‘BEAST’ SET TO BEAR ITS CLAWS
THE roar of the ‘Beast’ is set to resonate over the Ballyhouras once again as team’s battle it out for bragging rights in one of Europe’s toughest and most demanding endurance races.
Now in its 10th outing, The Beast of Ballyhoura is a uniquely Irish non-stop adventure race that pitches teams of four against each other in an energy sapping test of strength and stamina across some of the toughest terrain that Cork, Limerick and Tipperary has to offer.
Normally a two-day event overt the August bank-holiday, this year the Beast will be a shorter 24-hour event over July 30/31. This is to both encourage new teams to try it out and allow the more seasoned ones to prepare to the ITERA Expedition Race Ireland - a five-day trek around the wilds of Kerry in August.
However, this does not mean that those taking part on the 2016 Beast of Ballyhoura will be having an easy time – far from it.
The race will get underway in the early hours of July 30, with competitors being ferried from the race HQ in Kilfinnane to a secret location.
For the next 24-hours they will trek across energy sapping hills and bogs, cycle along twisting mountain bike trails, kayak down raging rivers and abseil down sheer cliff faces.
Each team charged with the task of navigating the gruelling course while carrying enough equipment and supplies to see them through to the finish line at Kilfinnane.
Organisers have promised teams they can also expect plenty of surprises along the way in the form of specials tasks specifically designed to further test the physical and mental agility of competitors to their very limits.
Race director Ivan Park said that the exact route will not be made known to the teams until the very last minute.
“They will be bussed to a secret location and told off you go. Each year we try to mix up the different elements of the race so that no-one, even those who have done the Beast before, know quite what to expect,” said Ivan.
“While the course is tough we also try to make it inclusive so that any teams with above average fitness are able to give it a go and stand a good chance of making it to the finish line,” he added.
The 2016 ‘Beast’ will also see the return of the annual inter-services challenge. The will see teams from the army, gardai, PSNI, ambulance service and civil defence going head to head to find Ireland’s toughest service.
For more information visit www.beastofballyhoura.com.