Double Olympic Champion leads star-studded line-up for inaugural IRONMAN 70.3 Triathlon in Swansea

Double Olympic Champion Alistair Brownlee is among the star-studded line-up of competitors taking part in the inaugural IRONMAN 70.3 Triathlon in Swansea on Sunday.

Brownlee features among an impressive roster of international talent which also sees the UK’s top female triathletes go head-to-head, as 2021 UK Champion and World Championship runner-up Kat Matthews takes on Lydia Dant and Ruth Astle.

2,000 athletes are registered to compete in the 70.3-mile triathlon event, with 63% of the field representing Wales as their home nation, including rugby legend Shane Williams.

IRONMAN 70.3 Swansea will also be the first PRO race in the 2022 UK race calendar, giving age-group athletes the chance to race with male and female professional athletes with a prize purse of $30,000 dollars up for grabs

The first middle-distance IRONMAN event to ever take place on Welsh soil, is expected to bring an economic boost in excess of £2.5m to the region

Rebecca Sutherland, Race Director for IRONMAN 70.3 Swansea, said: “Welcoming such an impressive athlete field to a first-year event creates an added level of excitement for the region, for the sport, for the community, and for our age group athletes – many of whom will now be racing alongside their homegrown heroes.

“We look forward to creating a memorable experience for the thousands of athletes and tens of thousands of supporters heading to Swansea and Gower for the race this weekend.”

Swansea Bay

Starting with a 1.2-mile sea swim at the Prince of Wales Dock, professional and age-group athletes will undertake a 56-mile cycle along the sweeping waterfront of Swansea Bay, through the  Mumbles, and across the hills of the Gower before heading back into the city.

Athletes will then move onto their final leg of the race with a 13.1-mile run down the flat and coastal Swansea Bay course, returning to Museum Gardens for an epic finish down the IRONMAN 70.3 red carpet.

Sam Brawn, Regional Director for UK & Ireland at The IRONMAN Group, said: “Following the success of IRONMAN Wales in Pembrokeshire, it was only a matter of time before we introduced our first 70.3 distance to the region.

“Not only does South Wales have a flourishing triathlon community, evidenced by IRONMAN 70.3 Swansea selling out in a matter of days, but the support offered both by our host venues and the local communities is unparalleled.

“We’re excited to watch this race grow and develop over the coming years, as it will surely become a key fixture on the European calendar of events.”

The IRONMAN 70.3 Triathlon gets underway at 07:00 AM from Prince of Wales Dock in Swansea on Sunday.