Gruelling Race Around Ireland to start in Trim

Many of the top ultra cyclists from Ireland and abroad will be in Trim on Sunday for the testing, non-stop 2,151km Race Around Ireland and its companion event, Irish Ultra Challenge.  

Among those taking are a number of Meath cyclists including Pat Doocey, Brian Fitzpatrick, Michael Mills, Simon O'Dea and Philip Gargan who have worn the colours of Navan Road Club. They will be joined by others such as Moynalty Cycling Club's Paul Kelly and Stephen O'Halloran. 

Among those from abroad who will be taking charge will include Monaco's World Cup Champion Valerio Zamboni and the winner of Race Across America, Nicloe Reist from Switzerland who will have her eyes set on the women's record in the event.

This is the ninth edition of Race Around Ireland and the race has once again attracted a top class field including many of the world's top ultracyclists who will be taking on the daunting challenge of riding non stop around the coastline of Ireland for up to five days. 

'Race Around Ireland, which has been headquartered in Meath since its inception, is recognised as among the most difficult in the already arduous world of ultracycling where riders race non-stop across vast distances and must choose when to rest, many relying on less than two hours sleep a day,' explained Alan Heary who is one of the driving forces behind the event.  

'As well as the unpredictable weather conditions, riders will face almost endless rolling hills on roads of inconsistent quality throughout the event which had won acclaim and a deserved reputation as among the very toughest bike races in the world. 

 'Moynalty Cycling Club has stepped up its involvement in the event this year, providing much needed logistical support for an event that is as arduous a challenge for support crews and event organisers as it is for the intrepid bike riders

 'Support from the Meath cycling community has been unstinting through the history of the event and Navan Road Club are also once again lending very welcome assistance. The event begins on Sunday when solo racers and the relay teams of two, four and eight riders are sent on their way.' 

This year, the start features as the centre-piece of the new Trim Salmon of Knowledge Festival with riders and spectators alike no doubt contributing to an electric atmosphere at the race start at Trim Castle.

The race concludes in Moynalty on Friday, 1st September where the finishers will be welcomed back to the Royal County after their epic journey. 

The route never strays far from the wind lashed coastline of Ireland as it takes the riders from the start line in Trim through 22 counties taking in sights including Newgrange, The Causeway Coast, Malin Head, The Cliffs of Moher, The Ring of Kerry, Mizen Head, the Garden County (Wicklow) and back to the finish line in Moynalty. And all within a week. The solo riders have a deadline of 132 hours to finish.

'Along the way there are numerous challenges including an epic section of the route which passes from Killarney to Sneem which has reached legendary status in Race Around Ireland over the years as the most difficult on the entire route,' added Heary. 

'The fastest solo racer on this section will need determination, courage and skill. Not just on the part of the racer but also their crew. It's for this reason that the award for this section will be dedicated to the memory of Ciarán Smith, a great friend and former competitor in Race Around Ireland who was lost in the Coast Guard Helicopter 116 crash earlier this year.'

 Ciarán's name will be carried on in this award, which will be earned by the fastest solo racer over Killareny to Sneem section. 

 Meanwhile, the riders in the Irish Ultra Challenge have a 1,100km route tracing the route of its bigger sibling from Meath around the northern half of Ireland before cutting back from Galway to a finish back in Meath. This race is seen as the perfect stepping-stone into the world of ultra-cycling. Solo riders need to make it back to Trim within 68 hours to be recorded as a finisher.