Date for Registration: Wednesday 3rd July 2024
Ride Dates: THURSDAY 4th to FRIDAY 12th July 2024
Final Closing Time: 2:00am Saturday 13th July
Start: Kinsale Sports Centre, Kinsale, Co. Cork
Start Time: 8:00am
Organiser: Eamon Nealon
E-Mail: eamonnealon@hotmail.com
Mobile: 087 2439115
Eventmaster Link: https://eventmaster.ie/event/JkpbCpvHRk
Closing date for Entries: Saturday 15th June
Organisational Update ! Issued 30th April 2024
Unfortunately we did not have enough confirmed interest in the WAWA 2024 to run the full event that we had originally hoped, or even the halfway-house of a partially supported event. We have now taken the final decision to run the event as “Extreme – fully self-supported”. There will be no bag drops, or accommodation provided. Riders will have to look after themselves from Start to Finish, including food and accommodation.
The reduced Entry Fee will be €80, which includes a custom-made Finishers award, Audax Ireland Medal, your Brevet card, GPS Files of the route, broken into “daily” sections of approximately 250km, transport of your luggage to the Finish in Derry, and a framed certificate of your completion of the iconic Irish end-to-end route – Mizen Head to Malin Head.
Luggage will be available for collection from the Iona Inn Bed & Breakfast in Derry. In the event that a rider retires from the event, it will be their own responsibility to get to the Finish and collect their belongings. Organisers will not be in a position to bring riders to the Finish, or to collect rider’s luggage and bring it to them.
The guideline daily distance is approximately 250km, however riders are free to set their own schedule, while remaining within the standard Control Times which will be listed on their Brevet card (minimum average of 10kph), and the overall time-limit of 8 days and 18 hours (210 hours). As per normal Audax rules, if riders drop behind the intermediate Control Times, they should try to make up time in the later sections. They must finish within the overall Time-limit to be classified as a Finisher.
GPS Trackers will not be provided, but all riders will be invited to join a WhatsApp Group which will be used to keep track of riders progress through the event.
The WAWA is an ACP-approved event, and it will go ahead on the above self-supported basis, regardless of how many, or how few, entrants there are.
Entries are now open, the Eventmaster Link is at the top of the page. All entries must be made on Eventmaster only. A Cycling Ireland Licence is required. One-Event Licence is available for €20 if required, this will be charged automatically on Eventmaster if you do not provide a valid current Cycling Ireland Licence Number. The One-Event Licence will cover the full event, only one is required.
Ride with GPS Map: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45006399
Route Description:
The Wild Atlantic Way Audax route follows the West of Ireland Tourist Trail from South to North. The route takes in 3 of the 4 Irish Provinces, starting in Munster, passing through Connaught, and finishing in Ulster. It goes without saying, that the scenery throughout the route is superb along the rugged edge of the Atlantic Ocean. Basic instructions for route-finding – Keep the water on your left.
The event begins in Kinsale and follows the South Coast to Baltimore, through the spectacular scenery of West Cork, and out to Mizen Head (start of the classic Irish End-to-End), and then on to do a lap of the Sheeps Head and Beara Peninsulas.
Bantry at 250k is the first Control.
30k after Bantry, the route crosses from Co. Cork into Co. Kerry over the iconic climb of the Healy Pass, and then follows the Ring of Kerry through Waterville, hopefully with views of the Skellig Rocks, to the second Control at Dingle. On the way, you’ll pass through Annascaul, the home village of famous Antartic explorer Tom Crean.
Leaving Dingle, you’ll have the 10km climb of the Conor Pass to contend with, followed by a fantastic descent to make it all worthwhile. At 695k, you will come to the Tarbert Ferry crossing the Shannon Estuary, which will bring the riders from Co. Kerry into Co. Clare. On the way, the route takes a short out and back to the westernmost point of Co. Clare, Aill na Brun at 750km.
We then follow the West coast of Co. Clare, passing Trump International Hotel at 790km in case you’re in need of rest or sustenance ! This section of the route also passes some of the best known attractions in Ireland, the Cliffs of Moher, Aillwee Caves, Aran Islands and then into Co. Galway (and the Province of Connaught) at 880k.
Kinvara 886k is the third Control. After Kinvara, the route continues around Galway Bay, through Galway City, and on around West Galway, through Roundstone, to the 4th control at Claddaghduff 1073k.
After leaving the Control we cross into Co. Mayo at 1131k. Then follow Clew Bay, and on to Achill Island for the 5th Control, again with 2 options to choose from, either at 1235k before the 75k loop of Achill, or after it, at 1310k.
We then cross the remote wilderness of the Wild Nephin National Park, followed by a 42k out and back to Black Sod and then pass the Ceide Fields before arriving in Ballina at 1556k.
After Ballina, we enter Co. Sligo at 1562k, and then into Co. Donegal and the province of Ulster at 1695k. This is a long day, with 292km to bring us to the next Control at Lackenagh, at 1848k.
At this stage, riders should hopefully be starting to feel like they are getting close to the Finish ! Day 8 takes us around the North West Coast, passing Glenveagh National Park, Fanad Head, and the glacial fjord of Lough Swilly, to Rathmullan Ferry at 1982k, and then on to the 8th Control in Buncrana at 1990k.
60k after Buncrana, you will finally arrive at Malin Head, (2049k) to complete the Irish End-to-End which you started 1870k ago ! At 2092k, we arrive at Lough Foyle, the sea lough which separates the Republic of Ireland from Northern Ireland for the final 36k, and finally the route crosses the Border into Northern Ireland at Muff for the last 10km to the Finish in Derry at 2120k.
If you’ve made it this far, WELL DONE on an epic achievement, and we hope you have enjoyed the ride, and the amazing scenery that the West of Ireland has to offer. Maybe you would like to come back again some time, on a more leisurely visit, to see some of the attractions in more detail !
The Wild Atlantic Way Tourist Website includes a lot of information which riders might find useful, including details of Ferries, Flights, Accommodation etc, together with general information on the Tourist route. https://www.thewildatlanticway.com/