Achill's Battle for the Lake festival back for its 15th edition

The most hotly anticipated action sports festival, Battle for the Lake, is back for its15th edition, with hundreds of water sports enthusiasts and music fans expected to descend upon Achill Island.

The event hosted by Pure Magic Watersports will encompass kitesurfing, windsurfing, SUPing, surfing,Wingfoiling, live music acts, and plenty of other festivities on Achill Island from September 27 to 29, 2024.

Battle for the Lake has continued to grow in popularity as spectator numbers soar into the thousands and social media explodes with talk of the groundbreaking format - not to mention the support it’s garnered from some of the kitesurfing industry’s biggest and best athletes.

Combining surf culture, music, and plenty of craic, the festival will play host to Mayo Mayhem, a two star IWA Wavesailing Competition; the Irish SUP Wave Classic; the Achill Surf Open; and The WOW Show, an invitation-only extreme kiteboarding event.

The Wow Show, arguably the highlight of the Battle for the Lake weekend, will see ten of the kite world’s most renowned pro riders taking to Achill’s frigid waters to battle it out in ten unique heats. The concept was born last year and commemorated on social media with that selfie of pro rider Kevin Langeree jumping over an exhilarated crowd ( 2018).

This year, attendees will have categories like Extreme Beach starts, Synchro Rounds, Dark Sliders, mega stylish mega loops, and the rather curious ‘sheep attack’ all to look forward to. Expect the unexpected as they say over there.

Thanks to Achill’s amphitheatre-like beach, riders are able to bring the action right up close to spectators on the shore, where they pull the wildest tricks possible in an effort to wow the crowd. The event breaks away from the standard kite competition formats - that of traditional course racing, freestyle, or downwind slalom - in favour of off-the-wall heats that encourage riders to express their creativity, style, skill, and personality.

Off the water, the event will see some of Ireland’s most celebrated music acts take to the stage for a full weekend of music, from electric tunes to trad. This year’s lineup includes Jiggy, Aindriais de Staic & the Latchikos, Attention Bebe,Havana Roots, Sexy Tadhg, Bog Bodies, The Circus Ponies, Guillaum Yaouank, Amos Moses, Graham Sweeney, Swiftie, January Winters, Dj Pierr and many more still to be announced.

The location of the event, Achill Island, sits along the heralded Wild Atlantic Way and has earned itself a spot on this year’s list of 50 best beaches in the world. But unlike many of the other entries on the list, Achill is home to the fierce wind and water conditions brought on by frequent Atlantic squalls - which may not be to everyone’s taste but to a kitesurfer, it’s a veritable dream come true.

Tickets for the Battle for the Lake event are on sale now at EventBrite.com with a weekend pass costing €90 while a night pass (Friday or Saturday) will cost €65 while free entry applies for children under 12 years old.

For more information on the Battle for the Lake visit https://www.facebook.com/battleforthelake.