ATHLETES TAKING part in Ireland’s first international Ironman event have begun arriving for this weekend’s contest in Galway.
However, the extended swim, run and cycle challenge involving 2,500 entrants has been overshadowed by controversy due to the impact that extensive road closures will have on parts of the city and Connemara.
Three of Galway city’s four bridges will be closed for a period. And traffic has been banned from the main N59 artery west to Connemara for seven hours.
Church Masses have been affected, despite an appeal by the Bishop of Galway’s diocesan office and Salthill parish. Some businesses in the city and county have decided not to open.
Minister of State for Tourism Michael Ring, who opened the event last night supported by Fáilte Ireland, noted that relay athletes, including several celebrities, would raise funds for Croí west of Ireland cardiology foundation and Irish Autism Action.
The original Ironman concept involved a 141-mile triathlon, with elite professional athletes competing for money. Three years ago, the World Triathlon Corporation was bought by a private equity firm, Providence Equity Partners, for an undisclosed sum. Subsequently, a series of shorter races were initiated at a time when triathlons were becoming the fastest growing sport in north America.
Several USA triathlon surveys indicate that the average annual income of serious competitors exceeds $125,000 (€88,000).
Some 30 of the 2,500 entrants from 40 countries are full-time professional athletes, while 2,000 are amateur and 300 are relay competitors.
The course, early on Sunday, begins with a 1.9km swim in Galway Bay, a 90km cycle into Connemara and back and a 21.2km run between Salthill and the city. Those racing the full course are competing for 35 qualifying slots in the 2013 Ironman World Championship 70.3 in Las Vegas, USA.
Organisers ER Events Ltd say the local economy will enjoy a €5 million euro spin-off.
Television rights have been negotiated with 20 channels, including Britain’s Channel 4 and Setanta Sports.
However, Salthill parish church, which is on the event’s main route from town, has been forced to relocate three Sunday Mass services to a local national school on Dr Mannix road. Parish priest Fr Gerry Jennings says the event is “too disruptive”.
“We sent in a submission to Galway City Council and were rebuffed,” he said.
Galway Diocese also wrote to the local authority on behalf of the bishop of Galway and received a similar response.
“For the first time in over 70 years, vehicular access to the church is denied by the civic authorities,” Fr Jennings said.
The Connemara Gateway Hotel in Oughterard, Co Galway, has also lost two tour groups which had booked for the weekend as the N59 will be closed. It estimates the disruption will cost €20,000 in lost business.
Manager of the hotel Michelle Doherty said tour groups which had booked nine months in advance had cancelled.
“Ironman has said that this will extend the tourist season, but our overseas tourist season lasts into October,”she said.
Ironman had no comment to make on the concerns raised when contacted by The Irish Times.
ROAD CLOSURES AND TRAFFIC PLANS: COUNCIL TO HOLD SPECIAL MEETING
THE IRONMAN 70.3 event in Galway on Sunday will involve extensive road closures, according to Galway City Council, which says that a traffic management plan has been put in place with organisers.
However, the disruption comes after a fortnight of traffic jams due to city road works, and mayor of Galway Hildegarde Naughton (FG) is holding a special city council meeting on the traffic situation on Monday.
The city council says that the organisers are “committed to providing accurate and detailed information to all residents, businesses and visitors, where possible, in order that they can plan their day and minimise any inconvenience that may be caused”.
Salthill promenade closed last night and will remain closed until Monday, to allow for construction and subsequent dismantling of the “transition area” which is the event hub.
The Ironman 70.3 event begins with a 7am swim from Lady’s Beach to the Galway Atlantaquaria in Salthill, expected to finish by 9am.
Athletes will then move onto bikes at Salthill. The N59, the main bike route, will close from 7am to 2pm on Sunday, while three of Galway’s four bridges will close for various periods.
The only traffic route between the city and Connemara during this period is through Maam Cross, An Fhairche(Clonbur), Cong, Headford Cluain Bú (Cloonboo) via the R336, R345, R483, R346, R334 N84.
The bike route travels west along upper Salthill to the R336 as far as Barna village, turning right at the Twelve Pins Hotel to link to the N59, turning left and heading out through Moycullen and Oughterard.
The course turns short of the Maam Cross junction and returns along the N59 into Galway, via the NUI Galway campus to reach upper Salthill.
This will be followed by the half-marathon running route, which makes three laps around Salthill, South Park over Wolfe Tone Bridge through the Spanish Arch and turning at the end of the Long Walk – with laps making up the distance before a final stretch to the finish in Salthill Park.
Details are available on websites ironmanireland.com and www.galwaycity.ie.
Two phone numbers have also been provided for queries – 085 7599471 or 091 395 783.
The city council says that queries can also be e-mailed to Ireland70.3_at_Ironman.com