Guide
IRONMAN in Europe: choosing a full-distance race
18 full-distance IRONMAN races are held in Europe, across 12 countries. They differ by water, by climbing and by the time you are given. Start from the one that matters most to you.
Where the figures come from
The figures are those published by each race on its official page or athlete guide, read on the date shown on the race page. Water and air temperatures are averages for the race date and place, so race day can sit a few degrees either side.
The counts cover full-distance IRONMAN races in Europe, from Lanzarote to Tallinn. The 33 IRONMAN 70.3 races in Europe are left out. Not every race publishes every figure: 15 of the 18 give a bike elevation gain and 16 a final cut-off.
For a race in Spain, at either distance, the IRONMAN in Spain page compares the full-distance races and the 70.3.
For a race in France, the IRONMAN races in France page sets Nice, Vichy and Les Sables d'Olonne beside the French 70.3 races.
For Germany, the IRONMAN in Germany page compares Hamburg and Frankfurt with the German 70.3 races and Challenge Roth.
For Austria, the IRONMAN in Austria page compares Klagenfurt with the 70.3 races in St. Pölten and Zell am See-Kaprun.
For Italy, the IRONMAN in Italy page compares the Cervia full distance with the 70.3 races in Cervia, Jesolo and Alghero.
For the north, the IRONMAN in Scandinavia and the Baltics page compares Kalmar, Copenhagen and Tallinn with the 70.3 races in Elsinore, Jönköping and Tallinn.
The swim
Lake, sea, river or canal
7 races swim in a lake, 9 in the sea or the ocean, 1 in a river and 1 in a canal. A lake has no swell and no tide. A sea swim adds waves on windy mornings and salt water, which floats you a little higher.
Average water temperatures run from 17 °C to 24 °C, with a median of 20.5 °C. The coolest, at 18 °C or less: IRONMAN Switzerland Thun, IRONMAN Tallinn, IRONMAN Copenhagen, IRONMAN Wales, IRONMAN Portugal-Cascais. The warmest, at 23 °C or more: IRONMAN Kaernten-Klagenfurt, Austria, IRONMAN Frankfurt, IRONMAN France.
Whether a wetsuit is allowed depends on the temperature measured on the day. The thresholds are set out in the IRONMAN wetsuit guide, and the water temperature page ranks every race.
The bike
Flat courses and climbing days
The organisers describe the bike course as flat for IRONMAN Hamburg, IRONMAN Kalmar-Sweden, IRONMAN Belgium Knokke-Heist, IRONMAN Italy Emilia Romagna, IRONMAN Calella-Barcelona. Where a gain is published, it runs from 400 m to 2574 m over 180 km, with a median of 1316 m.
At 800 m or less: IRONMAN Hamburg, IRONMAN Tallinn, IRONMAN Kalmar-Sweden, IRONMAN Calella-Barcelona. At 2,000 m or more: IRONMAN Lanzarote, IRONMAN Leeds, IRONMAN Vichy, IRONMAN France. On these, the bike takes longer and the pacing of the climbs decides how the marathon goes.
For a first full distance, a flat course leaves more margin on the clock. The bike elevation guide ranks all courses, and the easiest IRONMAN courses combine climbing, heat and cut-off.
How much time you are given
16 of the 18 European races publish a final cut-off. It runs from 15 h 30 min to 17 h. 6 give 17 hours. Among the 16 races that publish one, the shortest cut-off applies at IRONMAN Hamburg, IRONMAN Vitoria-Gasteiz.
An hour less on the clock matters most to athletes who expect to finish late in the evening. The cut-off guide lists the intermediate cut-offs where organisers publish them.
The season, country by country
The European season runs from May to October. 5 races are held in August, the busiest month. IRONMAN Lanzarote is the only one before June, so it is raced after a winter of training.
Entry fees are published in the organiser's currency: euros for most races, pounds in Britain, Swiss francs in Thun, kronor in Sweden and kroner in Denmark. The IRONMAN in the UK page compares the 2 British full distances with the 70.3 races. The cost guide compares them, and the IRONMAN calendar sets the European dates against the rest of the world.
What these figures do not tell you
A temperature average says nothing about a cold front on race week, and an elevation gain says nothing about road surface or wind. 13 of the 18 races are listed as sold out today. A race whose edition has just been held keeps that date until the next one is announced.
Check the date and the entry status on the official page before booking travel. Entries are made with the organiser.
Side by side
Four European races on the same rows
A sea swim with a flat bike, a warm lake, a volcanic island and a hilly bay. Swap any of them for a race you are considering.
IRONMAN Kalmar-Sweden
IRONMAN Kaernten-Klagenfurt, Austria
IRONMAN Lanzarote
IRONMAN Wales
- Race 1 IRONMAN Kalmar-Sweden
- Race 2 IRONMAN Kaernten-Klagenfurt, Austria
- Race 3 IRONMAN Lanzarote
- Race 4 IRONMAN Wales
- 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
- 21 Aug 202713 Jun 202715 May 202719 Sept 2027
- Country
- SwedenAustriaSpainUnited Kingdom
- Registration
- Sold outSold outOpenSold out
- Swim venue
- OceanLakeOceanBay
- Average water temperature
- 20 °C23 °C20 °C17 °C
- High air temperature
- 20 °C24 °C25 °C20 °C
- Low air temperature
- 9 °C12 °C18 °C15 °C
- Bike profile
- FlatRollingHillyHilly
- Bike elevation gain
- 750 m1,754 m2,550 mn/a
- Run profile
- FlatFlatRollingHilly
- Run elevation gain
- 90 m84 mn/an/a
- Overall cut-off
- 16 h17 h17 h17 h
- Altitude
- 3 m440 m44 m21 m
- First edition
- 2012199819922011
- Swim start
- Rolling startRolling startRolling startRolling start
- Entry fee, from
- SEK 7,738n/a€778n/a
Questions
How many IRONMAN races are there in Europe?
18 full-distance IRONMAN races, in 12 countries, and 33 IRONMAN 70.3 races.
What is the flattest IRONMAN in Europe?
Among the races that publish a bike elevation gain, the lowest is 400 m, at IRONMAN Hamburg. The courses described as flat are IRONMAN Hamburg, IRONMAN Kalmar-Sweden, IRONMAN Belgium Knokke-Heist, IRONMAN Italy Emilia Romagna, IRONMAN Calella-Barcelona.
Which European IRONMAN has the warmest water?
IRONMAN France, with an average of 24 °C for the race date.
Which is the first IRONMAN of the year in Europe?
IRONMAN Lanzarote, in May.
Which European IRONMAN gives the most time?
6 races set the final cut-off at 17 hours: IRONMAN Lanzarote, IRONMAN Kaernten-Klagenfurt, Austria, IRONMAN Switzerland Thun, IRONMAN Tallinn, IRONMAN Leeds, IRONMAN Wales.
Narrow the list, then compare
Open the finder on the European full-distance races and set the month, the water or the profile.
