Day One Afternoon

Day Two. The Overnight Shuffle 

Day Three. A south westerly blow by south westerly blow update

Day Four- Yesterday’s Summary and the Prospect of Better Weather?!

Day Four - It's Not About The Bike.....It's About the Boat!

Day Five - Untangling the Dots

Day 8 - An Overnight Finisher and More to Follow

This year's race is the seventh edition of this established self-supported classic, although the last two years have seen a diminished field due to the uncertainties and restrictions imposed in response to the Covid virus.  So it was pleasing to see sixty riders, covering a broad range of age, gender and experience, including eleven women, setting out from Derry at 5am this morning.
![TAW2022 Women Starters](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6cpN5SGaNgkYRYQlB8ETU2/a86989af56a638bc3f00d3c004ad2eaa/281520857_3126305067684978_8070198529990628510_nCrop.jpg)

Some are riding the full distance 2500km “Cu Culhainn” route, others are riding the shorter 1600km “Setanta“ variation.  Both routes coincide frequently and both are as twisty as the snail trail on my living room carpet this morning, so no doubt there will be considerable confusion on my part about who is chasing who and no doubt some riders will find themselves at a crossroads, disorientated and unsure which of three tracks to follow on their gps (well it happened to me in 2017. In fact, I’m sure I did an extra lap on Achill Island!).

The race attracts an international field and this year a few Norwegian riders appear in the start list, perhaps lured by the similarity of Ireland's jagged west coastline to the Norwegian fjords. They should also cope well with the wild Atlantic weather, always a critical feature of the TAW. Race Organiser, Adrian O’Sullivan (more about him in a future post) has helpfully provided a race forecast, advising riders “It’s going to rain. It’s going to be sunny. It’s going to be hot. It’s going to be cold. It’s going to be awesome.” He didn’t mention the wind and perhaps it doesn’t matter because the ride changes direction so frequently that headwinds become crosswinds, crosswinds become tailwinds, tailwinds become headwinds, all in the space of a few km. However, Adrian must have been pleased by this morning’s dry start and the tailwind that pushed the riders along the first flat 30km alongside Lough Foyle. The 5am start is clearly designed to lure the fast riders into thinking they might just make the first ferry across the Swilly from Buncrana at 10am and an initial helping hand from the wind will have helped spring the trap. However, shortly before Greencastle, the route takes a sudden left turn and starts a stiff climb, the first of many as riders begin the rolling and rural section of narrow lanes and high hedges out to Malin Head (who remembers the shipping forecast?). Judging pace and anticipating timings through these early variations in road type and lumpiness is not easy and so riders will all have been calculating and recalculating their chances of making their favoured ferry and shuffling their strategies around to suit. I’ve heard some criticise the inclusion of ferries in endurance races but for dot-watchers at least, it adds another layer of jeopardy and makes this morning's ride a stressful sprint for many of the riders.

This race always attracts some fast riders and this year's front end is bound to be dominated by two who are new to TAW, veteran American Keith Morical and prolific endurance ultra rider Omar Di Felice, resuming their rivalry from the 2019 TransAm where they finished second and third respectively.  They both set out fast this morning, with barely anything between them and clearly both charging for the ferry. Missing it means an eighty minute wait for the next crossing. Omar is recently back from his winter 4000km Arctic World Tour and probably thinks he can cope with anything the weather cares to throw at him…..heh, heh!

German rider Uwe Schmidt made perhaps the fastest start and helped by riding the shorter course, was the only rider to make the 10am Swilly ferry, while Omar arrived just after it sailed and found all those close behind catching up.  In fact, by the early afternoon, everyone should be over the fabulous Mamore Gap and at the ferry, with the morning sprint having divided and reconsolidated them into four groups ready to race again once they land in Rathmullan.  

In the women's race, Sarah Cinquini, another experienced ultra-rider who raced last years 2-Volcano Sprint, has the early lead and just made the 11:20 ferry, she is now a ferry ride ahead of her closest challengers, Gillian Power and Sarah Burns who should both arrive before the next one sails.

Arriving just after the ferry has sailed must be disappointing but simply converts to an enforced rest and a chance to carry out any early kit adjustments, grab some food (there's a cafe on the quayside) and get to know the other riders around you.  Combining the wait and the subsequent crossing time, riders such as Omar will be forced to “rest” for up to 2 hours, much longer than most would want at this stage.  However, it might benefit some, Andy Gorman is reported to have had mechanicals before Malin Head and has already started mid-ride DIY maintenance.  He may welcome the opportunity to consolidate his repairs.
![TAW2022 RaceMap1](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6RnkmAoLBnhysPzZb4LrbT/ef80e9277320b633d22d13a07df70dd9/MapTAW.jpg)

So, the race to the ferry is in full swing, Uwe Schmidt is out on his own and may never see another rider again (unless he starts following his own gps tail on one of those confusing crossovers), and this afternoon three or four boat-loads will restart in wild County Donegal with 80 minutes between them!

Oh and I almost forgot to mention it but……it’s been raining!


The First Few Hours on TAW - It’s a Marathon, Not a Sprint….Hold On, Maybe it is a Sprint!

So Uwe was the only rider on the 10am ferry while a small group of chasers made the 11:20am, including the leaders of the long course with first place woman, Sarah Cinquinto making it with minutes to spare. 

[https://www.instagram.com/p/CelFYXqNkrI/](https://www.instagram.com/p/CelFYXqNkrI/)

The 12:40 Ferry across the Swilly carried 23 riders and the final 16 made the 2:00pm crossing.  This was the one to be on.  With Scottish rider Howard Perkins celebrating his 60th birthday on board it turned into a "party boat" with bedraggled riders serenading him in the rain.  I'm old enough to know that at his age you don't remember birthdays anymore but surely this is one he won't forget.

The distinct "ferry groups" can still be seen along the route, although clearly some have stopped for food or to sort out kit and clothing (the weather has been very changeable today) and they now sit in the gaps between groups and a few riders have bridged across to the group ahead.  Uwe Schmidt maintains his lonely ride out front in the short “Sedanta” race, while in the same race, Niel Copeland, Paul Gannon and Fenton Curley are all in pursuit between 40 and 50km behind, more or less the distance lost by not catching the first ferry. They seem to be holding their own but can they get back to Uwe?  The tracker doesn’t always tell the precise story, particularly if it’s mounted in such a way that the signal is partially blocked, so not everyone updates as regularly as you might like.  However, Uwe appeared to pause before the off-road section through Glenveagh National Park.  Perhaps he was just having some food or changing his clothes.  Maybe he was checking the tracker to see where everyone else had got to but maybe he was wondering if he was off route as the tarmac suddenly disappeared.  The drop down to the Loch is beautiful and at times, moderately technical, particularly on road tyres but everyone should clear it before dark.  

![TAW2022Map2](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2PCRjlMXFuZfCG9NpI9tkx/a2739f820d177eac8f107be9b2f672e6/Map2TAW.jpg)

A growing group of six, seven and now eight riders are battling it out for the lead of the long Cú Chulainn.  Omar stills heads the race but only just from Mark Donnelly-Orr who has been gaining ground since the ferry, Keith Morical, Ken van Someren, Jason Schreurs, Jörg-Ingo Scheffel, Juhani Saario and Tony Keane, all seperated by approximately 30km.  This is going to be a fascinating evening with eight riders slugging it out.  Pace is the least critical factor of course.  More important is stopped time and particularly sleep, when, where and for how long (if at all), will most likely decide who comes out with the lead in the morning.

Having been the only woman to make the 11:20 ferry, Sarah Cinquini retains a clear lead in the women's race and is closing in on the back of the lead group above.  Behind there is a gap to the large group that caught the third ferry and prominent amongst them are Sarah’s chasers, Sarah Burns and Gillian Power.  Again, they’re holding their own and it will be fascinating to see if they can get back to Sarah.

[https://www.instagram.com/p/CelURiWMVDT/
](https://www.instagram.com/p/CelURiWMVDT/)

The weather, as always, has been playing its part, with reports of some particularly unpleasant conditions over the Mamore Gap this morning.  I’m guessing that included a stiff headwind and driving rain but everyone made it over.  It’s such an aesthetically pleasing climb and the descent is gloriously steep, straight and well surfaced but with wind and rain in your face, maybe not so much fun.  Still, that would be a good excuse on the climb to stop and take a look backwards at the stunning view.  Fortunately, as the afternoon has progressed, so the weather has improved, although the wind remains a stiff south westerly and must be making things hard.  

Two of the Norwegian riders, Heidi Indergård and Ole Bjørn Smisethjell, are riding together in the pairs race and I have a report that they used some form of towing device over the gap! Jason Woodhouse is out on route with a camera and promises to reveal more!

Day One usually sees a smattering of scratches but of the 58 riders who crosssed the Peace Bridge this morning, 58 are still riding as we head into the first evening. All have passed the first checkpoint and.....I'll leave it at that before I jinx someone!

Footnote: I've just noticed that Mike Healey and Peter Magill both appear to have taken a wrong turn.  The route generally follows the line of the "Wild Atlantic Way" a promoted motoring tourist route that is very well signed.  Not only does TAW not always follow the WAW but there are also numerous signed offshoots to the WAW.  So perhaps they've made the mistake of following the WAW roadsigns.  Anyway, don't worry, they'll soon realise and if they don't, well they're enjoying an extra fix of the wildest and most authentic part of Ireland.  Keep an eye on them.


So, some of us wake up to the second day, some of us (well some of the riders) stayed up all night.  The first night shake up is always interesting and as the day unfolds it will be interesting to see if things reshuffle as those who banked sleep chase those who popped the matchstick’s in and pushed on.

Finding somewhere to sleep is easy on the TAW if you don’t mind slumming it.  Ireland is mostly rural with plenty of grass to lay on, lots of derelict cottages and a few half built properties left over from the tiger economy crash.  If you want a proper room, with soft sheets, a bath and power for charging, then there are still plenty of options including lots of b&b’s but there are some blank patches and you need to take your chances when they come.

It looks as though Mike Healey is in the silky sheets category and was not off-route in error but had taken his opportunity early to grab a comfortable room for the night.  As the night closed in, small groups did likewise at Bunbeg, Falcarragh, Dungloe and the small town of Ardara, just before the climb up Glengess Pass.

In the womens race, Gillian Power continues to chase Sarah Cinquini. Sarah stopped for sleep at Ardara and climbed Glengesh pass just after 7am this morning which must have been special (apart from the south westerly headwind which continues to batter the whole field).  She remains ahead of Gillian, who stopped for a good rest at Dungloe, by about 45km.
Meanwhile third woman Sarah Burns stopped early at Falcarragh and also looks to have had a good rest.  She is now about 20km back on Gillian and has been joined by Clare Lilley who stopped further back at Bunbeg.  A great race is developing here and with all of the players following similar strategies it’s likely to stay that way, at least for today.

Omar Di Felice and Mark Donnelly-Orr were neck and neck in front and climbing the Glengesh just after 10pm last night but Mark took a rest stop while Omar had ridden through and now sits 80km clear of the field, having completed 500km in the first 24hrs despite his disappointment at the ferry and the stiff headwind.
For a well rested rider at the start, riding through the first night is a common strategy and often doesn’t seem to result in a heavy demand for sleep on the second night but not always….the big question now for Omar and us dotwatchers is, “when will he rest and for how long?”

Noel Cusack is notable as another who didn’t sleep and pushed on through the night, slipping past the sleepers and moving into third place early this morning

In the Setanta Uwe Schmidt stopped briefly on the shoulder of Benwiskin mountain and grabbed a couple of hours rest but still remains a long way clear. However, he was chased all night by the experienced Niel Copeland who stopped just before Donegal for a slightly longer sleep.  Omar, Mark, Uwe and Noel plus Keith Morical were the only riders to clear Glengesh Pass before midnight.

Juhani Saario (rested at the bottom of the Glengesh climb) and Tony keane (rested after the descent from Glengesh) both pushed hard overnight and gained ground in the Cu Chulainn field. Ken Van Someren was another who stopped in Ardara and looks to be well rested and pushed on early along with Jason Schreurs who stopped last night just before Ardara. Craig Morrison and Fillipo Nicoli stopped a little earlier but are now part of this same bunch of chasers who are all located within a stretch of just over 30km and continually shuffling their positions.

We don’t have a detailed update in Keith Morical who tustled for the lead early on yesterday but after crossing Glengesh last night, stopped at Glencolumbkille and has now dropped back into the pack. We’ll let you know as soon as we hear more.

It’s all set for a fascinating day….


So what’s been happening? Well first of all, this Dotwatcher has been dealing with other important matters (my wife’s Birthday) so apologies for the break in transmission.

The more important matter of TAW is developing, as it almost always does, into a story about the weather. The relentlessly strong south westerly wind has battered the riders since the first day and every now and then has been coupled with driving rain.  The rain can be uncomfortable and draw away body heat but the wind is a killer. It turns a flat road and sometimes even a downslope into a hill, gusts kill momentum and it roars noisily inside your head over and over, sapping physical and mental strength.

So it’s a credit to this year’s TAW weather victims that very few have called it a day and huge progress has been made.  The good news is that the forecast suggests more sunshine over the next few days and the wind is dropping.  The bad news, it’s not dropping by much and of course, this is west coast Ireland where the forecast means very little.

![TAW Windmap](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1rul8NSOlHeFyYFAA0iiRV/b74548aba9e1528cb8b444dc17c57059/3C330FD1-831A-4189-AE83-1ECE7172F784.jpeg)

As a result of the wind, a number of riders have taken the decision to switch from the Cu Chullain route to the slightly more direct Sedanta.  It’s an option that’s been available to riders from the start and given that for some, there’s a tight deadline at the finish this seems a good decision given the wind forecast but it will be interesting to see how this affects their motivation and those around them.

The following riders are therefore now riding the Sedanta route, instead of Cu Chullain; Jan Mahoy, Mark Sadler, Jonathan Lloyd and Chris Noonan.  Alasdair Macniven also made the switch but from day one.

![TAW Sarah Cinquini ](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/7vXcFEbL3cuvgJMfPzMlp7/3292cf472e7a19011b64facaa348664e/EB2384A8-EF51-4D95-BB89-75D6D251EABF.jpeg)

Sarah Cinquini continues her relentless ride and looks to be taking good opportunities to rest. Reports from one of the control cars suggested she might have started too fast but judging by her continued pace, she’s got it right.  She remains lead woman and jut inside top ten overall.  Of course, this is self-supported, endurance racing….in Ireland…anything can happen.  That’s shown by Gillian Power who was sitting second woman until her freehub seized.  But in this type of race there’s room for tenacity and ingenuity, “there’s always a way”, is one of my personal mottos (“until there isn’t” is another!).  So Gillian and her bike jumped on a bus in Donegal and headed for a bike shop in Sligo.  Unfortunately it doesn’t open until 10am (this is Ireland, where life has a sweeter pace). We don’t know if she’s stomping up and down in frustration or chilled out and enjoying the rest.  What happens nest will be interesting. Will she get it fixed, will she go back to rejoin at Donegal or will she just take the philosophical approach?

Uwe Schmidt, despite stopping for some proper sleep at last, remains ahead of everyone and leads the expanding Sedanta race.  We’re still waiting for his closest rival, Niel Copelands tracker to update before we know just how commanding his lead is.  Maybe Niel has switched off while he sleeps but it could just be he’s rolling along and the tracker is not getting a good skywards view for transmission.

In the Cu Chullain, Omar Di Felice looks unstoppable (except when he briefly stops) and has a commanding lead.  He’s currently “enjoying” the spectacular (but open to the wind) scenery as he loops around the Irish outdoor holiday venue of Achill Island and on his Insta page describes the race as “now going pure mental”!  He’s clearly enjoying the ride and the scenery so if his dot stops, he’s probably just taking pictures. Meanwhile Mark Donnelly-Orr and Ken Van Sommeren are locked in a ding-dong battle.  Ken sacrificed sleep last night to creep past Mark but Mark then switched things back this morning.  That other insomniac, Noel Cussack again also made nocturnal progress, slipping past a few sleeping rivals but will they all reshuffle again today? Fourth place rider, the young Finn, Juhani Saario looks to be riding a strong and well paced ride.  He’s currently riding the out and back (a regular feature of TAW) down to the beautiful bay at Malin Beg which will provide a few moments of stonking tail wind once he turns back…watch that dot fly.

There are five pairs still rolling.  Riding as a pair has some obvious advantages but I’m convinced it’s a tougher option overall.  There are twice as many bikes and riders to go wrong, matching pace can be a challenge both in terms of frustration for the stronger rider and stress for the less strong (and these roles can switch throughout the race) and decision making and maintaining a riding harmony can be equally challenging and cumbersome (we’ve all known mates fall out even on a club ride!).  Front pair Colin Addison and Mary Mackay have presumably managed the above issues well and are currently enjoying a moment of tail wind as they head towards Donegal and perhaps a late breakfast.

Given the continuing wind strength, today will probably be a make or break day for some as they battle round Donegal bay towards Sligo.  There will be an update later, so keep following and wish them all well


As riders begin their fourth day, the wind has eased a bit but still remains predominantly a headwind.  There are still heavy showers catching some riders but the forecast suggests it’s getting drier and the wind will continue to drop...happy days. 

It's significant that the two routes, Cu Chulainn and Sedanta are named after an iconic Irish legend. An original superhero and how apt.  This years TAW riders are all superhero’s given that they must be riding the toughest version yet of this established event which upholds a reputation for tough weather.  Remarkable tenacity has been displayed by the whole field given that milder weather conditions have decimated other events....but perhaps I speak too soon?!  In contrast, race maestro Adrian is a super-villain (although, when he’s on the bike he’s a superhero too), he was chuckling yesterday “some riders are reporting their hardest ever day on a bike, which makes me very happy”!  He reminds me that when I reached the finish after a wet but less windy ride in 2017, I was unsure whether to hug or punch him.  I wonder if he'll get thumped this year in Cork? 

![TAW Mother Mary](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2V5z2Vi3U5PYOUoeXUGeBI/6ad70e3932c122555fd22201fb083f1a/B616F012-0241-4B95-A0B7-EDF867502CC3.jpeg)
*When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary speaks to me….*

Anyway, after Friday afternoon when the chasers briefly closed the gap on Omar Di Felice, he has clearly decided that’s not happening again as he drives relentlessly on and now holds a commanding lead. He passed through checkpoint 2 yesterday evening, stopping only for a quick coffee and a few brief words and early this morning passed the half way mark, at least in terms of distance. He’s now enjoying the stunning and varied scenery of County Galway.

As any multi-day endurance rider knows, a key skill is the ability to keep stopped time infrequent and short.  Despite the soul destroying weather, both Omar and Uwe have shown impeccable management of their stopped time. In fact Uwe, when he arrived at CP2 related that he’d been cheered on by some roadside dotwatchers on Achill Island, who had offered coffee but such is his disciplined approach to stopping that he declined!
![D6B68895-DE98-4676-9D3A-58C4FAE42FC4](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2siy1IM0gqaywaL5SEjeQz/cfd7c002a525c1e6d8f9d895a5dfac08/D6B68895-DE98-4676-9D3A-58C4FAE42FC4.jpeg)
*Budget B&B found by a resourceful Howard Perkins*

Gillian has resolved her rear hub problems and pressed on from Sligo to a good night’s rest on the Island.  She opted not to go back to the section between Donegal and Sligo so is now riding for fun(?!)....Well good for her, dealing with adversity, revising plans and adjusting expectations while still staying positive and always going forward are also key skills.

Noel Cusack seems to do his resting by day and after his push on the first and second nights, lies 8th this morning. Perhaps we’ll hear more about his sleep strategy when he drops into CP2 later today.  Tony Keane is another who has been pushing hard by limiting stopped time and came into CP2 this morning in a comfortable 3rd place.  The other notable front rider in the Cu Chulainn is Keith Morical who made a great start and then dropped back.  Now, almost unnoticed, he has made good overnight progress, seems to have re-established his rhythm and is back up to fifth.

Lead riders are now well spaced (probably in every sense!) but back on that old favourite, Achill Island, there’s quite a bunch, all twiddling round the loops and tails. There’s lots of opportunities here to cross paths with fellow riders, find out who you’re chasing and who’s chasing you and reinvigorate your pace as a result.  Amongst this group are the two Sarah’s. The leading woman, Sarah Cinquini enjoyed a good rest, while Sarah Burns, now second woman following Gillian’s mechanical, rode longer into the night and almost took the lead.  She’s now resting while SC is in her way again.  It’s a fascinating race and we’ll look forward to hearing more of their stories when they reach CP2.

Three riders, Uwe, Niel and Fenton Curley are, for now at least, comfortably clear and ploughing lonely furrows in the Sedanta but behind them there’s a group of 8 or 9 riders who are very closely spaced, all riding similar strategies and regularly yo-yo’ing depending upon stops.  Trying to pick a finishing order out of this group is impossible but currently Christophe Peger holds fourth with leading woman, Emily Robinson and Stephen Bishop neck and neck behind.

![85F5D38F-90D1-402B-B34D-69FFFD18EC7B](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/69FthdkqHjRQKrk9b9Pusu/0a85e5544a8f31be3d5053c28a5909da/85F5D38F-90D1-402B-B34D-69FFFD18EC7B.jpeg)

There’s just a chance we might see some of this group at CP2 late tonight but more likely we’ll have to wait until tomorrow to hear more of their stories.

![TAW B&B](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/3Jotn9iQMXVJkzSGys1L8w/4d10cb34377c7f2628fe416cb74b397e/50620852-3BCE-4EB9-A43D-4B54693DE5BA.jpeg)
Finally, for now, it’s often the little things that make the difference. Andy Gorman found a bit of the renowned Irish hospitality, sneaking out of his B&B in the early more with all his kit washed and dried by his host and a pack of sandwiches left out for him!  Some consolation for those early mechanicals.


Remember that first day sprint for the Lough Swilly Ferry?  Well, there’s another one.  To save the riders the long ride out and back round the Shannon estuary via Limerick, Adrian (yes, the same supervillain I mentioned this morning) has kindly routed riders via the shorter ferry crossing between Killimer in County Clare and Tarbert in County Kerry.  But there’s a snag, the last ferry is at 9pm and after that there’s a 10 hour wait until the first ferry at 7am in the morning.  Lead rider in the Sedanta, Uwe, is already across and flying round the spectacular Dingle peninsular.  Behind him, Omar and Niel Copeland look set to make the 9pm crossing but those behind will all face a wait.  How riders factor this in will depend on their circumstances and ambitions.  Some may relish the chance for a good rest, others may ease up on the approach but it will surely be a big disappointment for Fenton Curley who is chasing Niel in the Sedanta and Mark Donnelly-Orr, lying second in the Cu Chulainn.  Not only will they lose ground to those in front but they will almost certainly find riders behind closing the gap and a few catching up with them at the ferry.  This could be a real boost for Keith Morical who has been staging a comeback over the last couple of days and could find himself rolling off the ferry tomorrow morning in equal second.

It must be tempting to enjoy a good night's sleep at CP2 but riders need to factor in the time it will then take them to ride to the Killimer Ferry.  For Cu Chulainn riders that’s a further 470km and for those on the Sedanta its 360km.  It’s going to be fun for us dot watchers seeing how the rest of the field tackle this dilemma over the next few days.

Which dots will make it on the dot (see what i did there?) and who will be faced with the long wait. He’s a cunning super-villain, that Adrian O’Sullivan!

Incidentally, its not called "The Emerald Isle" without reason. even the roads are green as Marina Sonzogni finds out below
![316C4286-B826-4023-840C-9145430A9A84](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/35xayarRAMeajmeKfVIBH/9f987f114e174ce9f996a5c401276887/316C4286-B826-4023-840C-9145430A9A84.jpeg)

Meanwhile it’s regrettable to have to report that Heidi Indergård, one half of the Norwegian “tow-some” has decided to scratch and is making her way directly to Cork.  Partner Ole Bjørn Smisethjell is continuing as a solo Sedanta rider.  It remains to be seen whether or not he’ll offer the towing facility to any of the other riders!

Dutch rider Sjoerd Witjes is apparently not where we think he is.  He lost his tracker near Ballina and despite the media team spending time scouring long grass, it could not be located which begs the question “are any of the riders where their trackers say they are?” (hee, hee!).  A new tracker is being arranged so be prepared for him to pop up anywhere.  Thinking about it, has he cooked up a crafty way of slipping under the radar and then resurfacing in the lead?

Finally, I know some of you read these reports in the hope of uncovering the secrets of success in this bizarre game.  Well, if you’ve wondered why Tony Keane is going so well, it may be partially down to his diet.  Apparently when he went through CP2 he was seen to be feeding on a Connemara Seaweed Pasty and Chocolate Porridge.  I’ve checked and neither are currently on the WADA banned list, so give it a go.

Catch up tomorrow for a summary of tonight's mid-night shuffle and to check the Shannon estuary ferry rostas.

So, last night Omar and Niel both made the last ferry with a little bit to spare.  Omar describes the battle to get there as a challenge to his mental endurance, stopping only briefly at CP2, snatching just three hours sleep a little further down the road before pushing hard for the ferry in strong wind and heavy showers, covering the 470km between CP2 and the ferry in around 25hrs.  Niel also stopped only briefly at CP2, grabbed a little more rest on the way to the ferry and arrived at almost the same time as Omar.  I dare say there was a hug or two before they set off into County Kerry, both heading for a good night’s sleep.  

There’s a fascinating battle unfolding for 2nd place in the Cu Chulainn.  Mark Donnely-Orr left CP2 yesterday morning and Tony Keane arrived at almost the same time, stopping for a morning sleep before riding through last night and closing the gap on Mark.  They are both now headed for the ferry with just 40km between them.  The gap could change again depending upon how their ride times coincide with ferry departures.....exciting times. Behind them, Ken Van Someren and Juhani Saario are in a close race for fourth and fifth place and could end up side by side on the ferry.

Amongst the leading women things are also getting exciting.  Gillian Power continues her impressive ride, despite the disappointment of losing time to a rear hub problem and having to miss out a section between Donegal and Sligo.  Meanwhile, the gap has closed on women's race leader Sarah Cinquini who pressed on beyond CP2 last night, opting for a comfortable night in a hotel, while Sarah Burns came into CP2 in the early hours, grabbed a short sleep and then set off in pursuit and is now just 35km behind.  It’s too far for either of them to make the ferry today, will they both be together on tomorrow's first crossing?  There’s also a good race going on for third and fourth amongst the women, with Marina Sonzogni and Claire Liley both spending the night on Achill Island and setting off this morning with only 20km between them.  It would be a tall order, with 600kn to go but with the wind beginning to finally drop and if they can manage a big push, they might just make the last ferry tomorrow.

![7K8A9305](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4EkgIRmvIKTyG8Km5Y9d6l/25f800591367733b59f4b2b995a288de/7K8A9305.jpg)
*Togetherness and smiles at CP2*

It was a busy night last night at CP2 with 16 riders coming through and it looks as though the majority of the remaining riders will get there later today, so let’s hope the “Misunderstood Heron” have been well briefed to ensure they can meet the demand for their Connemara Seaweed Pasties!  A couple of trackers have yet to update this morning but its reasonable to assume that Fenton Curley and Keith Morical will cross the Shannon estuary today, along with Ant Day who is riding a very even paced race with good overnight rests and might be one to watch for a strong finish. 

![Tom Downes](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/59jGS3L21YVdoNfhsMceeZ/8b661f5bd470c2c7ddf8689e1db8eaa2/7K8A9362.jpg)
*No shelter for Tom Downes battling a tough wind across the open countryside*

Of the pursuing Cu Chulainn riders, Filipo Nicoli, Tom Downes and Tim Lewis have a slender chance of making the last ferry tonight.  Will they chase it or will they take today as a steady day, ahead of a morning crossing?  Also in with a chance of making tonight's ferry, particularly with their route being a little shorter, are the Sedanta riders, John Bakewell and Chris Noonan but it would be a tall order and more likely they will all be together on tomorrow morning’s ferry.

![IMG 4148](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1gKKPPgCkvfVYqJgty2VBc/192cbf4f9aceb8a93d9e94c7fd2a5d3f/IMG_4151.JPG)

Meanwhile Sjoerd Witjes is now back on the tracker (after losing his original one) and is definitely beyond CP2.

Superb Photo Credits @fergus_coyle [https://www.ferguscoyle.com/ ](https://www.ferguscoyle.com/)



So, first Sedanta rider Uwe Schmidt is away and closing on the finish.  In this game anything can happen, so it would be premature to call it just yet but he looks likely to make Cork in time for last orders.  If he gets the first round in, he’ll be drinking it on his own unfortunately but by now he must be used to his own company.  Behind him there's a close race for second Sedanta place between Fenton Curley (who was briefly lost to us on Trackleaders) and Niel Copeland.  Which one gets there first will, as always be largely down to stopped time and with both likely to finish early tomorrow ardent Dotwatchers might need to stop up late to watch the final dog-fight.  Behind them it looks as though Ant Day is going to have his heart broken by just missing the last ferry but Ant’s ride is notable for his consistent and substantial sleep stops, so perhaps he factored the break at Killimer into his strategy.

The Cu Chulainn route has a lot of twists and turns after the exit from the Dingle peninsular.  Omar is approaching the delightfully scenic Gap of Dunloe and the loop round the Ring of Kerry but with approximately 600km still to ge is unlikely to reach Cork before the early hours of Wednesday morning….but in this game, anything can happen.

So far, as far as we are aware, eight riders have crossed the Shannon with a significant number more likely to be on the first ferries tomorrow morning.  There is a bit of uncertainty in this because there do seem to be a few tracker problems at the moment.  Race Control are aware of this and are “on the case”.

Amongst the women, Sarah Cinquini has opened up the gap back to Sarah Burns by a few km but they remain within 35km of each other while Clare Liley and Marina Sonzogni are both due into CP2 shortly just a few minutes apart, along with Andy Gorman. Unfortunately for them, the checkpoint is now closed but an additional “unofficial” checkpoint exists a further 250km down the road and east of Galway (more about that later).

![58DA6384-BEA8-42C6-8084-5381D5B559A0](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/3Pbz4ZfiRlnnvEYXPo58va/60017cef8ed2f98b9dcef571987f290f/58DA6384-BEA8-42C6-8084-5381D5B559A0.jpeg)

Avid dotwatchers may have noticed some diversions into the town of Clifden where there just happens to be an excellent bike shop.  There aren’t many bike shops in these parts  but this fell right for Steven Bishop who diverted to resolve the small problem of a “collapsed wheel”.  A big shout out to Clifden Bike Shop for keeping Andy’s dot rolling as well as several other riders in this and previous year’s TAW.

![0965D5A1-E1D8-469C-802A-A06FEB8311E5](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1yxuKAZeEzGTOuGJ7Wfkuv/0d08d07541173313545f9e7dbf19638f/0965D5A1-E1D8-469C-802A-A06FEB8311E5.jpeg)

This one turned out not to delay riders but Mary Mackay posted a photo of a big hole on the Sheeffry pass on the Cu Chulainn just before CP2, that was just passable with a bike.  Some may know that Supervillain Adrian has lots of contacts in the construction world.  Was this another of his little twists?!

![14FF6B51-18E9-4F8B-84F5-288BBF372BE2](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6mDzPfTCk41qZKHXt6nSDZ/b51d8a402731c42a994ab0cf3329b43c/14FF6B51-18E9-4F8B-84F5-288BBF372BE2.jpeg)

Finally, when you see someone eating this for breakfast, you know they’re either in the early stages of pregnancy or riding an ultra-endurance cycling event.  To find out which applies here check out Howard Perkins @heatherstalks Insta account.

Header photo credit @fergus_coyle


As Day Five Turns to Darkness, Will Uwe Make Last Orders?

And so we have our first rider home.  Congratulations to Uwe Scmidt who rode a superbly paced, focussed and solitary ride at the front of the Setanta from day one.  Having endured that soul and leg destroying south westerly and regular drenchings througout the first three days, it is remarkable that he arrived in Cork at 1:41am, having covered the 1687km Setanta course in 4 days 20hrs and 41mins .   With just a little irony, Uwe was brought home with a steady tailwind through to Kinsale!.

Heidi  Indergård,  who scratched and then raced to Cork to welcome home the first riders, was on hand along with the Media Car to capture Uwe’s understated and composed finish.  He didn’t quite make last orders but Cork is a good place to celebrate any time of day and no doubt he’ll be making the most of breakfast as he begins that strange experience of slowly reconnecting with regular life. For now he will feel weirdly disconnected, floating apart from everything else around him and having held such a focus on every moment, continually analysing his progress, revising his plans, he will also now begin "processing" the experience.  Something  that everyone finds they need to do after such an intense experience as TAW.

Congratulations Uwe, enjoy the sweet feeling of switching off.

First Rider Home!

With the next two riders on the short course Setanta route not expected into Cork until this evening and with the first rider home on the long course Cu Chulainn not due in before tomorrow, there’s a chance to focus further back down the road.

I said we’d update Keith Morical’s circumstances once things became clearer.  His dot didn’t move for most of yesterday but is now in Galway.  Unfortunately, it’s a scratched dot.  Having started out as one of the front runners, Keith has had a couple of setbacks and damage to his front forks finally put paid to his race.  As much as Super-Villain Adrian wants everyone to get round, he also wants this to be a tough challenge and completion is never guaranteed.  However, riders who scratch almost always have as big a story, as much of an adventure, as many memories as those who reach the finish.  We hope Keith has enjoyed his TAW and look forward to seeing his next challenge.

Much of the dotwatcher excitement today is bound to be directed towards the group of riders headed by Jason Schreurs, lead woman in the Setanta, Emily Robinson and second placed Cu Chulainn woman, Sarah Burns, followed by lead pair-team Craig Brookes and Peter Fortune, Tyrone Kennedy and Vinny Doyle.  They all, to varying degrees depending on which course they're riding, have a chance of making the last ferry tonight.  If they make it, they avoid a long enforced rest at Killimer but for some it will be tight.  So who will push for it and will they make it….set your Trackleaders screen to refresh mode and enjoy the action.

Further down the road are the riders who face the biggest challenge, simply because they are out there longer.  That’s not diminishing the superhuman efforts of the race leaders who push themselves to the limit and suffer for their success but they have the comfort of an early finish, the lift that comes from being in front and the huge support and attention of dotwatchers along the way.  However, Mike Hall said each year when he presented Kristoff Alegaert with yet another TCR winners jersey (and it was slightly tongue in cheek) “Nobody’s interested in the winner and their immaculate ride, that’s boring, we want to hear the stories, the trials and tribulations of the riders further back”

Dave Walker and Andy Gorman are riding not far apart, both are about half way to Cork (although Andy has now switched to the shorter course) and both have been sharing their experience on social media.

![IMG 3801](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/XDh3nGalzyL4xIYZHVy7L/69aa17544b809da1c642c97305c4e1d2/7K8A9952.jpg)

Sheffield based Dave describes some of the issues he faced on Sunday in his latest social media post;

“Day 4 and its going from bad to worse. I found a bad spot for a bivvy, next to a main road outside Ballina resulting in a lack of sleep.  Today I was soon treated to rain and headwinds. The worst part was the 82km ride to the first open shop, a Spar at a petrol station but being Sunday their cafe wasn't open. When I reached Blacksod point I had zero energy and was very worn out. This should have been last night's bivvy spot according to my original schedule. I decided to bivvy anyway to make up for lost sleep and had a good 3/4 hour.  Rain was looming again so after a quick pack up I set off and made it to Mulranny where I now needed a power socket for charging. I found a curry house and socket and have now packed up what I can't eat to go with me. Oh and saddle sores have set in!”

And Andy Gorman has revealed the combined physical and mental challenge required for riders “hanging in there” and shows that by offering riders the option to switch down from the long to the short course,  Adrian has given some an option to recover their momentum when otherwise they might have scratched.

![7K8A0128](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6moPqwhfc533ysd70czKfv/d26878d1b23bf13978a31e3c3adbfed9/7K8A0128.jpg)

Andy posted early yesterday;

“I’m not going to lie. The last few days have taken their toll on my body. Not able to eat any food comfortably so I’m afraid to eat and also afraid not to eat. Sore throat, cough and I cannot get warm even with all my layers on. I tried to take longer sleeps for rest but it’s not improving. Spent most of last night shaking. It’s not looking great but rather than scratch I’m going to try and keep going on the short route.”

With a bit of moral support and encouragement, things can turn round very quickly. Just a few hours later Andy posted; 

“Just thought I’d post something happier as I appear to have worried a few people earlier. Feeling a little better now. Managing to get food in with regular stops and fig rolls are ace. CP2 has a bed waiting apparently so that’s the target for me today. A good night’s rest could be the ticket! The Green Way in Mayo is lovely. Also, a shout out to Fergus and Howard for chatting earlier. You helped me reframe this.”

Photo Credits @fergus_coyle @adriancrapciu


Day Six and Another Intermediate Sprint (for the Ferry)

Mike Sheldrake

This race along the Wild Atlantic Way on the west coast of Ireland returns for 2022.

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