Series Outline:
This year’s series of Ireland’s Fittest Family series return sees the toughest families in the country take on the most gruelling and physical challenges imaginable. It will be filmed over the course of three weeks in our new hub at Hell & Back in Kilruddery, Co. Wicklow. Set across acres of land at the foothills of the Wicklow mountains this is the perfect location to put our families through their paces.
There are four levels that families must compete to win the title. Starting in The Forestover four weeks 16 families will become eight as each week two families will be eliminated.
The eight families that survive The Forest will progress to the quarter-finals in the lake and will be put to the test in the water.
Only six families will do enough to stay in the game and make it to the semi-final in the swamp.
The best four families will make it through to the final and these families will be pushed to new heights on the mountain
One family will reach the summit and be crowned Ireland’s Fittest Family winner.
EPISODE ONE – THE FOREST
Episode One of series 8 sees the first four of 16 families descend on our brand new hub in Kilruddery Co Wicklow. The first episode is set in The Forest and features two brand new events – Sole Survivor and Back Against the Wall.
This episode sees the Thompsons from Wicklow, battle it out against the Doyles from Longford, the O’Rourkes from Galway and the Mahoneys from Wexford. Only two families will make it through to the quarter-finals in The Lake and for the other two, their time in the competition has ended at the first hurdle.
SOLE SURVIVOR:
This is an extreme test of balance, speed, strength and endurance. The family must nominate one member as the Sole Survivor to balance on a beam six metres high in the treetops.
After two minutes of balancing on two legs the sole survivor must switch to one leg to stay in the game. Whilst this family member is balancing the other 3 members must transfer 40 sandbags weighing 20kg through a series of over and under and complete the loop by returning the sandbags to the designated box under the sole survivor. If the sole survivor loses their balance the clock stops and the sandbags are counted.
The family with the most sandbags in the box wins the race. If all 40 sandbags are transferred without the sole survivor falling off, it’s down to the quickest time, so every second counts. This one is an extreme test of nerve.
BACK AGAINST THE WALL:
This is a test of muscle endurance that burns every muscle in the legs, the quads will feel the most impact in this event.
The four members must hold a seating position at 90 degrees with their backs against the wall. Monitored by our fitness expert Paul O’Donovan the clock stops once their position drops. The times of the family members are then added together so every second counts. The family with the longest combined time wins the race.
So in this round the team with the longest time goes straight through to the quarter-finals and the other two families face off in an eliminator.
ELIMINATOR:
This eliminator starts with each family jumping off hay bales to collect a log where they must then run through the forest. They drop the log and then face the cargo net crawl. It’s onto a series of tire obstacles that will push them to the max. Then they must sprint 200 metres through a cornfield carrying a second log. If that isn’t enough the ice-cold plunge baths await. Once they are through that they face the Irish table. Then it’s on to our new massive ramp and the family, the family standing at the top of the ramp wins the race and the losers are eliminated.
Proudly sponsored by Londis.