All you need to know about Ironman Wales' return to Tenby and Pembrokeshire

This weekend, thousands of athletes will descend on Tenby and its surrounding area to compete in Ironman Wales.

The race which takes place on Sunday, September 13, will feature 3,000 age group athletes racing alongside professional male and female athletes competing for a share of the $100,000 prize pool and a slot at the 2027 Ironman World Championship.

Whilst many of the athletes racing come from the UK, athletes are also travelling from countries such as the US, Ireland and the Netherlands.

Former winner of the race and British athlete Nikki Bartlett is back to retain her crown at Ironman Wales this year but will face stiff competition from the likes of Diede Diederiks and Merle Brunnée.

The male race also features the likes of Dylan Magnien, Henrik Goesch and Cameron Wurf who are set to put on a show for the raucous Welsh crowds.

Kicking off the weekend on Friday will be a short shakeout run for any registered athletes, giving them the chance to familiarise themselves with the course before the big day.

This will be followed by a sold-out Ironkids race for children aged 3-15 taking place on Saturday, giving kids the chance to experience the famous red-carpet finish under the Mdot arch.

Ironman Wales on Sunday then kicks off with a two-loop 2.4-mile (3.8 km) swim course that starts at the famous North Beach in front of the seaside town’s picturesque harbour.

Crazy crowds along the long run up the ‘zig zag’ ramp and into transition will make this a once in a lifetime experience for any athlete.

The race the continues with a two-loop 112-mile (180.2 km) bike course taking athletes through the scenic countryside of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park past the numerous castles and iconic landmarks – even one that is home to one of the Harry Potter movies!

Of course, once again the gruelling ‘Heartbreak Hill’ out of Saundersfoot, will form part of the route.

The run course is then a four-loop 26.2-mile (42.2 km) course and a ‘you-have-to-see-it-to-believe-it’ kind of experience.

The medieval town walls and picturesque beachfront in Tenby are sure to be lined with tens of thousands of spectators that will push athletes all the way to the finish line.

Amongst the age group athletes racing are some incredible people with amazing stories and reasons as to why they’ve decided to take on this challenge.

Age group athlete Emily Bond will be taking on the fourth of her five UK races this season as she continues ‘Operation Ironwoman’ in her bid to become the first woman to complete all UK races in one season.

Emily is an endurance athlete, Aerospace Engineering PhD student, and mindset coach. She’s aiming to raise £10,000 for charity.

Another notable athlete racing is Sean Conway, known for completing 105 Ironman distance triathlons in 105 days, without competing in an official Ironman race.

Ironman Wales will be his first taste of the real thing.

Also taking to the start line will be former professional Welsh and British Lions rugby player Shane Williams, back to take on the famous race once again.

Entries for Ironman Wales 2027 will be available exclusively at this year’s race from Friday, September 11 to 14; before opening for general registration on Thursday, September 17.

With part of the Ironman cycle route coming through Saundersfoot, and up the infamous ‘Heartbreak Hill’ along St Brides, county councillor for the seaside village’s south ward, Cllr Chris Williams, said that the community is ready to welcome the triathlon back.

“Saundersfoot will once again playing an important part in this iconic event. The cycle route through Saundersfoot will see hundreds of competitors passing through a packed village before heading up Heartbreak Hill, past St Bride’s, through Swallow Tree Woods and Broadfield Hill before continuing towards New Hedges,” he said.

“The atmosphere created by the crowds is always something special, and the support from spectators makes a huge difference to the competitors.

“It is estimated that around 12,000 spectators could line the route between Saundersfoot and New Hedges, cheering the cyclists on throughout the day.

“Parking will again be available off the New Hedges roundabout, which should assist those travelling to support the event, although I also appreciate that many people will choose to walk and enjoy the full atmosphere across the day.

“These events do bring challenges, particularly around traffic, parking and road closures, but they also provide a fantastic opportunity to showcase Saundersfoot and bring visitors into the village at a time when we are looking to extend the season.

“I hope everyone will get behind the events, support our local businesses and enjoy what promises to be another fantastic weekend for Saundersfoot.”

Cllr Williams said that the event has become a major highlight in the Pembrokeshire calendar and brings an ‘incredible atmosphere’ to the seaside village.

“Local members recently attended a positive and productive meetings with Pembrokeshire Council’s Public Realm Manager and Ironman representatives to discuss this year’s event and how we can work together to make sure it is as successful as possible for residents, businesses, spectators and competitors,” he continued.

“Crowds have continued to grow over recent years. Anyone who has experienced the event will know just how special the atmosphere is, with families and friends lining the route for many hours to cheer on the athletes.

“With those numbers, there are inevitably challenges, and one of the key areas discussed was providing additional toilet facilities.

“If people are going to spend seven hours or more supporting their family and friends, we need to make sure there are adequate facilities available.

“Additional spectator toilets are planned at key locations, including - St Brides Hotel, Swallow Tree Woods, Broadfield Caravan Park and the grass bank at Twycross Roundabout.

“Broadfield Caravan Park is also being promoted as a dedicated spectator area, with toilets, bins and catering facilities available, which should help provide another excellent location for people to enjoy the event.

“Another important area is keeping Saundersfoot clean. Last year, the opening of the roads was unfortunately delayed by around 40 minutes because of the amount of litter left behind.

“This is not about being negative towards the event or its spectators, it is about making sure we can all play our part in allowing the roads to reopen as quickly and safely as possible and leaving those residential streets less impacted and spotless.”

This year, the Saundersfoot Wombles and Saundersfoot Rotary will be working together to provide additional litter-picking support with PCC, particularly later in the day.

The Wombles will provide additional support from around 4pm onwards, with a particular focus on Broadfield Hill, working alongside Pembrokeshire County Council teams.

Cllr Williams added: “I am really pleased that local organisations are getting behind the event in such a positive way.

“Ironman brings thousands of people into Saundersfoot, creates an incredible family atmosphere and provides a valuable boost for local businesses.

“We are working closely with PCC, Ironman, local organisations and businesses to make sure that residents, spectators and athletes can all enjoy the day.

“Spectator information and reminders about being respectful towards local residents and competitors will also be shared during race week.

“This is a fantastic event for Pembrokeshire and Saundersfoot, and I hope everyone will get behind it, enjoy the atmosphere and, most importantly, help us leave the village and surrounding roads as clean and tidy as we found them.”

As in previous years it will be necessary to introduce various traffic restrictions over the weekend to enable the set up works to take place and to ensure competitor and public safety along the route.

Pembrokeshire Council has stated that ‘essential access’ for carers will be facilitated.

Please contact: [email protected] with as much information as possible regarding locations and times of the care visits.

Further details on road closures can can be obtained on the Ironman Wales website at: https://www.ironman.com/im-wales

One person who has visited Tenby for around the past 15 year to watch the Ironman sporting spectacular has called for fellow supporters to be respectful towards those taking part.

“There’s nothing quite like the atmosphere. The crowds, the noise, the support — it’s unbelievable. But in recent years, I’ve noticed something changing,” Rhydian Albert told the Observer.

“The crowds are getting bigger, and unfortunately, so is the amount of drinking and disrespect towards the competitors.

“What some people might see as a bit of fun can be incredibly dangerous for someone who has spent months, sometimes a full year, training for this one day.

“These athletes have paid a huge amount of money to take part. They’ve sacrificed weekends, family time, holidays and countless hours of training. They’ve pushed their bodies to their limits just to get to that start line.And then, after swimming 2.4 miles and cycling 112 miles, they still have a marathon to run.

“I’ve seen people getting too close to the course, riders being interfered with and situations that could have ended so much worse. Seeing an athlete injured and needing an ambulance because someone stepped into the road is heartbreaking.

“Please remember what you’re actually watching. These aren’t characters in a show. They’re real people who have worked incredibly hard to achieve something extraordinary.

“Make as much noise as you want. Cheer until your voice goes. Give them the atmosphere Tenby is famous for. But give the athletes space. Stay off the course. Don’t push them, don’t obstruct them and never put yourself or a competitor in danger.

“Because the best thing you can give an Ironman athlete after a year of sacrifice is your support — not another obstacle to overcome!” he added.

Dyfed-Powys Police has confirmed that parts of Tenby will be a ‘no drone zone’ for this weekend’s Ironman Wales event.

A temporary ‘flight restriction zone’, specifically affecting drones, will be imposed above Tenby as part of the policing operation during the Ironman Wales sporting event again this weekend.

It means it will be an offence for any unmanned aircraft to fly below 2,000 ft above sea level in the designated area, without the explicit permission of Dyfed-Powys Police.

Dyfed-Powys Police warning notices have appeared in the vicinity of North Beach, where the swim start takes place.

The ‘airspace restriction’ will begin from 5am on Saturday, September 12 until 1am Monday, September 14.

It means that any drone user flying inside the Restricted Airspace that have not been granted permission, will be committing an offence and could be prosecuted as well as having their equipment seized and confiscated.

A spokesperson for the police stated: “To confirm, the temporary restriction is in relation to the Ironman weekend, and the reason for the implementation is to ensure public safety at the event, with airspace restrictions being part of those measures.”