Olympic Champion Alistair Brownlee to race IRONMAN 70.3 Swansea

Over 30 professional male and female athletes from across the world will toe the start line at the inaugural IRONMAN 70.3 Swansea event this Sunday, August 7.

Battling it out for a piece of the $30,000 professional prize purse and title of IRONMAN 70.3 Swansea Champion, the star-studded line-up includes two-time Olympic Gold medallist Alistair Brownlee (GBR), 2021 IRONMAN World Championship runner-up Kat Matthews (GBR), and both male and female winners of the 2021 IRONMAN African Championship, Maurice Clavel (DEU) and Ruth Astle (GBR).

2019 IRONMAN 70.3 Vichy Champion Yohan Le Berre (FRA) will add to the depth of the men’s field, alongside British competitors James Teagle (GBR) and Thomas Davis (GBR). Hoping to claim her first professional title on home soil, Lydia Dant (GBR) will also compete following her impressive win at IRONMAN Lanzarote in May.

Professional athletes will travel from all corners of the globe to compete in Swansea, with South Africa’s Jade Nicole Roberts (ZAF), Switzerland’s Melanie Baumann (CHE), France’s Cyril Viennot (FRA), and Australia’s Michael Boult (AUS) on the international athlete roster.

With over 2,000 age group athletes registered to race, including Welsh rugby legend Shane Williams, the sold-out middle-distance event will make for a truly spectacular day of triathlon in South Wales.

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.”

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 colourful Mumbles, and across the scenic hills of the Gower (AONB) 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 festival 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.”

Professional Women’s Field

The women’s professional field is led by Kat Matthews (GBR), who placed second at her first IRONMAN World Championship event in St. George this past May, following impressive wins at 2022 IRONMAN 70.3 Lanzarote and 2021 IRONMAN UK. Also vying for the top step of the podium is Lydia Dant (GBR), the reigning IRONMAN Lanzarote Champion, and Ruth Astle (GBR), who finished fifth at the IRONMAN World Championship in Utah. Below is the full pro women’s start list for IRONMAN 70.3 Swansea:

Professional Men’s Field

In the men’s field, double Olympic Champion and national sporting icon Alistair Brownlee (GBR) will look to secure his first IRONMAN 70.3 win in the UK. The 2019 IRONMAN Ireland, Cork Champion is followed by Maurice Clavel (DEU), who took home his first IRONMAN Championship title at the 2021 IRONMAN African Championship in South Africa. James Teagle (GBR), who finished fifth in the Pro Men’s race at IRONMAN 70.3 Mallorca in May and fourth in the Pro Men’s race at IRONMAN 70.3 Switzerland in June will be looking for a podium place, while Yohan Le Berre (FRA) will seek to replicate his success from 2019 IRONMAN 70.3 Vichy, where he took home overall honours. With a stacked field across the board, IRONMAN 70.3 Swansea is going to make for an exciting professional race for both male and female athletes. Below is the full pro men’s start list for IRONMAN 70.3 Swansea:

For more information on IRONMAN 70.3 Swansea, please visit www.ironman.com/im703-swansea.