Guide
IRONMAN calendar: choosing a race by month
44 full-distance IRONMAN races are spread over 10 months of the year, with the most in September. The month you choose sets the water, the heat and the season you train through.
Where the dates and temperatures come from
Each date is the next edition published on the race's official page, stored with the day it was read. Once an edition has been held, the race moves to its next date when the organiser announces it.
Water and air figures are averages for the race date and place. They describe what is usual. Race-day conditions can sit a few degrees either side.
The counts cover full-distance IRONMAN races only. The 120 IRONMAN 70.3 races follow their own calendar over 12 months.
June to September
Summer: the busy months, mostly in Europe
24 of the 44 races fall between June and September, 15 of them in Europe. For the European races in these months, the water averages have a median of 21 °C and the afternoon highs a median of 24 °C.
The spread inside those four months is wide. 4 races average 18 °C or less in the water: IRONMAN Switzerland Thun, IRONMAN Tallinn, IRONMAN Copenhagen, IRONMAN Wales. The warmest afternoon averages belong to IRONMAN Frankfurt, IRONMAN Vitoria-Gasteiz.
IRONMAN Frankfurt and IRONMAN Kalmar-Sweden both sit in this window and show the range: one of the hottest afternoons of the summer, and one of the coolest. IRONMAN in Europe compares the European races of this window by water, climbing and cut-off. In the southern winter, IRONMAN Cairns races in June in the tropics; the IRONMAN in Australia page sets it against the other Australian races.
October to December
Late season: the calendar moves south
13 races are held from October to December: 3 in Latin America, 3 in North America, 2 in Oceania, 2 in Asia, 2 in Europe and 1 in the Middle East. Water averages in this window run from 14 °C at IRONMAN Valdivia to 29 °C at IRONMAN Malaysia.
For an athlete based in Europe or North America, a date here puts the long training weeks in summer. IRONMAN Cozumel combines one of the warmest swims of the window with a flat bike course. The IRONMAN in Mexico page sets it against the 70.3 races held in the country. In the United States, IRONMAN California and IRONMAN Florida fall in this window; the IRONMAN in the USA page sets them against the spring and summer races. IRONMAN Western Australia closes the year in Busselton.
In Europe, the window opens with IRONMAN Calella-Barcelona in early October. The IRONMAN in Spain page compares it with the other Spanish races.
January to May
Early season: few races, early decisions
The first full-distance IRONMAN of the year is in March: IRONMAN New Zealand. From March to May the calendar holds 7 races, and IRONMAN Lanzarote is the only one in Europe before June.
A spring date means building through the northern winter. For an athlete in the southern hemisphere, IRONMAN New Zealand closes the summer instead. IRONMAN Lanzarote pairs the early date with a hilly bike course.
What a date on this calendar does not tell you
The date shown is the one published for the next edition. Organisers can move it. Registration changes as well: 17 of the 44 races are listed as sold out today.
Confirm the date and the entry status on the official page before booking travel. Entries are made with the organiser.
Side by side
Four months, four races on the same rows
Spring, early summer, late summer and late autumn. Swap any of them for a race you are considering.
IRONMAN Lanzarote
IRONMAN Frankfurt
IRONMAN Italy Emilia Romagna
IRONMAN Cozumel
- Race 1 IRONMAN Lanzarote
- Race 2 IRONMAN Frankfurt
- Race 3 IRONMAN Italy Emilia Romagna
- Race 4 IRONMAN Cozumel
- Circuit
- IRONMANIRONMANIRONMANIRONMAN
- Distance
- Full distanceFull distanceFull distanceFull distance
- Terrain
- RoadRoadRoadRoad
- Swim
- 3.8 km3.8 km3.8 km3.8 km
- Bike
- 180 km180 km180 km180 km
- Run
- 42.2 km42.2 km42.2 km42.2 km
- Date
- 15 May 202727 Jun 202718 Sept 202722 Nov 2026
- Country
- SpainGermanyItalyMexico
- Registration
- OpenSold outSold outOpen
- Swim venue
- OceanLakeOceanOcean
- Average water temperature
- 20 °C23 °C22 °C26 °C
- High air temperature
- 25 °C33 °C24 °C29 °C
- Low air temperature
- 18 °C20 °C15 °C23 °C
- Bike profile
- HillyRollingFlatFlat
- Bike elevation gain
- 2,550 m1,316 mn/a173 m
- Run profile
- RollingRollingFlatFlat
- Run elevation gain
- n/a88 mn/a35 m
- Overall cut-off
- 17 hn/a16 h17 h
- Altitude
- 44 m113 m4 m7 m
- First edition
- 1992200220172009
- Swim start
- Rolling startRolling startRolling startRolling start
- Entry fee, from
- €778n/an/a$729
Questions
When is IRONMAN season?
Full-distance IRONMAN races run from March to December. 24 of the 44 are held between June and September, mostly in Europe and North America.
Which month has the most IRONMAN races?
September. Europe holds 18 of the 44 races, between May and October.
Are there IRONMAN races in winter?
In the northern winter, in the southern hemisphere and the tropics. 7 races are held in November and December, including IRONMAN Oman, IRONMAN Western Australia. The next one after that is in March. In South Africa, the IRONMAN season runs from November to June: see IRONMAN in South Africa.
Does an IRONMAN keep the same date every year?
The organiser sets the date for each edition. Each race page shows the next published date and the day it was read. Check the official page before booking.
How warm is the water at an autumn IRONMAN?
Between 14 °C and 29 °C on average for races held from October to December. The wetsuit rules are covered in IRONMAN wetsuit rules and water temperature.
Pick the month, then the race
Open the finder, set the month and compare what is left.
