Ireland best tris

LloydChristmas

Hi folks
I plan to spend the winter training for a triathlons... Which would you rate as being the best ones/most popular... Looking at sprint and Olympic distance mainly but would also be interested in hearing about half iron events (if any)

EC1000

So many variables it hard to rank events as such. A lot comes down to your personal preference, sea swim, lake, river etc... There are many many excellent club run events out there. My personal favourites at each distance would be lanesboro or muckno (sprint), ck tri (olympic and biased) and humbert for half iron (notable mention to shadowman which started this year). Completely subjective though. Never done the biggies such as HOTW.... I've gone off athy since they turned it into a one day event...

ShineyShiney

My favs

Westport for sprint, flat and fast

Hotw for Olympic, all three disciplines are proper challanges

pgibbo

My favourites are:

DCT, HoTW, Lough Key & Loughrea for Sprint & Olympic

DCT - very well organised and is spectator friendly
HoTW - very well organised
Lough Key - well organised and a beautiful setting
Loughrea - well organised, beautiful swim and close to home

Lost Sheep is a great HIM - really well organised and an amazing bike course
I've heard really good things about the Humbert HIM but I've yet to do it.

cjt156

DCT cycle is on closed roads in the Phoenix Park which could be a plus for a beginner. Don't know how many others are. The large crowds and presence of a few elites will add to the buzz on the day too.

Oryx

I agree about DCT, one of the best around. I also liked Joey Hannan when I did it last year.

I did BoTE this year, it was good apart from the midges (which they warn you about). Great course and well run. Best lake swim I've ever done.

I've always liked Athy, it gets a good buzz. The new registration is literally miles from the start though, which is a pain.

All of the above are big, well attended races, most sell out ever year. There are plenty of smaller races going on all the time which are worth trying.

Izoard

Oryx wrote: »

I agree about DCT, one of the best around. I also liked Joey Hannan when I did it last year.

I did BoTE this year, it was good apart from the midges (which they warn you about). Great course and well run. Best lake swim I've ever done.

I've always liked Athy, it gets a good buzz. The new registration is literally miles from the start though, which is a pain.

All of the above are big, well attended races, most sell out ever year. There are plenty of smaller races going on all the time which are worth trying.

+ 1 on BotE for Oly distance - tough course, but well run....

mossym

keep going guys, race calendar for next year is filling up nicely..:)

tunney

Camlough.
Mostly close roads.
Challenging and interesting bike and run courses.
Always enjoyed it.

Fazz

Hell of the West
Joey Hannan a good starter race
Humbert half
DCT

Tri an Mhi *
Valentia *

* - overall great race but some improvements needed imo (dates, prize money not just sponsor vouchers, location for Valentia etc).

Green&Red

Depends on where you are really, I like the local ones, Louisburgh is good, as is westport

Belmullet is excellent, well run but it is f**king miles away

I've found hell of the west a lot nicer race than BOTE but it is tough but tough on all three disciplines

BTH

If someone coming from abroad asked me what Irish race they should do it would be HOTW or Lost Sheep.

To add a little repetition, Caroline Kearney, Lanesboro and Lough Key are races I will do again as well, NS or not.

LloydChristmas

Does anyone have an acronym decryptor so I can work out which events you lot are talking about?

peter kern

If someone coming from abroad asked me what Irish race they should do it would be HOTW or Lost Sheep.


spot on I think
Coincidentaly the 2 races are where they learn most about the irish drinking culture after a race ;-)
Not even the old Ironman Australia or New Zealand come close to those 2 venues.

BTH

LloydChristmas wrote: »

Does anyone have an acronym decryptor so I can work out which events you lot are talking about?

HOTW = Hell of the West

DCT = Dublin City Tri

HIM = Half Ironman

BOTE = Beast of the East

NS = National Series

Think they're the only ones!!

PWEI

My favourites are:

Olympic;

Caroline Kearney - Love the course & very well organised.

DCT - Another vote for Dublin City, my favourite race from last year.
It's not for everybody though, a few from my club don't like it.


Sprint;

Lough Ree Monster - Nice friendly race & fairly flat fast course. Great fluorescent t'shirts also.

Tri an Mhi Sprint - Great swim, clear clean water. Good atmosphere and also a nice bit of food after.
Great event if you want to bring the family as there is a picnic area there.

Brian Boru - Have to give my local home event a mention. Most people don't like the mountain run but
I think its great & well worth it for the view at the top.

ray o

PWEI wrote: »

Brian Boru - Have to give my local home event a mention. Most people don't like the mountain run but
I think its great & well worth it for the view at the top.

I would agree with this. It's a tough oul run up to the top bit it is a stunning view when you get there. The run back down is nice too.

littlemsfickle

I'd give north tipp sprint in nenagh a shout as well. Good early season race with pool swim, very well organised and good value for money. It usually draws a pretty competitive field as well.

tunney

littlemsfickle wrote: »

I'd give north tipp sprint in nenagh a shout as well. Good early season race with pool swim, very well organised and good value for money. It usually draws a pretty competitive field as well.

How did I forget this one! Good pool race too.

bopperr

I would agree with HOTW & the lost sheep as being the top two.

Mullaghmore sprint is a fav of mine as well.

Done Omagh sprint this year and though the set up was great. Lake swim, closed roads 2 lap bike, run around a lake. Top notch.

pgibbo

Rosses Point is a lovely race too. I preferred when the run wasn't on the beach. Very well organised and lovely grub afterwards too. It's a beautiful location for a race.

boodiebhoy

Hills of the harbour sprint in Whitegate, Cork. New this year but it will grow. Does "exactly what it says on the tin"

Casula

North West Tri Club put on a great new race in Derry this year. Nice swim in the Foyle, two lap bike through the city centre on closed roads, testing out and back 5k over the new bridge. All took place in pissing rain but huge support from the locals and great atmosphere. If it gets any sort of decent weather next year expect a great race with a cracking atmosphere. One well worth making the trip north for.