Ironman Comes to Weymouth This Sunday: What You Need to Know
Updated: 4 hours ago
This Sunday 20 September, thousands of athletes and supporters from around the world will descend on Weymouth for the tenth running of the IRONMAN 70.3 Weymouth, an amazing endurance event that passes through our corner of Dorset. Whether you're planning to participate, watch, cheer, or simply go about your Sunday, you may want to know about related road closures. IRONKIDS is also coming to Weymouth on Saturday 19 September, with up to 1,000 children aged three to fifteen running between 500 metres and 1.5 kilometres around the Weymouth Pavilion area, finishing on the famous red carpet there.
What is an Ironman 70.3?
The "70.3" refers to the total distance in miles: a 1.2 mile swim in Weymouth Bay, a 56 mile bike ride through the Dorset countryside, and a 13.1 mile run along Weymouth's seafront promenade. It's a middle-distance triathlon, being half the distance of a full Ironman, but still a serious athletic undertaking that most of us mortals would find impossible.
This race is an Ironman World Championship qualifier, one of just a handful of UK-based qualifying events. That means many of Sunday's competitors are racing not just for this event, but for a place at a world-class international race, which is one of the reasons why athletes travel from all over to race here. The beauty of the course is another reason. The bike course is relevant to people living in this area: competitors take an anti-clockwise loop north through the rolling Dorset countryside as far as King's Stag and back via Godmanstone and Dorchester, so the race passes right through where we live.
Road closures and disruption to plan for
Dorset Council has urged residents, businesses and visitors to plan ahead, since road closures, parking restrictions and travel changes are in force before and during the event weekend. Key closures to be aware of for those travelling between Poundbury and Weymouth or south Dorset on Sunday:
Roads through the Higher Woodsford, Lewell, West Stafford and Moreton areas will be restricted as cyclists travel north towards Dorchester, with access to Moreton Station affected.
The A35 Northbrook Junction eastbound exit slip road is expected to be closed during the cycle section.
Redbridge Road, Crossways will close northbound as competitors leave the B3390.
For full road closure details and travel advice, click here.
Weymouth Household Recycling Centre will be closed all day on Sept 20, and Dorchester Household Recycling Centre will be closed from 9am to 2pm. Bus services will be affected too so check First Bus for your specific route before travelling.
Worth going to watch
If you haven't seen an Ironman event before, it's worth making the trip to Weymouth. The seafront run course is designed to be spectator-friendly, and the atmosphere as athletes cross the finish line after swimming, cycling, and running 70.3 miles is truly exhilarating and moving. Almost 3,000 competitors from across the world will be racing this time, and Weymouth's beautiful bay makes for one of the most scenic race settings on the UK sports calendar.