DUBLIN, IRELAND (Geared Up Blog) - Gerard McDonnell is going back to K2 this year as part of a Dutch expedition to climb the formidable mountain. I’m not sure is he part of their team or just with the expedition so that he can attain his climbing permit. The expedition website is here though just beware it is mostly in Dutch so i can’t really understand a whole lot of what is going on.

-Eoinod-

SINGAPORE (Team Geared Up) - The Irish team have issued a press release May 8th 2008 from Everest Base Camp. The mountain is open! Now… let’s hope the rush of 285 climbers for the top doesn’t cause a loss of life. Fingers crossed.

Chinese Summit Puts Irish Everest Plans Back On Track

Climbers Graham Kinch (29) and Ian Taylor (29), the youngest Irish men to attempt Mt Everest and also the first Dubliner and Kildareman respectively were woken today on day 48 of their Everest expedition to the sound of an aeroplane flying over the summit. “We all knew what it ment” said Taylor, “and the good news that the Chinese had summited at 5:20am Nepalese time (12:35am Irish time) followed with resouning cheers throughout base camp”. The Chinese who are hosting the Olympics in June had imposed restrictions on the Nepaleese side of the mountain until after they had summitted with the Olympic tourch. The 285 climbers at base camp, including the two Irishmen have spent over a week waiting for the Chinese to summit so that they can continue with their summit attempts.

The two Irishmen have only one more aclimatisation trip up the mountain before their ascent proper. They will leave at 2:00am on Friday morning, going straight to Camp 2 at 22,000ft for two nights before pushing on up to Camp 3 at 24,000ft on the 11th. “Although we have effectively been idle at base camp for the last 8 days” said Kinch, “donations for the Kitandwe School Project in Uganda have continued to flow in via our website www.everest2008.ie, for which we are very appreciative”.

The two Irish climbers are in the final weeks of a year long journey that will see them climb four mountains on four continents in order to raise €85,000 for a school in the Ugandan village of Kitandwe in partnership with the Irish charity Fields of Life. If all goes according to plan they will complete their journey by summiting Mt Everest on the 23rd May.

-Robin.

SINGAPORE (Team Geared Up) - We broke the news in January that an AR World Series race to be held in Ireland next summer. Valerie O’S just mailed in a press release to me.

The first ever World Series Adventure Race taking place in the South West in June 14-21 2008, as part of three major races taking place here along the western seaboard aimed at establishing Ireland as a premier adventure sports and tourism destination.

It looks fantastic.

The Turas Mór is a five day race which will trace a 650 kms course over the peninsulas and bays of West Cork and Kerry, encompassing trekking, mountain biking, kayaking, horse riding, traditional boat rowing, ropes, orienteering megalithic sites of the region.

The location for the first ever AR World Series event in Ireland is in the south western corner of the island, in regions of counties Cork and Kerry characterised by five great peninsulas and separating Atlantic bays.

Teams from 19 Countries have signed up for this exciting Race,these include, USA, England,Canada,Norway and Ireland,France,Mexico.Teams of Four must be able to traverse mountains, cycling over 150km a day, kayak over 45km, Row over 11km, sometimes without sleep for the five days.

Ireland’s arrival on the world stage of adventure racing seeks to honour athletic endeavor with a spectacular course that reflects the incredible natural and cultural landscapes of this place in a manner that promises a Turas unmatched anywhere in the World! .
Turas: a Special Journey,a pilgrimage,a sacred journey over land and seascapes,involving body,spirit and soul
For Further Information:

Daragh O’Suilleabhain
087-7842848

Looks great, for more see www.turasmor.com.

-Robin.

SINGAPORE (Team Geared Up) - TGU Alumni blogger Darran reports that Irishman, Damian Foxall and his French team mate Jean-Pierre Dick will sail into Barcelona tonight in the Paprec-Virbac 2 winning the 1st ever Barcelona World Race.

The Barcelona World Race is a new two-handed, non-stop round the world yacht race starting on the 11th November, 2007 [and to be held every four years]. For the first time, this race will see the world’s best professional sailors from both solo and fully crewed disciplines coming together to compete against each other in teams of two.

Kerryman Damian Foxall has clocked-up more than 280,000 nautical miles in the past 25 years, racing the planet’s most competitive boats.

Damian is sailing in a pair with French skipper Jean-Pierre Dick.

-Robin-

(Image Credit: Barcelona World Race)

SINGAPORE (Team Geared Up) - Thanks to Sean Murray for creating and sending TGU an Irish Adventure Racing Calendar. Good one ;-)

I’m trying to promote Adventure racing in Ireland.

I’ve put a calendar together which I will update when there’s more news.

Thanks Sean. We’re working on ‘calendar.teamgearedup.com’ for a March-ish launch too. I hope we can converge all the events for the Irish outdoors on that. I’ll keep you posted.

-Robin.

(Image Credit: TGU blogger Eoin passes an MTB rider in Glendalough, Nov 2007. By Author.)

SINGAPORE (Team Geared Up) - This Irish Surfing Video by YouTuber ‘fionnion‘ (view bebo) is great. I love when Ireland is on the leading edge of both a sport, and reporting on it.

He says…

Most surfing is by cain and some more with William Johny n jack. William doen the jumps on kite and im the one falling about the place. Songs Green Machine by Kyuss who kick ass

Keep them coming. Big fan :-)

-Robin-

UPDATE: Richard Donovan Race Director of the Antarctic Ice Marathon says that Tim Harris holds the youngest (and fastest) 7-7-7. Thanks Richard.

SINGAPORE - Mark sure kept himself quiet! RTE has just broken the story that Mark Scanlon has achieved the Guinness World Record for Youngest 7-7-7.

A 24-year-old Irish man has broken the Guinness World Record for the youngest person to run seven marathons in seven months on seven continents.

Mark Scanlon, who arrived in Dublin Airport today after his record-breaking runs, had no formal training when he took on the 7-7-7 challenge, raising €20,000 for the Irish Cancer Society.

Mr Scanlon said he is looking forward to returning home to Ballina, Co Mayo for a well-earned rest.

Congratulations Mark.

-Robin-

(Image Credit: Mayo News)

LONDON, UK (Team Geared Up) - Eoin & myself took my London flatmate out for a jaunt in Wicklow (Ireland) 3 weeks ago to give him a first taste of the mountains. We also took the opportunity to wind-test the Mountain 25 by The North Face. This tent has been everywhere with me, but not out of place in a photo of Everest South Col it has never yet maxed out in European ranges - this was the closest test it would face.

We left the carpark in Glendalough at 10pm in dry gusty conditions and pitched in the most exposed place possible on the very summit of Camaderry in gale force conditions at 1am with nothing but a very low peat hag to shelter the stove behind. Unfortunately most of the photos are from the morning but that night we got absolutely battered, shaken, pelted-apon, and the sky pretty much fell on us. The wind really hit the tent to a point where it was questioned would the poles potentially snap.

Nope. The tent held fast like a limpet to the ground. It never lost its shape. Above my head on the seam where the wind was driving the rain through in, I had a drip fall, but nothing much to worry about considering the conditions outside. I expect the silicon fly on the 2007 model would not have experienced this.

What a fantastic tent! Apart from getting this gear test in, the other advantages of sleeping on the summit of a mountain are the morning photos you can snap from the tent door!

You can view the Mountain 25 specs here, also note, a new 2007 model is available.

We also past some Irish MTB riders coming flying down off the Spink boardwalk at about 2pm on Sunday, I got some quick snaps - is this you? do you know them? Looked like a whole lot of fun!

(Photo Credits: All by the author, full Flickr gallery available)

LONDON, UK (Team Geared Up) - The Great Outdoors Canoeing Awards were held on November 24th At Green Isle Hotel, Dublin. Read the post “Kelleher is Crowned King at Great Outdoors Canoeing Awards”. TGU love IrishFreeStyle.com and love featuring their photos (see above!).

The awards went something like this:

Paddler of the year (The Salmon Leap Trophy)-Winner LEN KELLEHER-World champion in kayak surf this October.

Junior paddler of the year (The Celbridge Paddler Trophy)-Winner BARRY WATKINS-European Junior Champion in Flatwater racing and medallist in marathon Worlds.

Club of the year (The Richmond Canoe Club Trophy)-Winner WILD WATER KAYAK CLUB-Irelands largest and most active canoe club.

Coach/Instructor of the year (The Training Unit Trophy)-Winner MARTIN MCCARTHY-Based in Wild-water kayak club .

Outstanding contribution (The Weirgate Trophy-In Memory of Ken & Violet Cooper)-Winner PADDY MALONEY-Our octogenerian competitor was honoured as one of the founders of canoeing in Ireland.

Outstanding support (The Brendan O’Connell Trophy)-Winner ESB-Our key partner across the disciplines of canoeing over the last 50 years.

-Robin-

(Image Credit: Bosco, not giving up without a fight!!!, Big Boat Bonanza - 2007)

LONDON, UK (Team Geared Up) - An interesting post appeared on climbing.ie during the week, and a suitable debate has followed. The author is ‘Arther Aggs’, specifically not ‘Arthur’, any idea who this is? Is it an anagram? maybe, so from now on I’m going to call him ‘Garter Gash‘.

Hi all, just to let you know, and give you warning that you will see me over the winter digging holes at the top of most of the main popular climbs around the quarry. I am going to be putting in some metal stakes for belays. All stakes will be tested for suitability and once finished will be clearly marked and identified as to the details to contact for further information. I hope this will open up climbing without the continued strangulation and suspect dependancy of little yellow bushes.

Garter Gash has proven he’s not a fly by night staker! and come back with some great answers to his critics including the statement:

Consultation will be taken with the MCI, all passing trade in the quarry and the council.

Looking forward to finding out who it is, and your opinion, so get voting YES/NO:

-Robin-

(Image Credits: Both Creative Commons Licensed, Fantastic “B&W of Dalkey Quarry” by Phil Pankov and “Lee at the Top of Dalkey Quarry” by Padraig Woods)