Waterville Trail Running Festival 2026
The 6th Edition Delivers Magic on the Kerry Trails
By Sean Clifford · · Race Report
The 6th edition of the Waterville Trail Running Festival took place over the May bank holiday weekend on the spectacular Iveragh Peninsula. Widely regarded as one of Ireland’s premier trail running events, WTF once again proved why runners keep returning year after year. The atmosphere, organisation, and stunning Kerry trails combined to create another unforgettable weekend.
130km Ultra – A Masterclass from Philip Slattery
This year’s course ran clockwise, making the iconic loop noticeably tougher (according to many) with a more demanding climb up Eagle Hill. The weather was near-perfect — dry underfoot with just a few mucky patches — giving runners ideal conditions for fast times and big efforts.
With 35 starters, the flagship 130km (three loops of the 43km course) promised a strong battle, and it delivered.Philip Slattery took control early and never looked back. He led from the first split and produced a remarkably consistent performance across all three loops to win in 15:48:15.