The Kerry Way Ultra Relay – Sept 6-7, 2024

The Kerry Way Ultra Relay – Sept 6-7, 2024

kerry way ultra relay logo

Length of route

Approx. 120 miles/200km along the route of The Kerry Way

Venue

The Killarney Racecourse, Ross Road, Killarney – Registration, Start and Finish

Cut-off times

Foilmore/Gortmore – 10pm Friday,
Waterville – 4am Saturday
Sneem – 9am Saturday
Kenmare – 4pm Saturday

Open for teams of four, one female is mandatory. The tracker will be your ‘baton’ and this can only be transferred between team members at the Crew Stops.

Please note:
No refunds or deferrals accepted.

Thursday

Bag Drop – There are no Drop Bag facililities for UltraRelay entrants, you will have a team with you.

Registration – There will only be registration on Thursday evening at the Killarney Racecourse.  This will be Registration, Mandatory Gear Check and allocation of trackers and race numbers. Your number must be worn on your front and must be visible. The tracker will be your ‘baton’ and can only be given to your next team member at a crew stop. Primal Tracking will show you how to remove/attach the tracker. Please bring your rucksack to Registration and all team members must attend.

Registration Times will be 7.30pm for UltraRelay team members.

Thursday

Bag Drop – There are no Drop Bag facililities for UltraRelay entrants, you will have a team with you.

Registration – There will only be registration on Thursday evening at the Killarney Racecourse.  This will be Registration, Mandatory Gear Check and allocation of trackers and race numbers. Your number must be worn on your front and must be visible. The tracker will be your ‘baton’ and can only be given to your next team member at a crew stop. Primal Tracking will show you how to remove/attach the tracker. Please bring your rucksack to Registration and all team members must attend.

Registration Times will be 7.30pm for UltraRelay team members.

Mandatory Gear List – The Mandatory Gear list is listed below.  Ordnance Survey Ireland (OSI) paper maps (laminated photocopies are fine) are essential, Nos. 78, 83 & 84 cover the UltraRelay route. Walking poles are your own choice. Your gear will be checked at Registration and then randomly checked anywhere along the route.  All marshals have the authority to check this.  If you do not, or will not, show any item asked for, you will be disqualified.  A working mobile phone is also mandatory and if you have gone astray, and are rang by any of the ‘dot-watchers’ and you do not answer, also disqualification.

The trackers are essential and need to be attached to your rucksack (Primal Tracking will do this), kept away from mobile phones and emergency foil blankets. The tracker number will be your race number. You will get these details a few days before the Start.

Mandatory Gear List – The Mandatory Gear list is listed below.  Ordnance Survey Ireland (OSI) paper maps (laminated photocopies are fine) are essential, Nos. 78, 83 & 84 cover the UltraRelay route. Walking poles are your own choice. Your gear will be checked at Registration and then randomly checked anywhere along the route.  All marshals have the authority to check this.  If you do not, or will not, show any item asked for, you will be disqualified.  A working mobile phone is also mandatory and if you have gone astray, and are rang by any of the ‘dot-watchers’ and you do not answer, also disqualification.

The trackers are essential and need to be attached to your rucksack (Primal Tracking will do this), kept away from mobile phones and emergency foil blankets. The tracker number will be your race number. You will get these details a few days before the Start.

Route Profile

Kerry Way Ultra profile

Mandatory Gear List

  • Full waterproof jacket and trousers
  • Head Torch with minimum 200 lumens and spare batteries
  • Paper route map
  • Fully charged mobile phone
  • Survival (bivy, foil) bag/blanket
  • Whistle
  • First Aid Kit (plasters, bandages, sterile dressing, laces etc.)
  • Gloves, Hat
  • Water and spare food
  • Purple Ribbon

Safety equipment mandatory with gear check at Registration and spot checks along the route. Personal assistance along the route is forbidden other than at Crew Stops.

Kerry Way Ultra Adventure Race

Support

Self-sufficient with Support Crews allowed at:

  1. Lord Brandon’s Cottage
  2. The Climbers Inn, Glencar
  3. Sheahans Supermarket, Glenbeigh
  4. Gortmore/Foilmore Community Centre
  5. Waterville Community Centre
  6. Caherdaniel Community Centre
  7. Sneem Community Centre
  8. Templenoe Graveyard Car Park
  9. St. John’s National School, Kenmare

No Support Crew vehicles allowed off The Ring of Kerry road, except to The Climbers Inn, Glencar.

Distances between Crew Stops (approx)

  • Killarney to Lord Brandon’s Cottage: 24km
  • Lord Brandon’s Cottage to Glencar; 22km
  • Glencar to Glenbeigh: 14km
  • Glenbeigh to Gortmore: 16km
  • Gortmore to Waterville: 24km
  • Waterville to Caherdaniel: 15km
  • Caherdaniel to Sneem: 18km
  • Sneem to Templenoe: 22km
  • Templenoe to Kenmare: 15km
  • Kenmare to Killarney: 25km

Friday & Saturday

Start – There may be parking at the Ross Road entrance of the racecourse, this is not guaranteed. If you do get parking here, there is no charge. Please park responsibly, you will be towed if you are blocking anyone.

10am – START

When leaving the N71 and entering Killarney National Park, you must follow The Kerry Way route. When finishing, you can take any path through the National Park, from the foot of Torc Waterfall.

Crew Stops and Crew – Please ensure that your crew are watching your ‘dot’ so they will know if you have left the route and need to be re-directed. We are watching the Ultra, the UltraRelay, the UltraNite and the UltraLite so it may take a while for us to spot you wandering.

There will be emergency water at the Crew Stops – there is a tap at Lord Brandons Cottage, The Climbers Inn in Glencar may be open, there is a supermarket at Glenbeigh, Gortmore/Foilmore Commuity Centre has a tap, Waterville Community Centre has a tap, pubs and supermarkets, Caherdaniel Community Centre has a tap, the bridge on Sneem has a Water Dispenser, there is a tap in the graveyard at Templenoe. Check out the refill Tap Map app! There will be rubbish bags and recycling bags at each stop, please use them.

No pacers are allowed but your team may run the last section from Torc Waterfall in through the Killarney National Park with you.

Finish – Killarney Racecourse
The entrance into the racecourse is just after the bridge over the River Flesk, turn left into the Maurice O’Donoghue Park, there is a barrier at this entrance. This path runs alongside the river and then brings you into the racecourse.

As a courtesy to the Ultra athletes, it would be great if you could attach a ribbon, cord, string onto your rucksack.  This is to signify that you are an UltraRelay competitor. Also, if you are approaching a stile with someone struggling to get over it, give them time!

Check yourself for ticks when you are finished running.

Sunday

UltraBrunch and Prizegiving – The UltraBrunch will be in the Panorama Restaurant at The Killarney Racecourse at 11am on Sunday. There will be a list at the entrance to the restaurant and, if you have paid for the UltraBrunch, your name will be on this list! If you are a prizewinner, and your name isn’t on this list, the awarding of prizes will be from 12.15/12.30pm onwards. There is a café, IGUANAS, underneath the Panorama Restaurant.

Brian Byrne Award for The Best Crew – The Brian Byrne Award for the Best Crew of KWU. This will be voted on by all assistant race directors, marshals and volunteers who will have been out along the route Friday and Saturday and will have seen which crew have really excelled! This will be awarded on Sunday in The Killarney Racecourse.