The first ever half ironman event to be held in Swansea has sold out of places for competitors despite the fact it’s still almost a month away. The Ironman 70.3 triathlon is taking place in the city on August 7.
More than 2,000 men and women are taking part in what will be the first pro race of the 2022 Ironman UK season. The event will start with a 1.2-mile sea swim at the Prince of Wales Dock, before competitors then undertake a 56-mile cycle through Mumbles, across the hills of Gower, along the waterfront of Swansea Bay and back into Swansea city centre.
When that section of the race is finished, athletes will then move into the final leg - the 13.1 mile run down the flat and coastal Swansea Bay course, culminating in a finish on the Ironman red carpet at Museum Gardens. You can keep up to date with the latest Swansea news by signing up to the local newsletter here.
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The event will see a proud 63% of competitors racing for Wales, with 1,295 registered competitors representing the host country - and 772 athletes racing from the Swansea area itself. Nearly 37% of athletes taking part in the event are members of an Ironman Tri Club, with locals Celtic Tri, Swansea Vale Tri, and Rhondda Triathlon Club leading the way out of the 191 different Tri Clubs represented.
“Following on from the success of our Ironman Wales event in Tenby, now celebrating its 10th anniversary, we have no doubt Ironman 70.3 Swansea will quickly become a prominent feature of the European race calendar,” said Rebecca Sutherland, race director for Ironman 70.3 Swansea. "The challenging but stunning courses and exceptional crowd support offered in Wales is second to none, and we look forward to seeing the event come to life in Swansea this August.
“We would like to thank Swansea Council and Welsh Government for their strong partnerships, our generous local and European sponsors for their support, and our dedicated staff, suppliers, and volunteers for their continual hard work. Finally, we would like to thank the communities along the course that allow us to create an event of this scale. We hope to see you out in support on race day.”
Twenty athletes taking part on the big day will be doing so on behalf of the Wales Air Ambulance, with Jenny Rose from Swansea being one of them. Her mother was taken by a Wales Air Ambulance helicopter to hospital for life-saving surgery when she suffered a brain haemorrhage while out in the Gower Peninsula. "We are so grateful to the Wales Air Ambulance for saving her life, allowing her to continue being the most incredible woman, wife, mother, and grandmother that continues to serve others and put everyone else first,” said Jenny. “It’s a pretty crazy challenge to sign up to as I’m no triathlete, but I’d like to use this as a chance to raise money.”
As well as the huge number of local competitors signed up to take part, the event has attracted a global audience to south Wales, with athletes from Ireland, South Africa, France, New Zealand, and the USA taking on the challenge. The event is expected to bring an economic boost upward of £2.5m to the region, as tens of thousands of athletes, supporters, volunteers, and staff travel to the Swansea area for the race weekend.
“Excitement is mounting in Swansea, with the first Ironman 70.3 Swansea less than 30 days away,” said Robert Francis-Davies, Swansea Council’s cabinet member for investment, regeneration, and tourism. “We look forward to hosting thousands of athletes and spectators at the event on 7 August. With the Volvo 2022 World Triathlon Para Series Swansea planned for 6 August, it’s going to be a fantastic weekend of sport. These events along with all the others that Swansea hosts each year will hopefully inspire even more people to compete in sport, competitive or recreational, and to enjoy our local area and facilities.”
Ironman 70.3 Swansea is the third event in the Ironman UK calendar to take place this year, following on from Ironman 70.3 Staffordshire on 12 June and Ironman UK on 3 July. Ironman Wales, the only full-distance event on Welsh soil celebrating its tenth year, takes place in Tenby on 11 September before the UK season comes to a close with Ironman 70.3 Weymouth on 18 September.
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