The Fastest and Slowest 70.3 Races of 2023

In the exhilarating realm of 70.3 triathlon, 2023 has proven to be a year of unprecedented growth and achievement. With over 133,000 triumphant finishers worldwide, we’ve witnessed a remarkable 33% surge from our 2022 analysis of the fastest and slowest 70.3 races. The expansion of the 70.3 landscape is equally impressive, blossoming from 74 races last year to an impressive 122 events this year. Did any of the new races make it into the top fastest or top slowest of the 70.3 landscape? Let’s dive into the data.

Fastest and Slowest 70.3 Races at a Glance

Below is a snapshot of all the Ironman 70.3 races that took place around the world sorted by average completion time (x-axis) and total number of finishers (y-axis). While we typically sort the races geographically into three (Europe, North America, and Rest of World), this year we are breaking down the Rest of World (ROW) category, as there are so many races. So it’s red for North America, blue for Europe, yellow for Asia, green for Africa, purple for South America, and aquamarine for Oceania.

In terms of the sheer size of the races, 70.3s are more uniformly distributed between Europe and North America, that is, you are more or less equally likely to find a large or small race (in terms of participants) on either side of the Atlantic. The average number of participants is 1300 triathletes in North America versus 1450 in Europe, which is actually a small decrease from last year, suggesting that triathletes are spreading themselves out more evenly across races. Only these two regions, however, are hosting large events, that is, anything above 2000 athletes. Elsewhere in the world, races are much cozier, especially in Asia (615) and Africa (740).

In terms of average finishing time, we can see some general trends that we can characterize as follows: Races in Europe, South America, and Oceania are generally faster (lower average finishing times), and races in North America, Asia, and Africa are relatively slower.

Slowest 70.3 Races of 2023

Like last year, most of the slowest races were in Asia. Last year we had a few outlier races that were slow, all in Asia, but this year only Goa is slightly outside of the pack. At that event, 1 in 3 registered triathletes did not finish.

Fastest 70.3 Races of 2023

On the other side of the rankings, Duisburg repeats in the top 5. Newcomer Knokke proves to be a speedy one, and Geelong from down under closes the ranking.

[Note: some races had their swims shortened or canceled, and they have been removed from this analysis]

Fastest and Slowest 70.3 Swim Times of 2023

Nearly 30 minutes separate the fastest swim (current-assisted Oregon) from the slowest (Subic Bay). All the slowest swims can be found in Asia, whereas the speediest swims are more spread out.

Fastest average 70.3 swim times of 2023

Slowest average 70.3 swim times of 2023

Fastest and Slowest 70.3 Bike Times of 2023

On the bike, if you want to get speedy, you’ll want to look in Eastern Europe. If you’re a fan of hills, and are willing to spend an additional hour on the saddle, check out the views in Andorra, Goa, or Nice.

Fastest average 70.3 bike times of 2023

Slowest average 70.3 bike times of 2023

Fastest and Slowest 70.3 Run Times of 2023

When it comes to the run leg, Europe beckons with enticing options in France, Poland (in both Gdynia and Poznan), or Croatia, offering the ideal stage for pursuing that elusive personal record. Alternatively, for those adept at navigating tropical temperatures while maintaining a strong pace, Asia is the destination of choice.

Fastest average 70.3 run times of 2023

Slowest average 70.3 run times of 2023