Ironman Ireland 70.3 - Sept 2nd 2012

ChickenBalls

SucCes09 wrote: »

Was looking at hardman.ie as my first time out over the full distance for next year. Cannot stomach the prices for the IM branded events (I saw IM Wales was £395 + 5% credit card fee)...

Looking at the hardman results there was only 25 that took part and that's including relays. This right? You wouldn't make much on hosting that race again I'd imagine. €160 is a good price for a full IM thou.

griffin100

Looking at the hardman results there was only 25 that took part and that's including relays. This right? You wouldn't make much on hosting that race again I'd imagine. €160 is a good price for a full IM thou.

I'm pretty sure I heard the expression 'loss leader' used by the organisers to describe last years race.

RacoonQueen

Are the challenge events much cheaper than IM?

nerraw1111

So why does anyone enter this race? Genuinely curious. It would a nice event to do but the cost compared to others is pretty significant. I'd be willing to pay 'a bit' extra for a big event but €215 plus.

SucCes09

I've been lucky enought to do both Swinford and the Lost Sheep this year, and both aren't exactly bursting at the seams with support along the way! A few people here and there, and obviously friendly competitors to chat with along the route, but not a whole lot else to take your mind off the challange at hand.

From a value perspective (and I'm no way connected with this event!) there is little transport cost and a couple of nights accomodation only to factor in - as opposed to flights, bike boxes, hotels, etc.

I've done a Ring of Kerry before, and found it enjoyable, the national park is a great venue to run in (no main roads or traffic to content with).

Seems like an ideal race venue to me, and at a reasonable cost.

I'm hoping my family will come along for the finish - they'll make plenty of noise....

b.harte

I was going to stay out of this thread for a while but I'm bursting at the seams here, so here goes.

Go to this page:
http://ironmanireland.com/sponsors/
and this
http://ironmanireland.com/athlete-information/rules-regulations/
and then this
http://ironmanireland.com/athlete-information/faq/

Nowhere on any of those pages is there information about TI or ODL being a requirement for participation.

It was the same last year, the organisers opened entry at the end of October and accepted 200 notes from everyone who entered, then in July newsletter informed everyone who had already paid that a ODL was needed to participate.

I am a reasonable man, I was raised to be fair and honest. I am also a member of TI but the late disclosure and the complete lack of respect for the competitors who may not have been members of TI in FORCING them to buy a ODL after forking out 200 quid annoyed the crap out of me, so I decide to not participate and after being refused a refund due to changes to the terms and conditions of the contract of sale for the event I lodged a European small claim against Iron man UK and Ireland as the Race Organisers. This is currently before the courts waiting for Iron man UK to provide additional information.
Now, I don't care if I get the money back or not, it's the principle that annoyed me, If I do that will be a bonus, and it might find it's way to Hardman next year.
Until race organisers, and to an extent TI realise that people who pay reasonable (or excessive) amounts of money deserve a bit of respect I for one won't be in any hurry to do a branded event.
And if I were a gambling man I would guess the additional 15 euro for entry is to cover the cost of TI ODL. (Can't wait for the website to be updated.)
Also the website updates last year were poor, I don't use face book so seemingly I missed out on a lot....
As an aside, is it possible / permissible to ask TI how many ODLs were sold for this even last year and what the breakdown of their cost / fees was? Seeing as I'm a member and all.

EDIT: Also during the online registration last year it wasn't a requirement to enter a TI or ODL number, for EVERY other event I entered it was always a requirement, otherwise registration couldn't proceed.


/Rant.

moby2101

Thanks for the info/heads up on this..
I had intended to sign up for this but the whole setup seems very amateur.

As someone posted earlier ..it could end up being an expensive duathlon.

Best of luck with your case.

Mike

tinydave

Registration opening Thursday..... Who's signing up? Even though I seen all the the comments I'd say I will still sign up....

moby2101

I'm in!
Despite all the negatives(cost, possible swim issues) ..

Its the only HIM that suits me time wise that ill get to go in due to work and holidays next year.

- wonder what kind of interest level there will be.

nerraw1111

Now listed on the Ironman website.

Bambaata

Not in for this year but let us know how you get on b.harte. Very interesting story!

Fazz

Well I'll be entering this also and hopefully get a slot.
Weighed up a foreign 70.3 but costs much more really, and Galway is a decent date being end of national calendar more or less.
I defo see the appeal of a foreign 70.3 rolled in as nice weather, maybe day or two hols around race also so maybe in 2013.
Then again Abu Dhabi is an epic Tri and that's half on the cards for Mar'13 so staying Irish for 2012.

Even at €215 or whatever it will be it's worth it for me.
I can completely see above posters frustration rightly so after what happened.
I'm hoping year 2 will be a case of lessons learned... And better weather too eh

Hotel booked also, just the 2 nights and didn't seem to be many rooms remaining!

Now for the hard work...

sconhome

http://ironmanireland.com/2011/11/new-race-transfer-policy/

In case anyone didn't see the latest Ironman news, there are new transfer policies in place for next season.

tunney

amphkingwest wrote: »

http://ironmanireland.com/2011/11/new-race-transfer-policy/

In case anyone didn't see the latest Ironman news, there are new transfer policies in place for next season.

To save people reading it - "if you enter a continental IM and then cannot do it you can transfer your entry to IM UK and IM Wales"

moby2101

Fazz wrote: »

Well I'll be entering this also and hopefully get a slot.
Weighed up a foreign 70.3 but costs much more really, and Galway is a decent date being end of national calendar more or less.
I defo see the appeal of a foreign 70.3 rolled in as nice weather, maybe day or two hols around race also so maybe in 2013.
Then again Abu Dhabi is an epic Tri and that's half on the cards for Mar'13 so staying Irish for 2012.

Even at €215 or whatever it will be it's worth it for me.
I can completely see above posters frustration rightly so after what happened.
I'm hoping year 2 will be a case of lessons learned... And better weather too eh

Hotel booked also, just the 2 nights and didn't seem to be many rooms remaining!

Now for the hard work...

Hey.. Just wondering what hotels are closest ..any recommendations from last year guys?

Fazz

Galway Bay Hotel is official race hotel and closest afaik.

mrbungle

We stayed down Sat and Sunday, stay in a friends if possible and save yourself 300-360 euro on board alone.

Galway Bay is very close, atmosphere is pretty much dead after the race, reckon the weather killed it this year, would have been nice to see a load of lads flaking into pints in lycra after but it was too cold and wet.

Being a Sunday, I reckon a lot of people just leg it home, I'm still considering the €215 entry, but if I do, I'll be goneski Sunday evening.

tinydave

This year we stayed down for two nights, Saturday and Sunday. we rented a apartment that overlooked transition so it was an ideal location and we a HUGH balcony so we could sort out our bikes and gear bags together. price was €450 and we had four in our apartment, but you could get a fifth in if needs be.
the price included the Friday night if we wanted the extra night but it didn't suit any of us! Jameson court apartments

moby2101

Whats the setup, on the Saturday lads??

What time etc do you need to be there for setting up and briefings etc??

Just booked the Galway Bay Hotel 290 for the Saturday & Sunday B & B for me and my back up team..ie the wife!!

EC1000

moby2101 wrote: »

Whats the setup, on the Saturday lads??

What time etc do you need to be there for setting up and briefings etc??

Just booked the Galway Bay Hotel 290 for the Saturday & Sunday B & B for me and my back up team..ie the wife!!

Last year you would have needed to be in Galway by about 2 o'clock on the Saturday to get your bike racked and bags set up before transition closed (I remember because I was coming from a wedding about 150 miles away on the Friday night and just about made it...). Briefing was done in two sessions between about 4pm to 6pm AFAIR. Just booked the Galway Bay Hotel myself aswell as I think I will probably enter again. Need to have a chat to the boss tonight before committing Salthill Hotel already booked out :eek::eek::eek:

ahe316

I'm in. bit the bullet. Not cheap on christmas month (€228.98 all in) but gives a great target for getting off the couch come the new year.

moby2101

ahe316 wrote: »

I'm in. bit the bullet. Not cheap on christmas month (€228.98 all in) but gives a great target for getting off the couch come the new year.

Me 3!! Great motivation for the year ahead!!
Crazy amount of money tbh...

ahe316

moby2101 wrote: »

Me 3!! Great motivation for the year ahead!!
Crazy amount of money tbh...

The extra €15 odd from active europe really stings...

tinydave

ahe316 wrote: »

moby2101 wrote: »

Me 3!! Great motivation for the year ahead!!
Crazy amount of money tbh...

The extra €15 odd from active europe really stings...

That's alot dearer than Ticketmaster :-)

sconhome

I hear its sold out. Anyone able to confirm?

Oryx

amphkingwest wrote: »

I hear its sold out. Anyone able to confirm?

I just went into the entry page. It let me start the entry.

pgibbo

amphkingwest wrote: »

I hear its sold out. Anyone able to confirm?

I'd be shocked if it is.

Can't believe it's the guts of 230 all in :eek:

tinydave

Oryx wrote: »

amphkingwest wrote: »

I hear its sold out. Anyone able to confirm?

I just went into the entry page. It let me start the entry.

So did I!
I will be VERY suprised if it sells out before Christmas !

ChickenBalls

+1 - Entry page works fine.

http://ironmanireland.com/enter-now/

Wont have funds till after Xmas for this - really hope it doesn't sell out!

nerraw1111

I was tempted but decided to book another epic event that went on sale today. Bruce Springsteen