Europe
Half-distance triathlons in Europe: which one to choose
67 half-distance races in 23 European countries. Month, water, bike climbing and cut-off separate them more than the distance does.
Where the figures come from
Every figure on this page is read from the race pages of the catalogue and recalculated when a race is updated. Distances, climbing and cut-offs come from the organiser. Water and air temperatures are averages for the race month: they describe a typical day, not a forecast.
Not every organiser publishes everything. Bike climbing is known for 43 of the 67 races, water temperature for 40 and the cut-off for 43. A race without a value does not appear in the ranges below. What the distance itself involves is explained in the half-distance guide. The IRONMAN in the UK page compares the 3 British 70.3 races, and IRONMAN in Austria sets St. Pölten against Zell am See-Kaprun.
Every half-distance race in Europe
Add a month, a country or a circuit to narrow the list.
- Challenge Sanremo
Sanremo, Italy
- Date
- 4 Oct 2026
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- Challenge Family
- Water
- 23 °C
- Bike
- Hilly
- Run
- Rolling
- Entries
- IRONMAN 70.3 Versailles
Versailles, France
- Date
- 11 Oct 2026
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- IRONMAN
- Water
- 21 °C
- Bike
- Rolling
- Run
- Flat
- Entries
- Closed
- Challenge Barcelona
Barcelona, Spain
- Date
- 25 Oct 2026
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- Challenge Family
- Water
- 20 °C
- Bike
- Flat
- Run
- Flat
- Entries
- 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 Türkiye
Belek, Türkiye
- Date
- 1 Nov 2026
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- IRONMAN
- Water
- 25 °C
- Bike
- Flat
- Run
- Flat
- Entries
- Closed
- IRONMAN 70.3 Vilamoura-Algarve
Vilamoura, Portugal
- Date
- 3 Apr 2027
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- IRONMAN
- Water
- 16 °C
- Bike
- Hilly
- Run
- Flat
- Entries
- Sold out
- Greek Hero XTRI Solo Point Five
Ipsos, Greece
- Date
- 10 Apr 2027
- Distance
- Middle, extreme
- Circuit
- XTRI
- Water
- n/a
- Bike
- Hilly
- Run
- Hilly
- Entries
- Open
- IRONMAN 70.3 Valencia
Valencia, Spain
- Date
- 18 Apr 2027
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- IRONMAN
- Water
- 19 °C
- Bike
- Rolling
- Run
- Flat
- Entries
- Sold out
- IRONMAN 70.3 Venice-Jesolo
Jesolo, Italy
- Date
- 24 Apr 2027
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- IRONMAN
- Water
- 17 °C
- Bike
- Flat
- Run
- Flat
- Entries
- Sold out
- Triathlon de Lacanau – L
Lacanau, France
- Date
- 25 Apr 2027
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- Independent
- Water
- n/a
- Bike
- n/a
- Run
- n/a
- Entries
- Open
- IRONMAN 70.3 Alcúdia-Mallorca
Alcúdia, Spain
- Date
- 8 May 2027
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- IRONMAN
- Water
- 17 °C
- Bike
- Hilly
- Run
- Flat
- Entries
- Sold out
- Triathlon du Lion L
Sermamagny, France
- Date
- 22 May 2027
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- Independent
- Water
- n/a
- Bike
- Hilly
- Run
- n/a
- Entries
- Open
- IRONMAN 70.3 Aix-en-Provence
Aix en Provence, France
- Date
- 23 May 2027
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- IRONMAN
- Water
- 18 °C
- Bike
- Hilly
- Run
- Rolling
- Entries
- Sold out
- IRONMAN 70.3 Kraichgau
Kraichgau, Germany
- Date
- 23 May 2027
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- IRONMAN
- Water
- 19 °C
- Bike
- Hilly
- Run
- Rolling
- Entries
- Sold out
- IRONMAN 70.3 St. Pölten
St. Polten, Austria
- Date
- 23 May 2027
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- IRONMAN
- Water
- 19 °C
- Bike
- Rolling
- Run
- Flat
- Entries
- Sold out
- JBL Triathlon Sieraków 1/2
Sieraków, Poland
- Date
- 29 May 2027
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- Independent
- Water
- 16 °C
- Bike
- Rolling
- Run
- n/a
- Entries
- Open
- IRONMAN 70.3 Alghero
Alghero, Italy
- Date
- 30 May 2027
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- IRONMAN
- Water
- 18 °C
- Bike
- Rolling
- Run
- Flat
- Entries
- Sold out
- Triathlon des Coteaux du Vendômois L
Villiers-sur-Loir, France
- Date
- 30 May 2027
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- Independent
- Water
- n/a
- Bike
- n/a
- Run
- n/a
- Entries
- Open
- BerlinTriathlon Middle Distance
Berlin, Germany
- Date
- 6 Jun 2027
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- Independent
- Water
- n/a
- Bike
- n/a
- Run
- n/a
- Entries
- IRONMAN 70.3 Bolton
Bolton, United Kingdom
- Date
- 6 Jun 2027
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- IRONMAN
- Water
- 19 °C
- Bike
- Rolling
- Run
- Rolling
- Entries
- Sold out
- IRONMAN 70.3 Switzerland
Rapperswil-Jona, Switzerland
- Date
- 6 Jun 2027
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- IRONMAN
- Water
- 17 °C
- Bike
- Hilly
- Run
- Rolling
- Entries
- Sold out
- IRONMAN 70.3 Tours Metropole - Loire Valley
Tours, France
- Date
- 6 Jun 2027
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- IRONMAN
- Water
- 19 °C
- Bike
- Flat
- Run
- Flat
- Entries
- Sold out
- CZECHMAN Triatlon
Staré Ždánice, Czechia
- Date
- 12 Jun 2027
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- Independent
- Water
- n/a
- Bike
- n/a
- Run
- n/a
- Entries
- Open
- Castle Race Series Château de Chantilly – Le Gantelet
Chantilly, France
- Date
- 13 Jun 2027
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- Independent
- Water
- n/a
- Bike
- n/a
- Run
- n/a
- Entries
- Open
- CELTMAN! XTRI Solo Point Five
Shieldaig, United Kingdom
- Date
- 19 Jun 2027
- Distance
- Middle, extreme
- Circuit
- XTRI
- Water
- 15 °C
- Bike
- Hilly
- Run
- n/a
- Entries
- Open
- Triathlon Deauville Normandie Longue Distance
Deauville, France
- Date
- 19 Jun 2027
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- Independent
- Water
- n/a
- Bike
- n/a
- Run
- n/a
- Entries
- Open
- indeland-Triathlon Mitteldistanz
Eschweiler, Germany
- Date
- 20 Jun 2027
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- Independent
- Water
- n/a
- Bike
- n/a
- Run
- n/a
- Entries
- Open
- IRONMAN 70.3 Westfriesland
Hoorn, Netherlands
- Date
- 20 Jun 2027
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- IRONMAN
- Water
- 17 °C
- Bike
- Flat
- Run
- Flat
- Entries
- Sold out
- IRONMAN 70.3 Elsinore
Elsinore, Denmark
- Date
- 27 Jun 2027
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- IRONMAN
- Water
- 17 °C
- Bike
- Rolling
- Run
- Flat
- Entries
- Sold out
- Genève Triathlon Half
Genève, Switzerland
- Date
- 4 Jul 2027
- Distance
- Middle
- Circuit
- Independent
- Water
- n/a
- Bike
- n/a
- Run
- n/a
- Entries
- Open
Choosing by month
April and May. 13 races. April opens the season with IRONMAN 70.3 Vilamoura-Algarve, Greek Hero XTRI Solo Point Five, IRONMAN 70.3 Valencia, IRONMAN 70.3 Venice-Jesolo, Triathlon de Lacanau – L. The sea is still cool: from 16 °C.
June to August. 31 races, most of them on lakes in central and northern Europe, such as Jönköping, Tallinn or Zell am See-Kaprun.
September to November. 23 races. From October most races are on the Mediterranean or the Atlantic, with water up to 25 °C. The last one is IRONMAN 70.3 Türkiye.
Lake, sea or river
37 races swim in a lake or reservoir, 21 in the sea and 9 in a river or canal.
The median water temperature is 18 °C at sea and 19 °C in lakes. A sea swim adds salt, swell and sometimes current; a lake swim is in fresh water.
The coolest averages among road races are at IRONMAN 70.3 Vilamoura-Algarve, JBL Triathlon Sieraków 1/2, IRONMAN 70.3 Swansea, around 16 °C. Among the 40 races that publish an average, the warmest is IRONMAN 70.3 Türkiye, at 25 °C.
Flat or hilly bike course
Among the 37 road races that publish their bike climbing, the median is 779 m over 90 km.
7 stay under 300 m: Challenge Barcelona, IRONMAN 70.3 Türkiye, IRONMAN 70.3 Leipzig, IRONMAN 70.3 Duisburg, IRONMAN 70.3 Erkner, IRONMAN 70.3 Emilia Romagna, IRONMAN 70.3 Málaga.
12 go above 1,000 m: Challenge Sanremo, IRONMAN 70.3 Vilamoura-Algarve, Triathlon du Lion L, IRONMAN 70.3 Aix-en-Provence, IRONMAN 70.3 Switzerland, IRONMAN 70.3 Swansea, IRONMAN 70.3 Zell am See-Kaprun, Triathlon de Gérardmer XL, IRONMAN 70.3 Nice, IRONMAN 70.3 Weymouth, Hever Castle Triathlon The Gauntlet Middle Distance, Challenge Forte Village. Among the 28 IRONMAN 70.3 races that publish their climbing, the most is at IRONMAN 70.3 Nice, with 1227 m.
Cut-off and heat
Most IRONMAN 70.3 races give 8 h 30 min to finish. 11 races publish a shorter limit: Challenge Sanremo, Challenge Barcelona, JBL Triathlon Sieraków 1/2, IRONMAN 70.3 Switzerland, CZECHMAN Triatlon, Triathlon Deauville Normandie Longue Distance, Genève Triathlon Half, Enea Bydgoszcz Triathlon - Enea 1/2, Finntriathlon Joroinen – Puolimatka, IRONMAN 70.3 Vichy, Triathlon Basel Mitteldistanz. If you expect to finish close to the limit, check this figure first.
Average highs on race day reach 33 °C at IRONMAN 70.3 Vitoria-Gasteiz. At the other end, 13 races have average highs of 19 °C or less.
Three different courses on the same rows
A flat lake course, a mountain lake and a coastal course with a long climb.
IRONMAN 70.3 Erkner
IRONMAN 70.3 Zell am See-Kaprun
IRONMAN 70.3 Nice
- Race 1 IRONMAN 70.3 Erkner
- Race 2 IRONMAN 70.3 Zell am See-Kaprun
- Race 3 IRONMAN 70.3 Nice
- 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
- 12 Sept 202729 Aug 202712 Sept 2027
- Country
- GermanyAustriaFrance
- Registration
- Sold outSold outSold out
- Swim venue
- LakeLakeSea
- Average water temperature
- 20 °C17 °C24 °C
- High air temperature
- 20 °C25 °C26 °C
- Low air temperature
- 10 °C16 °C18 °C
- Bike profile
- FlatHillyHilly
- Bike elevation gain
- 50 m1,011 m1,227 m
- Run profile
- FlatFlatFlat
- Run elevation gain
- 30 m74 m102 m
- Overall cut-off
- 8 h 30 min8 h 30 min8 h 30 min
- Altitude
- 38 m750 m25 m
- First edition
- 202220122018
- Swim start
- Rolling startRolling startRolling start
- Entry fee, from
- €416n/an/a
Off-road and extreme halves
The list also counts 6 extreme or off-road races: XTRI "Solo Point Five" races and XTERRA long-distance racing. They share the half distance in name only: climbing reaches 2700 m and water can be as cool as 15 °C. The extreme triathlon guide covers them. To leave them out, keep the terrain filter on road.
What the table leaves out
Averages do not show a heatwave, a windy day or a cancelled swim. Look at the range on each race page as well as the average.
Dates move from one year to the next. When a race page still shows the last edition, the organiser has not confirmed the next one. Registration is always done on the organiser's site.
For a first half, the easiest 70.3 races page ranks courses by difficulty, and the IRONMAN in Europe guide does the same work for the full distance. For Italy, the IRONMAN in Italy page compares the 70.3 races of Cervia, Jesolo and Alghero. For Switzerland, the IRONMAN in Switzerland page sets Rapperswil-Jona beside the independent half distances of Geneva, Uster, Basel and Locarno.
Questions
How many half-distance triathlons are there in Europe?
The catalogue lists 67 in 23 countries: 33 IRONMAN 70.3, 4 Challenge Family, 24 independent races, 5 XTRI and 1 XTERRA.
Which 70.3 in Europe has the flattest bike course?
Among the IRONMAN 70.3 races that publish their climbing, IRONMAN 70.3 Erkner, with 50 m over 90 km. Some courses rated flat, such as Westfriesland and Belgrade, publish no figure. In all, 7 road races stay under 300 m.
When does the half-distance season in Europe start and end?
It opens in April with IRONMAN 70.3 Vilamoura-Algarve, Greek Hero XTRI Solo Point Five, IRONMAN 70.3 Valencia, IRONMAN 70.3 Venice-Jesolo, Triathlon de Lacanau – L, and closes in November with IRONMAN 70.3 Türkiye.
Which European half has the warmest water?
Among the 40 races that publish an average, IRONMAN 70.3 Türkiye, with 25 °C in the race month. 67 races are listed in all.
Which country has the most half-distance races?
France, with 11 races, ahead of Germany with 9.
Pick the month, then the race
Open the finder on half-distance races in Europe, or answer a few questions to get a shortlist.
