The Lough Hyne Challenge, organised by the West Cork Triathlon Club, is the first Olympic-distance triathlon in West Cork. Entrants compete over a combined course in three disciplines – swimming, cycling and running. The race begins with a 1.5 km swim in Baltimore Harbour. It is followed by a 46 km cycling stage that takes the cyclists along the Ilen River, then south towards Toe Head and back to Baltimore via Skibbereen and Lough Hyne. The final stage is a 10 km run through the lanes east of Baltimore, ending at the finish line back in the village. The course is a scenic but challenging one for competitors and the race makes an exciting, but less strenuous, spectacle for watchers.

West Cork Triathlon Club