Brave hearts at the Land of the Giants Duathlon 2017!
January 2, 2018
Race report and results from the Land of the Giants Duathlon Claremorris 2017.
Tough cold conditions greeted over 300 athletes at the annual Land of the Giants Duathlon in Claremorris on December 28. With temperatures barely above freezing, organisers pulled all the strings necessary to make sure the course was safe to race on.
Huge input from local volunteers made sure pathways were salted and gritted and all passageways were cleared just in time for the start at Market Square in the town.
With quite a few participants not willing to brave the cold instead deciding to stay wrapped up in their duvets rather than donning their runners, yet despite this the field was only marginally down on last year’s record numbers.
For those that made the journey from near and as far away as Australia the cold conditions did not dampen the moods, as there was a festive atmosphere in the air and a competitive field aiming to come home with personal bests.
All participants were keen to have a go with the aim of burning a few Christmas calories on the challenging but iconic course.
Paul Dixon the main sponsor of the event and also a participant “Praised the locals especially the Gardai, the Men’s shed group and the local Chamber of Commerce for what he called a community coup, it was easier to postpone the event but with great camaraderie every stop was pulled to make it happen.
How the event unfolded
A super fast run by Karol Cronin, Sports World threw the cat amongst the pigeons by upsetting pre race favourites Aichlinn O Reilly of Westport Tri and Cathal O’Donovan from Cork Tri. On the bike, O Reilly’s power took over showing a clean pair of heels to the Cork man with Cronin now fading back through the pack.
Going into the final run, O’Reilly had a commanding lead with well over a minute; with Sligo man Feidhlam Mc Gowan catching the Cork man on the final run to net second with O’Donovan back in third.
In the ladies race, Mary Daly, Westport had to overcome a strong running challenge from local Paula Prendergast, only catching her towards the middle of the bike leg and Daly held a strong pace in the final run to hold off the Claremorris woman. In third place was Dublin woman Bairbre Doyle.
For most of the participants the event is used as a personal challenge or an excuse to meet up with friends while adding a bit of exercise to the mix, the banter at the finish line the storey of lost seconds the tit for tat battles on the road all unfold back in the square and later that evening it’s a great reason to go out and celebrate their achievements.
Roll on 2018!
Event Full results supplied by Core timing https://drive.google.com/open…
Main sponsors were Dixon & Dever Project Management Services Ltd.
Support sponsors of the event:
The Mc William Park Hotel, Flynn pharmacy and Colette Jordan Associates Architectural Engineering & Energy Consulting
The event was supported by
Claremorris Leisure Centre, Claremorris Chamber of Commerce, Mc Mahon Park committee
Mayo County Council, Road Safety Authority. Claremorris Men’s Shed groups, Claremorris Gardai and Claremorris Red Cross.
Overall Result;…
1st Place – Aichlinn O Reilly – Westport Tri Club 52;58
2nd Place – Feidhlam Mc Gowan – Sligo Tri Club 54:24
3rd Place – Cathal O Donovan – Cork Tri 54:41
Female;…
1st Mary Daly Westport Tri 1:04:21
2nd Paula Prendergast Claremorris 1:05:49
3rd Bairbre Doyle Serpentine RC Dublin 1:06:52
Category sections:…
O40 – Male > Eamon Mc Andrew – Sligo Tri club
O40 – Female > Maggie Vahey – Lough Key Tri club
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O50 – Male > Jimmy Lawlor – MultiSport Westport
O50 – Female > Ann Wynne – Killilea Carrick on Shannon
O60 – Male > John Jennings – Castlebar CC
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Junior;…
Male: – Thierry Baba
Female: – Orla Harrison TC racing
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Relay;…
1st Malone / Mulcahy – Hollymount Wheelers
2nd Hession/ O Donnell – Hollymount Wheelers
3rd Ferrick/ Conroy – Western Lakes CC
Winners of The Land of the Giants Ladies Race were:Left to right:Bairbre Doyle(3rd:London), Mary Daly (1st:Hollymount Wheelers), Paula Prendergast(2nd: Claremorris). Pic:Trish Forde
Winner of The Land of the Giants Duathlon held in Claremorris, main sponsor was Dixon & Dever Quantity Surveyors & Project Managers, Claremorris:Left to right: Féidhlim McGowan(2nd:Sligo Tri-Club), Féidhlim McGowan(Sligo Tri-Club) and Cathal O’Donovan(3rd: Cork Tri-Club).
Pic:Trish Forde.
The Land of the Giants Duathlon, at Claremorris .
Pic:Trish Forde.
Winner of The Land of the Giants Duathlon, at Claremorris was Aichlinn O’Reilly, from Westport Tri Club.
Pic:Trish Forde.
€40,000 for new walking and cycling surface
July 26, 2015
€40,000 has been spent on a new walking and cycling surface at Land of the Giants and McMahon Park.
The older compacted gravel is replaced with the same kind of surface on the Westport-Newport Greenway.
The new surface is much more comfortable for walking and cycling and is wheelchair- and buggy-accessible.
Check the photo on our Facebook and come and try it out for yourself.
Flick the pics! Criterium Cycle Race 2014
June 17, 2014
We had the 2nd Claremorris Criterium cycle race last night.
You can view the pictures here.
Organised by Western Lakes Cycling Club and Claremorris Chamber of Commerce.
Mayo Stages Rally – A Great Success
March 16, 2012
The Mayo Rally held in Claremorris on March 10th/11th was a great success for the organisers and for businesses in Claremorris. The 3rd rally held in as many years attracted a very large attendance for the Ceremonial Opening on Saturday Night. All the cars entered in the race paraded through the town on were on display. Local school children also learned who was the winner of the poster competition that was run in conjunction wi the RSA and the Chamber of Commerce. Many local businesses were involved in sponsorship and the weekend was a demonstration of Claremorris at its best. Its is hoped that Claremorris will get to host the Rally again in the not to distant future.
Successful Mayo Stages Rally Launch
March 5, 2012
Launch of Mayo Rally 2012
Clare Lake Forest Greenway aka Land of Giants – Walk of Month
February 8, 2012
Mayo News has named the Clare Lake Forest Greenway OUTDOORS Walk of the month. A trail with a Giant Twist is how the walk is described by Cathleen Fergus who visited Claremorris this month. Welcome to the Land of the Giants, the Forest Walk extension to the Clare Lake Walk in Claremorris.
Mayo has so many wonderful looped walks but The Land of the Giants is a first for Ireland, its handcrafted wood features guiding you around the 4.5 km route. It’s family, buggy, bike and wheelchair friendly and with a flat terrain, is a walk for all.
For more details on this fantastic walk Mayo News Story on Clare Lake Forest Greenway. 
Green Mile & Land of the Giants
September 15, 2011
A Green Mile of peaceful, easy feelings for the big people and a great adventure in a Land of Giants for the little ones.
From the hallowed turf of the GAA to the birthplace of Sir John Gray, through a Forest Greenway and a strange land of giant wellies and a huge chair. Morris and Clare live there but no one has ever seen them.
Your walking adventure starts in the birthplace of Connaught GAA, the focal point for an array of top-flight facilities for Football, Handball, Racquetball, Squash, Soccer, Rugby, Athletics, Swimming, Equestrian, Golf, Cycling and Angling.
Just a few steps from there to the Town Library, a historic cut-stone building donated to the community by the Church of Ireland, which sits alongside a modern new swimming pool and leisure centre, just recently completed.
Onwards through Dalton Street, named after one of the town’s most famous sons, Cardinal John Dalton, you reach Market Square, a stone’s throw from the home of another famous son, Sir John Gray, who brought “a splendid supply of pure water” to Dublin through the dams, pipes and filters of his beloved Vartry Water Scheme.
Next, turn right for the railway station, one of the largest in the country, connecting two arteries, Dublin-Wesport-Ballina, and the Western Corridor between Galway and Sligo, which the Chamber and others are campaigning to have re-opened.
Continue to Clare Lake, the parkland generously donated by local families and lovingly restored by local people. Everywhere is evidence of a two-decade effort to create a fabulous family amenity. A new extension has been created to form a Forest Greenway extending the walkway and cycleway with a 5km forest loop.
You’re now in the Land of the Giants, Morris and Clare. Will you see them?! Check back soon to see if they’re on our Flickr Photostream. And if you see them first, send us a picture!
