally we advise you to register on Thursday or as early as possible on Friday. If you are travelling down for the event why not make a long weekend of it and travel down on Thursday to register and see Joe Simpson introduce and speak about his amazing movie “Touching the Void” and the special screening in the Octagon between 7 and 9pm. Or get registration over early on Friday and enjoy the WEE adventure film festival on Friday evening running from 7 until 10pm. For more info on both these events and the Westport Adventure Festival click here.
 

• Bus pick up

This year the buses will be leaving from Mill street in Westport Town. Please note location of the bus pick up point here. It is your responsibility to be at your bus on time. The time your bus leaves is the time you chose when you entered the event online and also the wave that you found your race number in. If you miss your bus you must wait until the last bus at 9am. Please have your race number visible as marshals will only be letting the numbers allotted to each wave on the assigned bus. We will also be carrying out kit checks as you board the bus so have your bag or bumbag ready for inspection. For a full list of the mandatory kit please click here.
You will actually start the race, 1 and half hours after you leave Westport. For example if your bus time is 6.30am you will arrive at the start line at approx 7.30am and will start the race at 8.00am.

• Cycling back from the finishline – Westport Greenway

This year’s event will finish on Westport quays. There will be absolutely no pick up point at the Quays. You will have to use the Westport Greenway Cycle route to make your way back to your car or accommodation. It will be a great way to cool down and stop your muscles from cramping! A copy of the map is located here.  Please also tell your friends and family that there is no parking available at the quays on Saturday so not to drive down there. A shuttle bus will be operating between the hotel and the Quays for spectators adn they can also use the greenway to make their way to the finish line.

• Kit list

The list of your mandatory kit for the race can be found here. You must carry all of this with you from the start line. You can leave your cycling mandatory kit with your bike but it must be securely attached. You cannot however leave anything at the bike transitions when you leave it on race day. If you are found to be leaving anything behind this will be seen as littering and you will be disqualified. We will be carrying out random kit checks as you board the buses in Westport.

This year we have made two small changes to the route. Hopefully you have received our previous emails in regards to these :

Route Change 1 - 1st Running Section Glassilaun to Killary

Due to circumstances beyond our control we have had to make a small route change to the start run of this year’s event.

The race will start as normal on Glassillaun Beach. Leaving the beach you will continue as normal for 3.4km. For the last 4 years, you would have turned right, off the road at this point, straight up Salruck Pass. This year however you will continue on the road for another 0.9km to Rosroe pier. Here you will turn right on to the famine trail – it will be clearly marked. You will then continue on the famine trail where, after 1.86km, you will meet the regular Gaelforce West route. Click here to view the route change.

Unfortunately due to the last minute nature of this route change it is not specified on the printed OSI maps you will receive at registration.

Route Change 2 - Cycle Route to Croagh Patrick

We have also made a change to the cycle route into Croagh Patrick. This is to improve the route making it a one-way system on this section, improving the competitors experience and also to make the route safer.

The new route will be along a bog road. This is an unsealed road and will have some potholes. You can still use your road bike for this section, but you may want to think about your tyre choice and pressure for this section. For more info on tyre selection click here.
To download a map with the route change click here.

Littering is a central concern not only to race organisers, but also those who live in and utilise the countryside, mountains, beaches etc. Please read our strict litter policy as if you do not adhere to it you could be disqualified. The litter policy can be found here.

Please also read carefully through the rules of the race and the Do's and Don'ts of the event before race day here. Anyone found to be breaking these rules will be disqualified.

Due to safety we have to place a cut off time on competitors ascent of the reek (Croagh Patrick). This time is 4.30pm. If you reach the bottom of Croagh Patrick after this time you will not be allowed ascend and you will cycle back to Westport following the race route.

If you DO arrive at Croagh Patrick before the cut off time you ned to dib your timing chip 3 times at Croagh Patrick, this is your responsibility – once as you start to ascend, once at the summit and finally when you reach the bottom again. You must bring your mandatory kit with you to the summit and marshals at the summit will be checking this. This is for your own safety.

This year the prize giving will be held at 8pm on the Octagan stage in the centre of Westport town. The prize giving will not be a long affair but it would be great if you could come along to support those who won their category. There will also be spot prizes on the night so even if you didn’t win you could still get a prize for best fancy dress etc!!

Finally.......

If there is a group of you competing please make sure that everyone has received this email and read through it carefully. Everyone should have read and understood this information before they arrive at registration. If you know of a competitor who has not received this email it is available on the website under the news section.
 

We hope training is going well and we are looking forward to seeing you all on the start line and Good Luck on the day!

The Gaelforce Events Team

Proudly Supported by: