The 2015 Adventure Racing European Series Final, planned for the Ballyhoura area over the August Bank Holiday Weekend has sold out. Organisers, Ballyhoura Fáilte and Causeway Coast Adventure Racing have been delighted with the quick reaction from teams across Europe to the event. The full line up of 50 teams has been set, with 10 teams being added due to the huge interest in the event. The co-operation between Causeway Coast Adventure Racing Club, Total Experience and Gaelforce Events ensured that these additional teams could be facilitated. It is a testament to the ever growing interest in adventure racing and the hard work by the organisers that this event could be sold out with such a high level of participation.
The Beast of Ballyhoura has long been Ireland’s toughest adventure race, growing over time from 24 hours to 48 hours and is now set to become the premier event of the Adventure Racing European Series in 2015 with a 72 hour, approximately 450km challenge. The race disciplines include mountain biking, kayaking, swimming, rope work, trekking, orienteering as well as other special tasks. The Beast of Ballyhoura will be held across Cork, Limerick, Tipperary, and Waterford so the course will be taking over the best part of the Munster Vales region. This takes places in the hidden gems of the Irish countryside with steep mountains, clear rivers, beautiful lakes and magical woodlands.
However, the race will also have an international feel, as countries all over the world including Sweden, France, Netherlands, Slovenia and South Africa will be well represented. The most experienced Irish and UK teams will also be competing, including Team Adidas TERREX, who won the European title in Turkey last year.
The event will create an important economic spin off for Ireland with the teams competing staying here for a minimum of one week and many taking the opportunity to stay on and explore the region further. Many teams are also bringing their own back up support and are accompanied by family members and PR teams.
The Ballyhoura Beast hosting the European Finals this year could not take on this scale of event without support from sponsors and funders and appreciation goes to Cork County Council, Limerick City and County Council, and Waterford City and County Council.
Teams can be tracked on line throughout the whole event, message boards etc are also all on line – see www.beastofballyhoura.com/live
The finals for the 2015 Adventure Racing European Series (ARES) will be held from July 28th – August 3rd. The race headquarters this year will be situated on the grounds of the University of Limerick.
History of The Beast of Ballyhoura
The Beast of Ballyhoura Adventure Race is now onto its 9th edition, its origin dating back to 2007. Initially a 24 hour race the event will grow to 72 hours for the 2015 European Final.
The Beast of Ballyhoura is a uniquely, Irish non-stop adventure race across the ancient and magical surroundings of counties Cork, Limerick and Tipperary. Mixed teams of four compete unsupported, attempting to navigate the best route to win. The finals for the 2015 Adventure Racing European Series (ARES) will be held between July 28th – August 3rd. Race headquarters will be situated on the grounds of the University of Limerick.
Since 2007 Adventure Racing has continued to grow across Europe and in 2013 The Beast of Ballyhoura teamed up with a number of Adventure Races across Europe to establish the Adventure Racing European Series.
The event was established by Ballyhoura Fáilte to promote the range of outdoor activities and businesses present across the Ballyhoura and Galty Mountains and over the past number of years has been run in association with Causeway Coast Adventure Racing.
The Beast of Ballyhoura was so named as due to sleep deprivation and exhaustion. Adventure Race participants can often hallucinate that there are monsters on the course.
The event continues to be a success due to the high level of co-operation between Ballyhoura Fáilte, Causeway Coast Adventure Racing, 100’s of volunteers, landowners, Coillte and local businesses across Cork, Tipperary and Limerick and Waterford. The event is now one of the leading events in the European Adventure Racing circuit and it has a large international appeal. It is designed to be one of the toughest courses in the world, which will once again be proven this August Bank Holiday Weekend.