Half distance, ranked
The easiest 70.3 races, ranked
88 IRONMAN 70.3 courses publish a measured bike climb. The flattest come first, then the races that also suit a first half distance.
The 10 easiest IRONMAN 70.3 courses
Half distance: 1.9 km swim, 90 km bike, 21.1 km run.
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1. IRONMAN 70.3 Texas
Galveston Island, United States · 4 Apr 2027
Climbs 22 m on the bike and 17 m on the run. Water around 22 °C, highs of 26 °C, 8 h 30 min to finish.
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2. IRONMAN 70.3 Erkner
Erkner, Germany · 12 Sept 2027
Climbs 50 m on the bike and 30 m on the run. Water around 20 °C, highs of 20 °C, 8 h 30 min to finish.
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3. IRONMAN 70.3 Türkiye
Belek, Türkiye · 1 Nov 2026
Climbs 80 m on the bike and 18 m on the run. Water around 25 °C, highs of 27 °C, 8 h 30 min to finish.
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4. IRONMAN 70.3 Eagleman
Cambridge, United States · 13 Jun 2027
Climbs 101 m on the bike and 45 m on the run. Water around 24 °C, highs of 30 °C, 8 h 30 min to finish.
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5. IRONMAN 70.3 Puerto Rico
San Juan, Puerto Rico · 14 Mar 2027
Climbs 103 m on the bike and 151 m on the run. Water around 27 °C, highs of 28 °C, 8 h 30 min to finish.
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6. IRONMAN 70.3 Duisburg
Duisburg, Germany · 29 Aug 2027
Climbs 120 m on the bike and 30 m on the run. Water around 21 °C, highs of 25 °C, 8 h 30 min to finish.
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7. IRONMAN 70.3 La Quinta
La Quinta, United States · 6 Dec 2026
Climbs 135 m on the bike and 105 m on the run. Water around 14 °C, highs of 26 °C, 8 h 30 min to finish.
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8. IRONMAN 70.3 Western Australia
Busselton, Australia · 6 Dec 2026
Climbs 154 m on the bike and 12 m on the run. Water around 19 °C, highs of 23 °C, 8 h 30 min to finish.
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9. IRONMAN 70.3 Leipzig
Leipzig, Germany · 8 Aug 2027
Climbs 180 m on the bike and 30 m on the run. Water around 22 °C, highs of 25 °C, 8 h 30 min to finish.
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10. IRONMAN 70.3 North Carolina
Wilmington, United States · 16 Oct 2027
Climbs 196 m on the bike and 80 m on the run. Water around 22 °C, highs of 23 °C, 8 h 30 min to finish.
How the ranking works. Courses are ordered by bike elevation gain, the climbing figure that the most races publish. Equal climbs are split by run elevation, then by race-day heat. Water, air temperature and cut-off sit beside each race, so you can see what the climbing figure leaves out.
32 races in this group publish no elevation figure and are not ranked.
The best 70.3 for beginners
Flat, not too hot, in water where a wetsuit is likely.
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1. IRONMAN 70.3 Texas
Galveston Island, United States · 4 Apr 2027
Climbs 22 m on the bike and 17 m on the run. Water around 22 °C, highs of 26 °C, 8 h 30 min to finish.
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2. IRONMAN 70.3 Erkner
Erkner, Germany · 12 Sept 2027
Climbs 50 m on the bike and 30 m on the run. Water around 20 °C, highs of 20 °C, 8 h 30 min to finish.
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3. IRONMAN 70.3 Duisburg
Duisburg, Germany · 29 Aug 2027
Climbs 120 m on the bike and 30 m on the run. Water around 21 °C, highs of 25 °C, 8 h 30 min to finish.
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4. IRONMAN 70.3 Western Australia
Busselton, Australia · 6 Dec 2026
Climbs 154 m on the bike and 12 m on the run. Water around 19 °C, highs of 23 °C, 8 h 30 min to finish.
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5. IRONMAN 70.3 Leipzig
Leipzig, Germany · 8 Aug 2027
Climbs 180 m on the bike and 30 m on the run. Water around 22 °C, highs of 25 °C, 8 h 30 min to finish.
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6. IRONMAN 70.3 North Carolina
Wilmington, United States · 16 Oct 2027
Climbs 196 m on the bike and 80 m on the run. Water around 22 °C, highs of 23 °C, 8 h 30 min to finish.
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7. IRONMAN 70.3 Western Sydney
Penrith, Australia · 2 May 2027
Climbs 206 m on the bike and 52 m on the run. Water around 19 °C, highs of 21 °C, 8 h 30 min to finish.
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8. IRONMAN 70.3 New York
Jones Beach, United States · 24 Oct 2026
Climbs 230 m on the bike and 20 m on the run. Water around 18 °C, highs of 18 °C, 8 h 30 min to finish.
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9. IRONMAN 70.3 Emilia Romagna
Cervia, Italy · 19 Sept 2027
Climbs 264 m on the bike and 32 m on the run. Water around 22 °C, highs of 23 °C, 8 h 30 min to finish.
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10. IRONMAN 70.3 Waco
Waco, United States · 14 Nov 2027
Climbs 315 m on the bike and 91 m on the run. Water around 18 °C, highs of 26 °C, 8 h 30 min to finish.
How this list is built. It keeps the races where the average water is between 18 °C and 24 °C, so a wetsuit is likely to be allowed and the swim is not cold, and where race-day highs stay at 28 °C or below. Those races are then ordered by bike elevation gain, least first.
12 races in this group publish no elevation figure and are not ranked.
The easiest 70.3 races in Europe
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1. IRONMAN 70.3 Erkner
Erkner, Germany · 12 Sept 2027
Climbs 50 m on the bike and 30 m on the run. Water around 20 °C, highs of 20 °C, 8 h 30 min to finish.
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2. IRONMAN 70.3 Türkiye
Belek, Türkiye · 1 Nov 2026
Climbs 80 m on the bike and 18 m on the run. Water around 25 °C, highs of 27 °C, 8 h 30 min to finish.
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3. IRONMAN 70.3 Duisburg
Duisburg, Germany · 29 Aug 2027
Climbs 120 m on the bike and 30 m on the run. Water around 21 °C, highs of 25 °C, 8 h 30 min to finish.
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4. IRONMAN 70.3 Leipzig
Leipzig, Germany · 8 Aug 2027
Climbs 180 m on the bike and 30 m on the run. Water around 22 °C, highs of 25 °C, 8 h 30 min to finish.
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5. IRONMAN 70.3 Málaga
Málaga, Spain · 31 Oct 2027
Climbs 250 m on the bike. Highs of 24 °C, 8 h 30 min to finish.
5 races in this group publish no elevation figure and are not ranked.
The easiest 70.3 races in the USA
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1. IRONMAN 70.3 Texas
Galveston Island, United States · 4 Apr 2027
Climbs 22 m on the bike and 17 m on the run. Water around 22 °C, highs of 26 °C, 8 h 30 min to finish.
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2. IRONMAN 70.3 Eagleman
Cambridge, United States · 13 Jun 2027
Climbs 101 m on the bike and 45 m on the run. Water around 24 °C, highs of 30 °C, 8 h 30 min to finish.
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3. IRONMAN 70.3 La Quinta
La Quinta, United States · 6 Dec 2026
Climbs 135 m on the bike and 105 m on the run. Water around 14 °C, highs of 26 °C, 8 h 30 min to finish.
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4. IRONMAN 70.3 North Carolina
Wilmington, United States · 16 Oct 2027
Climbs 196 m on the bike and 80 m on the run. Water around 22 °C, highs of 23 °C, 8 h 30 min to finish.
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5. IRONMAN 70.3 Gulf Coast
Panama City Beach, United States · 8 May 2027
Climbs 229 m on the bike and 41 m on the run. Water around 24 °C, highs of 29 °C, 8 h 30 min to finish.
3 races in this group publish no elevation figure and are not ranked.
Four things to compare before a first 70.3
The month, the climbing, the water and the heat. The ranking orders by climbing because it is the one measured on most courses, and shows the other three beside it.
A half distance is 1.9 km of swimming, 90 km on the bike and 21.1 km of running, with a cut-off of 8 h 30 min on most courses. For the full distance, see the easiest IRONMAN courses.
This page covers the 70.3 only. The easiest IRONMAN courses page ranks the full distance by climbing, and the best IRONMAN for beginners page picks a first full distance by water and heat as well.
The half-distance calendar
Narrow it with the month you can train for and the region you can reach.
- IRONMAN 70.3 Buenos Aires Palermo
Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Date
- 4 Oct 2026
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- IRONMAN
- Water
- 23 °C
- Bike
- Rolling
- Run
- Flat
- Entries
- Closed
- IRONMAN 70.3 Encarnacion
Encarnacion, Paraguay
- Date
- 11 Oct 2026
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- IRONMAN
- Water
- 20 °C
- Bike
- Hilly
- Run
- Flat
- Entries
- Closed
- IRONMAN 70.3 Versailles
Versailles, France
- Date
- 11 Oct 2026
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- IRONMAN
- Water
- 21 °C
- Bike
- Rolling
- Run
- Flat
- Entries
- Closed
- IRONMAN 70.3 Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt
Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt
- Date
- 16 Oct 2026
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- IRONMAN
- Water
- 28 °C
- Bike
- Rolling
- Run
- Flat
- Entries
- Closed
- IRONMAN 70.3 Dhofar
Salalah, Oman
- Date
- 24 Oct 2026
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- IRONMAN
- Water
- 27 °C
- Bike
- Rolling
- Run
- Flat
- Entries
- Closed
- IRONMAN 70.3 New York
Jones Beach, United States
- Date
- 24 Oct 2026
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- IRONMAN
- Water
- 18 °C
- Bike
- Flat
- Run
- Flat
- Entries
- Closed
- IRONMAN 70.3 Agadir
Agadir, Morocco
- Date
- 25 Oct 2026
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- IRONMAN
- Water
- 21 °C
- Bike
- Rolling
- Run
- Flat
- Entries
- Closed
- IRONMAN 70.3 Costa Navarino, Peloponnese, Greece
Peloponnese, Greece
- Date
- 25 Oct 2026
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- IRONMAN
- Water
- 23 °C
- Bike
- Rolling
- Run
- Flat
- Entries
- Closed
- IRONMAN 70.3 Goa
Goa, India
- Date
- 1 Nov 2026
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- IRONMAN
- Water
- 26 °C
- Bike
- Hilly
- Run
- Hilly
- Entries
- Closed
- IRONMAN 70.3 Kenting
Kenting, Taiwan
- Date
- 1 Nov 2026
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- IRONMAN
- Water
- 25 °C
- Bike
- Flat
- Run
- Flat
- Entries
- Closed
- IRONMAN 70.3 Türkiye
Belek, Türkiye
- Date
- 1 Nov 2026
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- IRONMAN
- Water
- 25 °C
- Bike
- Flat
- Run
- Flat
- Entries
- Closed
- IRONMAN 70.3 Campeche
Campeche, Mexico
- Date
- 8 Nov 2026
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- IRONMAN
- Water
- 27 °C
- Bike
- Flat
- Run
- Flat
- Entries
- Closed
- IRONMAN 70.3 Melbourne
St. Kilda, Australia
- Date
- 8 Nov 2026
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- IRONMAN
- Water
- 18 °C
- Bike
- Flat
- Run
- Flat
- Entries
- Sold out
- IRONMAN 70.3 Phu Quoc
Phu Quoc, Vietnam
- Date
- 15 Nov 2026
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- IRONMAN
- Water
- 29 °C
- Bike
- Flat
- Run
- Flat
- Entries
- Open
- IRONMAN 70.3 Langkawi
Langkawi, Malaysia
- Date
- 21 Nov 2026
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- IRONMAN
- Water
- 29 °C
- Bike
- Hilly
- Run
- Flat
- Entries
- Open
- IRONMAN 70.3 Mossel Bay
Mossel Bay, South Africa
- Date
- 22 Nov 2026
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- IRONMAN
- Water
- 21 °C
- Bike
- Hilly
- Run
- Rolling
- Entries
- Sold out
- IRONMAN 70.3 Aracaju-Sergipe
Aracaju, Brazil
- Date
- 29 Nov 2026
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- IRONMAN
- Water
- 26 °C
- Bike
- Flat
- Run
- Flat
- Entries
- Sold out
- IRONMAN 70.3 Cartagena
Cartagena, Colombia
- Date
- 29 Nov 2026
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- IRONMAN
- Water
- 29 °C
- Bike
- Flat
- Run
- Flat
- Entries
- Sold out
- IRONMAN 70.3 Valdivia
Valdivia, Chile
- Date
- 29 Nov 2026
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- IRONMAN
- Water
- 16 °C
- Bike
- Flat
- Run
- Flat
- Entries
- Sold out
- IRONMAN 70.3 La Quinta
La Quinta, United States
- Date
- 6 Dec 2026
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- IRONMAN
- Water
- 14 °C
- Bike
- Flat
- Run
- Flat
- Entries
- Sold out
- IRONMAN 70.3 Veracruz
Veracruz, Mexico
- Date
- 6 Dec 2026
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- IRONMAN
- Water
- 25 °C
- Bike
- Flat
- Run
- Flat
- Entries
- Open
- IRONMAN 70.3 Western Australia
Busselton, Australia
- Date
- 6 Dec 2026
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- IRONMAN
- Water
- 19 °C
- Bike
- Flat
- Run
- Flat
- Entries
- Sold out
- IRONMAN 70.3 Bahrain
Manama, Bahrain
- Date
- 11 Dec 2026
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- IRONMAN
- Water
- 23 °C
- Bike
- Flat
- Run
- Flat
- Entries
- Open
- IRONMAN 70.3 Florida
Haines City, United States
- Date
- 13 Dec 2026
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- IRONMAN
- Water
- 19 °C
- Bike
- Rolling
- Run
- Rolling
- Entries
- Sold out
- IRONMAN 70.3 Pucon
Pucon, Chile
- Date
- 10 Jan 2027
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- IRONMAN
- Water
- 20 °C
- Bike
- Rolling
- Run
- Hilly
- Entries
- Open
- IRONMAN 70.3 Nelson Mandela Bay
Port Elizabeth, South Africa
- Date
- 31 Jan 2027
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- IRONMAN
- Water
- 20 °C
- Bike
- Rolling
- Run
- Rolling
- Entries
- Open
- IRONMAN 70.3 Muscat
Muscat, Oman
- Date
- 6 Feb 2027
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- IRONMAN
- Water
- 22 °C
- Bike
- Rolling
- Run
- Flat
- Entries
- Open
- IRONMAN 70.3 San Salvador
San Salvador, El Salvador
- Date
- 7 Feb 2027
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- IRONMAN
- Water
- n/a
- Bike
- Hilly
- Run
- Hilly
- Entries
- Open
- IRONMAN 70.3 Panama
Panama City, Panama
- Date
- 28 Feb 2027
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- IRONMAN
- Water
- 26 °C
- Bike
- Flat
- Run
- Flat
- Entries
- Open
- IRONMAN 70.3 New Zealand
Taupo, New Zealand
- Date
- 6 Mar 2027
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- IRONMAN
- Water
- 19 °C
- Bike
- Rolling
- Run
- Flat
- Entries
- Open
Flat on both legs narrows the field fast
Of the 120 IRONMAN 70.3 races, 37 carry a flat label on both the bike and the run. That filter changes the shortlist more than any other.
Across the 131 half-distance races with a water figure, the average runs from 14 °C to 29 °C, from a compulsory wetsuit to no wetsuit at all.
Put a shortlist on the same rows
The flattest 70.3 courses, side by side.
IRONMAN 70.3 Texas
IRONMAN 70.3 Erkner
IRONMAN 70.3 Venice-Jesolo
- Race 1 IRONMAN 70.3 Texas
- Race 2 IRONMAN 70.3 Erkner
- Race 3 IRONMAN 70.3 Venice-Jesolo
- Circuit
- IRONMANIRONMANIRONMAN
- Distance
- Middle distanceMiddle distanceMiddle distance
- Terrain
- RoadRoadRoad
- Swim
- 1.9 km1.9 km1.9 km
- Bike
- 90 km90 km90 km
- Run
- 21.1 km21.1 km21.1 km
- Date
- 4 Apr 202712 Sept 202724 Apr 2027
- Country
- United StatesGermanyItaly
- Registration
- OpenSold outSold out
- Swim venue
- BayLakeSea
- Average water temperature
- 22 °C20 °C17 °C
- High air temperature
- 26 °C20 °C18 °C
- Low air temperature
- 19 °C10 °C10 °C
- Bike profile
- FlatFlatFlat
- Bike elevation gain
- 22 m50 mn/a
- Run profile
- FlatFlatFlat
- Run elevation gain
- 17 m30 mn/a
- Overall cut-off
- 8 h 30 min8 h 30 min8 h 30 min
- Altitude
- 2 m38 m6 m
- First edition
- 201020222021
- Swim start
- Rolling startRolling startRolling start
- Entry fee, from
- $460€416n/a
What to check on the official page
Three things decide a first race as much as the course: the cut-offs for each leg, the entry fee and the travel. The athlete guide gives the cut-offs, the official race page the fee and the entry tiers.
Count the travel both ways: a long flight before a first half distance takes more out of the legs than most people expect.
Questions this page is asked
Which IRONMAN 70.3 is the easiest?
On bike climbing, IRONMAN 70.3 Texas, with about 22 m over 90 km. The ranking above lists the next nine, with the water and the heat for each.
What is the best 70.3 for beginners?
A flat course in water where a wetsuit is likely and on a day that is not too hot. The beginners list above keeps the races with water between 18 °C and 24 °C and highs of 28 °C or less, flattest first.
What is the easiest half ironman in Europe?
IRONMAN 70.3 Erkner, with about 50 m of bike climbing.
How long do you have to finish a 70.3?
Most IRONMAN 70.3 races close the course 8 h 30 min after the start, with intermediate cut-offs after the swim and the bike. The athlete guide of each race gives the exact times.
Is a flat course easier?
It is more predictable, which is what most people mean by easier on a first attempt. It still asks for the full effort, and wind becomes the main variable.
Narrow the calendar to your own constraints
Month, region and water, crossed in one place.
