UTMB/CCC Qualifying Races for 2018

Neady83 · 27-03-2017 3:12pm #1

Does anyone here know of qualifying races in Ireland for the 2018 UTMB or CCC?

There's a list of the races held in 2016 that had a points allocation (here) but I can't seem to find any being held in 2017 that are qualifying races for 2018.

The Kerry Ultra Way 2016 was a qualifying race for 2017 but it hasn't' been updated to 2018. I may just need to e-mail the races I'd like to target and ask but am just checking if anyone here has any insider info.

Cheers.

Djoucer · 27-03-2017 3:57pm

Don Hannon's races had points last year.

Kerry Way, Wicklow Way and Round also have points. A couple of the long distance IMRA races will have points.

Generally, whatever races had points in 2016 will be the same in 2017. But definitely check with organisers.

RacoonQueen · 27-03-2017 5:49pm

Neady83 wrote: »

Does anyone here know of qualifying races in Ireland for the 2018 UTMB or CCC?

There's a list of the races held in 2016 that had a points allocation (here) but I can't seem to find any being held in 2017 that are qualifying races for 2018.

The Kerry Ultra Way 2016 was a qualifying race for 2017 but it hasn't' been updated to 2018. I may just need to e-mail the races I'd like to target and ask but am just checking if anyone here has any insider info.

Cheers.

Check out Don's races they definitely have points
http://www.rawultra.com/

Enduro · 27-03-2017 11:56pm

All the IMRA races that have the required minimum distance and elevation will have UTMB points. The Irish ITRA rep is on the IMRA committee. You just missed one (The Maurice Mullins Ultra, Ireland's oldest). The Wicklow Way is one of the more straightforward ones to get a bunch of points (Much more so than the round, which is a much bigger challenge).

Don's races are a good bet too. I got a good haul of ranking points from his WW 50km. The KWU is currently the longest trail ultra here. The Mourne Way and Causeway coast ultras once had points. Not sure if they still do, but they're good events well worth a look.

Actually they're all good events!

Enduro · 27-03-2017 11:59pm

What are you targeting for 2018, out of interest?

RacoonQueen · 28-03-2017 7:24am

Enduro wrote: »

The Mourne Way and Causeway coast ultras once had points. Not sure if they still do, but they're good events well worth a look.

I knew I wasn't going mad

could have sworn Mourne way had them too but couldn't see any reference on their site.

Neady83 · 28-03-2017 9:33am

Enduro wrote: »

What are you targeting for 2018, out of interest?

I would like to target the OCC but if I had a few good runs here and had the points I'd enter the CCC and see how I got on.

Neady83 · 28-03-2017 9:34am

Thanks for the responses everyone, I've sent a few e-mails this morning to confirm points allocation for 2018 and I'll post here when I get confirmation from race organisers.

Edit: The Kerry Way Ultra are awaiting confirmation from the ITRA about UTMB points and should have more info. in the next few days.

IMRA are applying to ITRA & are hoping to get qualifying points for the following:
Maurice Mullins Ultra (March 25th): 3 points
Wicklow Glacier Lakes (April 9th)
Wicklow Way Race (June 10th 2017): 5 points
Wicklow Round
Glendalough Clover (solo - September 2nd)

Neady83 · 21-04-2017 10:21am

Neady83 wrote: »

Thanks for the responses everyone, I've sent a few e-mails this morning to confirm points allocation for 2018 and I'll post here when I get confirmation from race organisers.

Edit: The Kerry Way Ultra are awaiting confirmation from the ITRA about UTMB points and should have more info. in the next few days.

IMRA are applying to ITRA & are hoping to get qualifying points for the following:
Maurice Mullins Ultra (March 25th): 3 points
Wicklow Glacier Lakes (April 9th)
Wicklow Way Race (June 10th 2017): 5 points
Wicklow Round
Glendalough Clover (solo - September 2nd)

Confirmed:
Kerry Ultra Way (September 1st): 6 ITRA points
Kerry Ultra Way Lite (September 2nd): 3 ITRA points

TheTubes · 30-08-2017 10:19am

RacoonQueen wrote:

Check out Don's races they definitely have points
http://www.rawultra.com/

These races never showed up on the list of 2017 points.

Slogger Jogger · 01-09-2017 7:17pm

CCC race in the closing stages. Won by Hayden Hawks USA in 10:24!

Paddy O'Leary from Wexford based in San Francisco is currently 16th in CCC in the final stages of the race. Fantastic running.
Adrian Hennessy from Limerick, a regular at IMRA and Adventure races here, is 97th. Keep it going Adrian!

Working class heroes · 05-09-2017 10:22am

I notice that some of the races which counted for qualifying points for the UTMB clashed.
Assuming the same races count towards UTMB next year is it possible to obtain the 15 points within a calendar year, within Ireland?

TheTubes · 05-09-2017 10:27am

Working class heroes wrote: »

I notice that some of the races which counted for qualifying points for the UTMB clashed.
Assuming the same races count towards UTMB next year is it possible to obtain the 15 points within a calendar year, within Ireland?

I don't think it was possible in 2017, no info on 2018 points on the UTMB site yet.
It was possible in 2016 with the raw ultra races in Dec but those seem to be gone now.

You have 2 years to get the points though?

Neady83 · 05-09-2017 10:31am

There's only one combination - it's a shame the June and September races clashed - there's no second chance without leaving the country.

Any of these combinations would get you the 15 points: 6 + 6 + 3 or 6 + 5 + 4 or 5 + 5 + 5

so this would work ......

Wicklow Way Race (June): 5 points
Kerry Way Ultra (September): 6 points
Wicklow Way 50 mile (December): 4 points

Neady83 · 05-09-2017 10:32am

TheTubes wrote: »

I don't think it was possible in 2017, no info on 2018 points on the UTMB site yet.
It was possible in 2016 with the raw ultra races in Dec but those seem to be gone now.

You have 2 years to get the points though?

I was counting Dons races in December but they're not on the list of qualifying races for 2017 (yet).

You have two years to pick up the points.
"In order to register, it is necessary to have gained the required number of points by finishing, between 01/01/2016 and 31/12/2017 exclusively"

TheTubes · 05-09-2017 10:33am

Neady83 wrote: »

Wicklow Way 50 mile (December): 4 points

There are no points on the UTMB site for this race in 2017.
Registration hasn't opened, I suspect it's not happening.

Neady83 · 05-09-2017 10:41am

TheTubes wrote: »

There are no points on the UTMB site for this race in 2017.
Registration hasn't opened, I suspect it's not happening.

One of my friends sent a mail to Don on Friday but hasn't heard anything back since. I'll post here if I hear anything.

The Causeway Coast Ultra on September 23rd has 3 points up for grabs but it's sold out and it may well be the last race with points up for grabs in Ireland for the rest of the year.

TheTubes · 05-09-2017 10:45am

Neady83 wrote: »

One of my friends sent a mail to Don on Friday but hasn't heard anything back since. I'll post here if I hear anything.

I mailed a couple of times and didn't hear anything back.
Looking around the site there doesn't seem to be much activity, there was supposed to be a Western Way race in July but the site still shows the 2016 results and no mention of it on the FB group either.

Neady83 wrote:

The Causeway Coast Ultra on September 23rd has 3 points up for grabs but it's sold out and it may well be the last race with points up for grabs in Ireland for the rest of the year.

This race in Dorset is 4 points. I've been thinking about going over in Dec and then doing the wicklow way/kerry way in 2018 for the other 11 points.

Working class heroes · 05-09-2017 10:50am

Neady83 wrote: »

One of my friends sent a mail to Don on Friday but hasn't heard anything back since. I'll post here if I hear anything.

The Causeway Coast Ultra on September 23rd has 3 points up for grabs but it's sold out and it may well be the last race with points up for grabs in Ireland for the rest of the year.

I'm looking at the possibility of obtaining the 15 points in 2018 with a view towards the 2019 UTMB. But unless they add more races it doesn't look possible without traveling abroad.
Unless they change the dates/weekend the Mourne way clashes with the WW solo and the newly formed Glendalough Clover clashes with the Kerry Way races. Just have to keep an eye on things I suppose....

Working class heroes · 05-09-2017 10:51am

TheTubes wrote: »

I don't think it was possible in 2017, no info on 2018 points on the UTMB site yet.
It was possible in 2016 with the raw ultra races in Dec but those seem to be gone now.

You have 2 years to get the points though?

No patience

Neady83 · 05-09-2017 2:48pm

Great write up here from Shaun Stewart on his first CCC last weekend. He finished in 53rd place in a time of 13 hours 12 minutes.

DogSlySmile · 05-09-2017 3:36pm

Working class heroes wrote: »

I'm looking at the possibility of obtaining the 15 points in 2018 with a view towards the 2019 UTMB. But unless they add more races it doesn't look possible without traveling abroad.
Unless they change the dates/weekend the Mourne way clashes with the WW solo and the newly formed Glendalough Clover clashes with the Kerry Way races. Just have to keep an eye on things I suppose....

One of my favourites parts about ultra running is travelling abroad to do big races. Its a fantastic opportunity to see a part of the world I wouldnt usually go on a holiday to.

If you are planning on doing UTMB as your A race in 2019, going abroad to do an ultra in France, Switzerland, Italy etc is fantastic preparation as the elevation profile/terrain will be similar to UTMB. I've done the CCC, and like yourself hope to do UTMB one day. The climbs/descents involved in CCC/UTMB really cannot be reproduced on a training run in Ireland. Its not essential to train on Alpine terrain to prep for an Alpine race but if your plan is to do UTMB I would definitely recommend going abroad for a race to get a sense of the climbs involved/how your body reacts at altitude etc

Working class heroes · 05-09-2017 3:54pm

DogSlySmile wrote: »

One of my favourites parts about ultra running is travelling abroad to do big races. Its a fantastic opportunity to see a part of the world I wouldnt usually go on a holiday to.

If you are planning on doing UTMB as your A race in 2019, going abroad to do an ultra in France, Switzerland, Italy etc is fantastic preparation as the elevation profile/terrain will be similar to UTMB. I've done the CCC, and like yourself hope to do UTMB one day. The climbs/descents involved in CCC/UTMB really cannot be reproduced on a training run in Ireland. Its not essential to train on Alpine terrain to prep for an Alpine race but if your plan is to do UTMB I would definitely recommend going abroad for a race to get a sense of the climbs involved/how your body reacts at altitude etc

Good point. Actually had my eye on this http://www.tenerifebluetrail.com/en It takes in Spain's highest peak and is worth 5 UTMB points.
Anyone any experience with it?

Djoucer · 06-09-2017 9:56am

Check out 4od to see Tenerife blue trail race coverage.

Haven't done it myself but It's a very tough race with v cold and warm conditions.

Agree with dogsly, very hard to beat the experience of an ultra abroad.

I think the Wicklow, Kerry ways and Wicklow Round would get you the points.

grahamor · 12-09-2017 4:37pm

This is excellent advice.

DogSlySmile wrote: »

If you are planning on doing UTMB as your A race in 2019, going abroad to do an ultra in France, Switzerland, Italy etc is fantastic preparation as the elevation profile/terrain will be similar to UTMB. I've done the CCC, and like yourself hope to do UTMB one day. The climbs/descents involved in CCC/UTMB really cannot be reproduced on a training run in Ireland.

There are loads of options in europe that would give you points for the CCC.

Swiss Alpine Davos 78k (~2500m ascent)
Mountain Man ultra 64k (3800m ascent)
Lavaredo Cortina trail 48k (2600m ascent)
Trans Gran Canaria 64k

Itziger · 12-09-2017 7:43pm

grahamor wrote: »

This is excellent advice.

There are loads of options in europe that would give you points for the CCC.

Swiss Alpine Davos 78k (~2500m ascent)
Mountain Man ultra 64k (3800m ascent)
Lavaredo Cortina trail 48k (2600m ascent)
Trans Gran Canaria 64k

Sorry lads, should have posted this earlier. Just did the UTML Long trail on Saturday. 75k (bit more if you get lost

) The Ultra of 112km was worth 4 points, the one I did got ya 3. If anyone wants 'em, drop me a PM.

Utml.lu

Found it very tough. Hadn't trained specifically for it and had never done beyond a marathon in my life. Pissed rain for the first two (dark) hours. I came home in a sorry enough 9.43. 1,900mts of climbing I believe. Don't know how that compares but it was plenty enough for me anyway.

El Director · 13-09-2017 6:30am

Hi guys. Just wondering - if you obtain the required points does that guarantee your place for CCC/UTMB?

Djoucer · 13-09-2017 9:53am

No guarantee.

It's a lottery. There's about 4/5 races over the weekend. Higher chance of getting into CCC than UTMB.

El Director · 13-09-2017 10:16am

Djoucer wrote: »

No guarantee.

It's a lottery. There's about 4/5 races over the weekend. Higher chance of getting into CCC than UTMB.

Thanks. Ive done some IMRA races but haven't done any Ultras or even a marathon (not really interested) but lately the lure of ultra has really caught my imagination.

grahamor · 14-09-2017 1:49pm

El Director wrote: »

Thanks. Ive done some IMRA races but haven't done any Ultras or even a marathon (not really interested) but lately the lure of ultra has really caught my imagination.

I would recommend that you try out the IMRA Maurice Mullins Ultra in March. It's just a bit more than a marathon with plenty of ascent/descent included. They usually have an early start which might help you if just starting out, i.e. less pressure to finish within cut-off's

El Director · 14-09-2017 2:30pm

grahamor wrote: »

I would recommend that you try out the IMRA Maurice Mullins Ultra in March. It's just a bit more than a marathon with plenty of ascent/descent included. They usually have an early start which might help you if just starting out, i.e. less pressure to finish within cut-off's

If one was only running 40-50km per week but also doing 4-6hours of biking and 1-2 hours swimming (per week) do you think it possible to do, say a 50 miler? I mean if you didn't care about your time/position and just wanted to finish and so implemented a run/walk strategy on the day.

UTMB/CCC Qualifying Races for 2018

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