Location:
Fota Wildlife Park, Fota, Carrigtwohill, Co Cork
Entries
Because of the anticipated large entry numbers, please arrive and enter early. The entry desks will be open shortly after 6pm.
Race Start Time
Start time is 20:00 (8pm), however the start may be delayed if numbers are large or on Garda advice (The Gardai will be controlling traffic on the Cork-Cobh road). Every effort will be made to start on time.
Course Description
The race takes place over a certified 4 mile course and has been measured by an AAI National Grade Measurer, using a bicycle with a Jones counter.
Except for a short 246m section on the main Cork-Cobh road, the race takes place over 4 miles on closed roads within Fota Island. The race is relatively flat, with two short hills, about 20m and 80m respectively, at approx. 2.25 and 3.6 miles respectively.
Entry Details
Entries are €10 each. Entries will be taken in the Fota Wildlife Park Education Centre – Last entries 7:40pm. At the entry desk, you will be asked for Name, Age Category and Club or District. There is no Pre-registration for this race and all entries will be taken in the Fota Wildlife Park Education Centre on the night. The Education Centre is adjacent to the main entrance to the Wildlife Park.
Access to Wildlife Park
The race entry includes access to Fota Wildlife Park and all Parking Charges.
Families
Persons accompanying race entrants will be allowed access Fota Wildlife Park provided they are accompanied through the access door by an athlete in possession of a race number. Unaccompanied persons will not be admitted.
Barriers
The exit barriers will upright/open from the beginning of the race until participants have departed Fota Wildlife Park. Cars will not be permitted to exit while runners are passing the short 80m section between the car park exit and the main gate. This is estimated at a maximum period of 15 mins, from approx. 20:10 to 20:25, plus 15 mins, allowing for a late start.
Parking
There are parking spaces for 900 cars in the car park. Please park carefully and follow directions from stewards and/or Gardai. When driving into Fota Wildlife Park car park, please try to move quickly but carefully to a parking space, otherwise other traffic is likely to be held up behind.
Train
The normal train service from Cork to Cobh stops at Fota and you can use this to arrive/leave. See www.irishrail.ie for times. A printed timetable is here. At the time of writing, the most appropriate train time leaves Cork at 18:30 and arrives at Fota at 18:43, with the return train at 22:10, arriving in Cork at 22:24. The railway station is approx. 1K from the Check-in, going through Fota Wildlife Park, or 1 mile via the Public Works road.
Changing Facilities
There are limited changing facilities in the Fota Wildlife Park Education Centre. There are NO shower facilities at this race.
Toilets
There are toilets in several locations: In the Fota Wildlife Park Education Centre, close to the main entrance to Fota Wildlife Park, just inside the main gates to Fota Estate and in the Restaurant.
Safety
Ambulance/Defibrillator
An ambulance will be in attendance and Eagle AC will have the Club’s defibrillator deployed. In addition Fota Wildlife Park staff with first-aid training will be present.
Stewards. There will be stewards and/or arrows at most turns. The public road section, in particular, will be heavily stewarded. Other stewards may be located at critical points during the race e.g. at ramps, cattlegrids or barriers. Please follow all instructions during the race. If you are available for stewarding, please contact Chief Steward, Gail Mullaney at 086 3694142 or email [email protected] e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Headphones/animals/birds/cattlegrids/Ramps and safety.
This is NOT your ordinary race. While the race is being held largely over closed roads, there are many hazards on the course, some unique to this unique race. The race starts and finishes within Fota Wildlife Park – almost 2 miles of the course is within the park, consequently it is likely that there will be animals and birds on the course. There are two cattle grids in the early part of the race, these will be boarded over, nevertheless, please be careful passing over these. There are also two sets of ramps. The firsts of these comes at approx. 1.5 miles – you will pass over these again at approx. 2.75 miles – with the second set at the barriers (2 miles). The barriers will be up throughout the race and aftermath. Because of these hazards, the use of headphones is ABSOLUTELY FORBIDDEN. Anyone found using headphones before the race will be asked to remove them. Anyone found using them during the race may be removed from the race and anyone found in possession of headphones/Mp3 players etc at the finish will appear in the results as “headphone wearer” and will NOT be eligible for any prizes or Top 100 T-shirt
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