IRONMAN 70.3 Durban
About the race
Race IRONMAN 70.3 Durban with a swim at uShaka Beach, a fast bike ride on the highway, and a run along the Promenade — a first-timer and club favourite.
Durban, situated in the Province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, is a natural paradise known for its sun-kissed beaches and subtropical climate. Easily accessible from all the main airports of South Africa, Durban is a multi-cultural showpiece international destination. The IRONMAN 70.3 Durban is the perfect peak-season race for international athletes, and mid to late season race for South Africans.
Transition 1
Transition 1 is located on the Golden Mile beach front promenade at uShaka beach. As you exit the beach and enter T1, you will pass the blue bag racks where your change for the bike leg on the benches inbetween the racks. Change rooms are available for athletes who want to do a complete change of clothing. Once changed you need to place your wetsuit and other swim gear into the blue bag and drop it in the bag drop area. (IRONMAN Staff will move this bag to T2 in time for bike check out). From here proceed to your bike and start cycling once you have crossed the bike mount line.
Facilities and Services: Change tents, toilets, bike mechanic and bike pumps, lost timing chip service, as well as a medical tent.
Transition 2
Transition 2 is located in the SUNCOAST Casino parking lot. Self rack your bike at the next available spot as you arrive. You can remove your helmet once you have racked your bike. From here proceed to the red bag rack area. Retrieve your bag and change for the run leg on the benches next to the bag racks. Change rooms are available for the athletes who want to do a full change of clothing. Place your bike helmet and cycling gear into your red bag and self hang it on the same hook you retrieved your bag from. From here proceed onto the run course.
Facilities and Services: Change tents, toilets, bike mechanic and bike pumps, lost timing chip service, as well as a medical tent.
Relay Teams
Experience the thrills of an IRONMAN 70.3 race day by sharing the fun and enter as a team! Whether you're preparing for your first IRONMAN 70.3 relay or returning for another epic experience, racing in a team is a sure way to have a great race day experience and share the fun!
What your entry includes
The course
The event features a 1.9 km single-loop ocean swim in the Indian Ocean at uShaka Beach, followed by a fast and undulating 90 km two-loop bike course on the M4 highway between SUNCOAST Casino/M17 and Umdloti/M27 intersections. The 21.1 km run course consists of three spectator-friendly laps along the Durban beachfront promenade.
Swim Course
The one-loop 1.9 km (1.2 mile) swim course sets the tone for an unforgettable race at uShaka Beach, near the Durban Harbour and uShaka Marine World. Athletes will complete an anti-clockwise swim in the Indian Ocean before heading towards transition.
Bike Course
The two-loop 90 km (56 mile) bike course is fast and undulating. The bike course consists of two laps on the M4 highway between SUNCOAST Casino/ M17 and the Umdloti/ M27 intersections. Access from T1 to the M4 highway is via the beachfront promenade and the Moses Mabhida Stadium pedestrian underpass.
Run Course
The 21.1km run course is a multi-lap, spectator-friendly route along the Durban beachfront promenade. Athletes will exit Transition (T2) and turn right onto the Promenade, heading south. The course follows an anticlockwise layout, taking athletes down to South Beach before completing a turnaround. From South Beach, athletes will return north along the same Promenade route, passing the transition area and continuing slightly beyond Sunkist Lawns before looping back to complete each lap. The course consists of three laps, aid stations are positioned at Durban Surf and Pirates Surf Club, with athletes passing a total of four aid stations.
Race weekend schedule
Location
City insight: Durban
Durban is a warm port city on South Africa's Indian Ocean coast, with a long beachfront promenade known as the Golden Mile, a large Indian community and a famous curry tradition. The climate is humid subtropical: summers (December to February) are hot and humid with storms, winters (June to August) are mild and dry with sunny days, and spring and autumn are warm. Autumn to spring is the best time to race, and the sea is warm enough for swimming for much of the year. King Shaka International Airport serves the city.
Know from the athletes
Good to know
How do I add my story to a race registration?
Share what motivates you by telling us your story! 1. Log into your IRONMAN Profile and navigate to the Registrations page. 2. Hover over the event of your choice and click on Race Details. 3. Click on Tell Us Your Story and share your background and inspiration for a chance to be featured on our community channels!
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How do I confirm all races are under the same profile?
Log in to your IRONMAN Profile at https://my.ironman.com. Click 'Registrations' to view your race results and upcoming races. If a race is missing, you likely have multiple profiles. For registration issues, contact: 70.3 - 70.3@ironman.com, IRONMAN - ironman@ironman.com
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How does pricing and registration for a relay team work?
During registration, the team captain creates the relay team by selecting a team name and adding at least one team member to claim the entry. Team members who receive a registration claim email from the captain can complete their registration directly via that link. If additional team members need to be added later, the team captain must contact the event email address. The new team member will then receive an email invitation to register. At the checkout, the team captain pays the full registration fee. Depending on the federation requirements of the host country, some team members may be required to purchase a one-day license during registration.
Are two-person relay teams permitted?
Yes. Relay teams must consist of two or three athletes. Two-person teams may divide the swim, bike, and run legs in any combination. A third team member may be added later if desired, up to two weeks prior to race day.
Can I be a team member on two different relay teams?
No. Each athlete may only compete on one relay team per event.
Do all relay team members need to be the same age and gender?
No. Relay teams may include athletes of different ages and genders. All participants must be at least 18 years old on race day.
How do I request to switch a relay member?
Only the team captain may request team changes. Please contact the event email address (available on the Contact page) and include: The name of the team member to be removed, The full name and email address of the new team member. All changes must be completed no later than 10 days before race day.
My team partner did not receive the registration link. How can I resend it to them?
As team captain, you can resend the registration email through your IRONMAN profile: Log into your profile at https://my.ironman.com, click on 'Registrations' in the left bar, click on 'Race Details' of your event registration, click on 'Manage Registration', click on 'Registration Claims' on the left column, and click the 'Resend emails for unclaimed registrations' button.
What is the withdrawal policy for a relay team?
Relay team captains may be eligible for a partial refund, depending on the timing of the withdrawal. Please refer to the Relay Teams page for full refund details and deadlines.
Do all relay team members need to attend athlete onsite registration?
Yes. All relay team members must attend athlete onsite registration together. Each relay team will receive: One bib number, One race package including swim cap, bike sticker, helmet sticker, and two bibs. Each team member will also receive their own race bag and finisher t-shirt.
What will a relay team need to bring to athlete onsite registration?
All relay team members must present a valid photo ID. Teams must be complete no later than two weeks before race day. Any outstanding changes must be requested via the event email address before athlete onsite registration.
Does each relay team member receive a timing chip?
No. Each relay team receives one timing chip, which acts as a relay 'baton'. The cyclist collects the timing chip at bike check-in. The chip is transferred between athletes during transitions. The ankle strap and chip must always be worn until handed over. After finishing, the runner must return the timing chip to the cyclist so it can be returned during bike check-out.
How are transition bags managed for relay teams? Where should relay team members leave their equipment?
Transition bag management for relay teams may vary depending on the event and venue setup. In general, each relay team member is responsible for managing their own equipment for their race leg. Transition bag availability (bag racks, designated relay areas) will be communicated on a race-by-race basis.
How does transition work? Do the cyclist/runner need to stay in transition the entire time?
In the transition area, there will be an area dedicated to the relays. It is in this area that you will be able to exchange your timing chip between the SWIM and BIKE athletes.