The Turas: Extreme Adventure, Extreme Landscapes, Extreme Fun!

Ireland’s first World Series Adventure Race, The Turas, hits the West of Ireland from 14th – 21st June 2008

This Summer some of the world’s toughest athletes will be pushed to their limits and beyond as they take part in The Turas, a gruelling expedition-style race across some of the world’s most iconic landscapes – the Kerry and West Cork Peninsulas.

Participants will compete non-stop, day and night, for over 90 hours across 12 disciplines – including trail running, mountain biking, horse riding, navigating megalithic monuments, rafting, rope courses, rowing and kayaking on sea, lake and river. They’ll rely entirely on their own strength and stamina, with no outside to assistance allow and access to food ONLY at certain points along the route or where provided by the organizers. If they need to sleep, they’ll do so unsheltered along the way – and only when absolutely necessary!

The race will take them along the five peninsulas of Kerry and West Cork – through the mountains and waters of the Mizen, Sheep’s Head, Beara and Iveragh Penninsulas. The highlight of the race will be the longest zipline ever in Adventure Racing, spanning a glaciated valley in the McGillycuddy Reeks area. Well, it’ll be nice for the competitors to rest their legs for a bit won’t it?

But if all this sounds a bit too much like hard work, don’t despair! You can still head down to the West and soak up the excitement and the unique Turas atmosphere with festivals all along the race route, including Féile na Tine in Gougane Barra, music and dance in the Black Valley near Killarney, concerts in Schull and more fantastic events in Caherciveen and a Full Moon Party in Sneem.

The race finishes on 21st June – the summer solstice – and there’ll be a climatic festival at the finish line in the Gap of Dunloe to celebrate with DJs, live music and craic late into the night.

Check out http://www.TheTuras.com for details.