2nd Irish Sailing and Mountaineering Adventure Challenge (ISAMAC)
by Robert McCaffrey 16 Jun 2019 08:02 NZST
1-5 June 2019
James Glasspool on Team Trionium 2 rounding 'The Bull' at the entrance to the Kenmare River at dawn on day 3 of the Irish Sailing and Mountaineering Adventure Challenge 2019 © ISAMAC
The 2nd Irish Sailing and Mountaineering Adventure Challenge - The ISAMAC - took place from 1 Saturday 1 June to Wednesday 5 June, from Kinsale to Dingle, taking in three of Ireland's highest mountains. Only two of the four starting teams managed to finish the course, due to tough sailing conditions and atrocious weather on the hill stages. UK/US team 'Trionium Two' won the race, at the second attempt at finishing the race. The leading team endured three hailstorms on the ascent of Mount Brandon - in June.
The date for next year's race has already been set, for Saturday 30 May 2020.
The race starts with a 12.5km 'Two Forts' running race around Kinsale. Crews then sail overnight to Adrigole to run the Hungry Hill ridge, before sailing to Templenoe to cycle to and climb Carrauntoohil - Ireland's highest mountain at 1038m. The final sailing leg is to Dingle, from where the runners will take the spectacular ridge to Mount Brandon (952m) and back to Dingle to the finish - in John Benny's Pub. The first finishers took 92 hours to complete the course.
The ISAMAC has been created to take in the most spectacular sailing in Ireland - as well as its most challenging and iconic mountain landscapes. The mountain sections are the most direct and elegant routes, keeping runners off roads as much as is possible and practical, while making the most of ridges and views.
Details on the race can be found on the event website, www.ISAMAC-race.com.