Ironman Wales, perhaps the most gruelling endurance race in the world, is once again being held in and around Tenby today.

The town, together with the county of Pembrokeshire, has welcomed thousands of athletes and their supporters for what will be the sixth such event in the area.

Over 3,000 people, aged 3 - 70, will be part of the action, including some of the world’s finest Ironman athletes.

Ironkids kicked-off the weekend’s racing yesterday. This sell-out event saw just over 1,000 budding stars of the future, aged 3 - 14, take part in this ‘fun run’ in and around Tenby’s town centre.

The main event day is today, when Ironman Wales gets underway at 7.10 am, a slightly later time to previous years due to the sunrise.

Leading the charge will be a 40-strong pro field, with over 2,000 athletes from 47 countries following in their wake in a rolling start up until 7.30 am from Tenby’s North Beach for the 2.4 mile, two-lap swim.

After a 1km run through town to transition, the athletes will then head off on a 112-mile bike ride through stunning scenery and challenging hilly bike course of Pembrokeshire, including the iconic spectator hot spot of St. Brides in Saundersfoot, where the support never fails to spur the athletes to the top of this leg-bursting climb.

The event then culminates in a 26.2 mile run in and around the town of Tenby. The first pro is expected to cross the line at 3.50 pm when the finish line party rocks right up until the 17-hour cut-off at 12.30 am. This year’s run course also incorporates a slight change to further improve the course and spectator viewing, which will bring the athletes up the Esplanade on each lap.