The Lough Cutra Race
Race 1 – Lough Cutra Castle Triathlon - Sunday 26 May 2013
This date marks the beginning of the Markel Castle Triathlon Series 2013 and plays host to our finest and newest castle – Lough Cutra. This first race sets the scene for a competitive and fun series, hosted within the beautiful grounds and surrounding area of stunning South Galway.
The weekend coincides with Bank Holidays in the UK and it is also the first weekend of the UK school half term.
All races at Lough Cutra Castle start by launching into an open water swim in the iridescent lake, transitioning into the technical cycle route that circumnavigates Lough Cutra itself in a 20KM loop. There will be one cycle lap for the Sprint and two laps for both the Mid and Olympic distances. Similarly, the run passes through the stunning estate grounds and deer park and has one lap for the Sprint and two laps for the Mid-Distance and Olympic races. The race culminates with a sprint through the grand stables and down the main drive to the finish in front of Lough Cutra Castle itself!
Trophies, Prize Money and medals
All competitors in all races will receive a medal on completion of their race. This year there will be an opportunity to personalise your medal for a small fee.
Trophies will be awarded for the 'Open' 1st, 2nd and 3rd place for both the male and female Sprint, Mid-Distance and Olympic races and for the 1st place, Vets, Super Vets and Ultra Vets, Junior and Children's races (age group variant).
The prize money is awarded to highest placed competitors (male and female) in the 'open' Olympic distance; 1st place €300, 2nd place €150, 3rd place €50
International Elite Team prize €1000*
For more information on please see here.
*This is awarded to the fastest elite team of 3/4 triathletes (ie. not a relay team)
Lough Cutra Travel & Accommodation made easy!
We've done all the planning for you, you just need to come and enjoy the Race!
To view various travel options to Ireland, please have a look at this quick reference guide.
Lough Cutra Tri Travel (696.0 KB)
For directions from Shannon Airport to Lough Cutra, click here
First Name: CASTLE
Surname: TRIATHLON
Event Number: CASTLE2013
Traveling across the Irish Sea just got easier! Our Travel Partner, Stena Line is yet again offering triathletes taking part in the Lough Cutra Castle Triathlon, and their families, 10% discount on their Economy, Flexi & Premium motorist fares on all Stena Line Irish Sea routes.
"Our best fares are online and booking could not be easier. Log on to www.stenaline.co.uk/event. A unique code has been specifically assigned to Castle Triathlon competitors. Enter 'CASTLE' as your first name, 'TRIATHLON' as your surname and 'CASTLE2013' as your event number (see above example), then go on to make your booking in the normal way selecting which fare suits your need".
We have also compiled a comprehensive list of local accommodation.
Lough Cutra Tri Accommodation (65.5 KB)
The Lady Gregory Hotel our official Accommodation Partner, just 20 minutes from Shannon Airport and 2 minutes from Lough Cutra, is the ideal place to base yourself for the weekend. http://www.ladygregoryhotel.ie. There is also accommodation at Lough Cutra Castle itself : http://www.loughcutra.com/index.php?page=cottage-rental-galway
For more information on the surrounding area and what it has to offer visit the County Galway Guide: http://gort.galway-ireland.ie/lough-cutra-castle.htm
Camping will be available at the Castle for the 24th, 25th and 26th May 2013. The campsite is in a beautiful family friendly spot adjacent to the stables and main house and a hop skip and a jump from the lake. Toilets and shower facilities will be available. Camping can be added to your booking when you register or booked separately here. For camper van and caravan owners, there are no facilities for electric hook-up or the disposal of human waste.
For more further information, see the Travel and Accommodation page.
Triathlon Ireland Sanctioned Race
For the second year running the Lough Cutra Castle Triathlon will be a Triathlon Ireland Assured Sanctioned Race. As such we will be receiving assistance from Triathlon Ireland technical officials on the day and in the run up to the event. We are also pleased to announce that, as an sanctioned race, we are part of the new 2013 'Kids Tri Series' in Ireland. View this document for more information.
The Kids Tri Series.pdf (310.2 KB)
All competitors must show their Triathlon Ireland ("TI") membership card at registration. In 2013 this includes children, however the membership to TI is only €1. Click here for more details on Junior and child membership. The TI membership card is pale purple in colour. If you do not have your membership card, please contact the Triathlon Ireland office at least one week prior to the race so that they can post out a card to you. If you do not have a Full, Student or Junior membership card, you must pre-purchase a One Day Licence through the Triathlon Ireland website. This must be purchased by midnight the Thursday before the race. Any competitor who cannot show their Triathlon Ireland membership card (pale purple in colour) or a One Day Licence at registration, will not be allowed to race as they will not be covered by insurance.
Please note - Relay entries only require either one membership or one day licence per team.
Do not wait until the week before the race to apply for your TI membership as you will not receive your card in time. Please apply for your TI membership at least 2-3 weeks before the race to ensure you receive your card in time.
Membership & ODL Important Information2013_1.pdf (113.2 KB)
Triathlon Ireland One Day Licence (ODL)- Important information!
If you decide to take part in one of the races at Lough Cutra Castle and are not a TI, BTF or FFT (Triathlon Ireland, British Triathlon Federation or French Federation Triathlon) member, you will need to purchase a TI One Day Licence in order to secure your place. You must bring a copy of the confirmation with you on the day. For more information, please visit http://www.triathlonireland.com/one-day-licence.html
As this event is sanctioned by the governing body for triathlons and related events in Ireland, Triathlon Ireland (TI), the race complies with well established rules including safety regulations, race organisation guidelines and provision of third party insurance cover. TI nominated officials attend every sanctioned event to ensure these standards are fully adhered to. Further details can be provided as required or reviewed at www.triathlonireland.com.
Race Distances and Pricing - Sunday 26 May 2013
To compete in the Lough Cutra Castle Triathlon you can enter either as an individual, a relay team of two, or a relay team of three. The Junior and Children’s races follow the same format. Relay entries can be all male, all female or mixed. Click here for Series pricing.
| Race Name | Race Distance | Race Price |
Start time |
| Adult Individual Olympic - The Lough Cutra | 1500m/40km/10km | £75.00 | 09:00 |
| Adult Olympic Relay - The Lough Cutra Relay | 1500m/40km/10km | £95.00 | 09:40 |
| Adult Individual Mid-Distance - The Prendergast | 800m/40km/8km | £65.00 | 10:00 |
| Adult Mid-Distance Relay-The Prendergast Relay | 800m/40km/8km | £85.00 | 10:20 |
| Adult Individual Sprint - The Viscount Gough | 400m/20km/4km | £55.00 | 10:45 |
| Adult Sprint Relay - The Viscount Gough Relay | 400m//20km/4km | £75.00 | 11:15 |
| Junior (13-15 yrs) - The Teal | 300m/8km/4km | £30.00 | 15:00 |
| Children (11-12 yrs) - The Cormorant | 200m/4km/2km | £25.00 | 15:15 |
| Children (8-10 yrs) - The Widgeon | 100m/4km/1.3km | £20.00 | 15:30 |
| Junior and Children's Relay | All Distances | £40.00 |
|
The Family Entry discount has been changed to give an automatic 15% discount at checkout for any booking which includes 2 adults and 1-4 children (15 years and under). |
*Family Entry enables a family to enter any combination of the races eg. Mum does the Olympic/ Dad does the Sprint/ eldest does the Teen race and the youngest does the Children's Race (8-10 years) or any combination thereof. It does not mean that the family is entering any of the races as a team.
Entrants will be notified of their wave time in their race pack via email 2 weeks prior to the event. Depending on numbers there will be multiple waves for each race distance. We advise that entrants arrive at least 1 hour before their wave time.
Training
If you or your children are new to the sport or you simply want to get some advice on improving technique then we recommend that you take advantage of our training set-up. Partnered with thetrilife.com, one of the UK's leading triathlon training providers, we offer a range of training programs and training days at our stunning castle venues. For more information please click here.
Juniors and Children's Races
We are pleased to announce that Lough Cutra Castle Triathlon will be part of the new Kids Triathlon Series run by Triathlon Ireland. All sanctioned races catering for 8-15 year olds are automatically part of the series for 2013.Juniors and Children’s races take place within the Castle grounds and swim in the same lake as the adults. The cycle course is technical and the run takes in the castle gardens and monuments. The races are not only exciting, but are marshaled and timed as professionally as the Sprint, Mid-Distance and Olympic races. These races are designed for the ‘real’ experience with as much fun as the adult course. Please note that the children will remain on the estate throughout the whole race and will need mountain/ cyclo-cross bikes to navigate the off road cycle course. Click here to view our Junior Tri page for more detail.
Triathlon Ireland and Junior Tri - Important information!
In 2013, Triathlon Ireland have stated that any child who takes part in a Triathlon Ireland sanctioned event needs to be either a TI member (€1 fee) or pre purchase a One Day Licence ("ODL"). You can either visit the TI website, or call TI during office hours on (+353) 01 276 4934 and seek assistance on sign up over the phone.
The process for a junior to join TI is simple:
1) Register an account online at www.triathlonireland.com either by setting up a child’s own account with their email address or by adding a junior onto an existing members account
2) Print out, sign and return a copy of our 2013 parental waiver (which is downloadable at the time of taking out the membership) to our office, along with a copy of the child’s birth certificate or passport
3) Once documentation has been received the child’s account will be activated and their membership card posted out
If you decide to purchase a ODL, TI will monitor the ODL system throughout the year, and contact any juniors who purchase an ODL and will help them to convert their ODL to a Junior membership. If this is done within 3 months of them purchasing the ODL, TI will happily refund the €4 difference of the ODL fee they paid.
If children haven’t pre-purchased a One Day Licence or have a TI card at the race, they will need to purchase an ODL at the race for €5.
Volunteering
Our events wouldn't be so successful if it wasn't for dedicated individuals who give up their time to help marshal.
We are running a 'Trading Places' scheme for all our races this year. Please see document for more info.
Trading Places Scheme - Volunteer as a Marshal (98.1 KB)
Driving Directions to the Castle
From Dublin:
Follow the N6 for Galway. At Loughrea avoid the bypass signposted for Gort, but head straight on into the town. At the end of the town turn left at the Westbridge onto the N66 signposted for Gort. Entering Gort turn left at the T Junction onto the N18. After c. 2 miles there is a small road to the left. Take this and immediately in front of you are the Main Gates to Lough Cutra Castle.
From Shannon:
Take the N66 northbound for Ennis and Galway. After Ennis continue through Crusheen. After c. 5 miles there is a small car sales forecourt. Take the next right turn onto a small road (c. 0.75 miles) and the main entrance to Lough Cutra Castle is on your right.
Access to the Castle and Gardens
Access to the Estate grounds is free for spectators. The Castle is a private residence but the stunning gardens will be open to the public.
Parking
There will be parking within the Estate grounds. There is no charge to park however a donation towards our local charity will be much appreciated. Please follow the race day parking signs for “Triathlon Car Park” – this will enable access onto the estate via a service road. The main drive will be used for the cycle route section of the race.
On the Day
On the day there will be food and drink outlets as well as an array of retail and sampling stalls.
Course Maps
Please see the technical course maps of the routes on and off the estate. Full pdf versions can be downloaded below.
Lough Cutra Castle Cycle 2012 (2.9 MB)
Lough Cutra Castle Site Map 2012 (2.9 MB)
Water Quality Testing
The water quality tests are taken regularly for Lough Cutra Castle's lake. All tests are undertaken using the EU Water Bathing Directive as the benchmark.
LoughCutraWaterTest2012.pdf (45.3 KB)
Water Temperature
This will be taken nearer the Event. Wet suits will be optional on race day if the water temperature is between 15 and 23 degrees centigrade.
