Challenge Israman (half / middle distance)

Eilat, Israel · January · Challenge Family

Challenge Israman (half / middle distance): swimmers at the israman half-distance red sea swim (2014)U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Europe District, Public domain
Swimmers at the Israman half-distance Red Sea swim (2014). Photo via Wikimedia Commons.

Why people love it

  • Warm Red Sea swim at 22 to 23 °C (72 to 73 °F) with coral and fish.
  • Desert-mountain bike course beside the Egyptian border.
  • Run starts with a long descent and ends on a lively Eilat promenade.
  • January winter sun in a resort town.

Watch out for

  • Opening climb of 625 to 823 m (2,050 to 2,700 ft) in about 10 km (6 mi).
  • Gusty mountain wind and a cold early start in January.
  • The 10 to 12 km (6 to 7.5 mi) run descent punishes quads.
  • A doctor-signed health permit is required, and T2 is on the mountain.

Race

3.3Good

How racers feel about it, how well it is run, and how it treats a first timer. Counts for 27% of the overall score.

  • Racer satisfactionLoved4.0

    Slowtwitch and others call it one of the most spectacular and testing half courses. Few age-group reviews exist, mostly press coverage. · Medium confidence

  • OrganizationWell run3.6

    27 editions and a combined weekend with record-setting results, but no age-group feedback. A doctor-signed health permit is required. · Low confidence

  • First timer friendlyDemanding1.9

    A 625 m (2,050 ft) opening climb, a 10 to 12 km (6 to 7.5 mi) steep run descent and gusty wind. · Medium confidence

Course traits, not part of the score

  • PR potentialSlow1.6

    A 2014 winner raced far slower than his usual 70.3 pace, and the 2026 course record of 4:13:36 is slow for the distance. · Medium confidence

  • Course easeVery tough1.7

    Opening 625 m (2,050 ft) climb, a steep descent and wind make it among the hardest halves. · Medium confidence

Swim

4.2Very good

Wetsuit odds, water temperature, calm, and the experience of the start. Counts for 15% of the overall score.

  • Wetsuit legalAlmost always4.5

    Water is about 22 to 23 °C (72 to 73 °F), under the 24.5 °C (76 °F) limit, and wetsuits are optional. · Medium confidence

  • Water temperatureIdeal4.6

    22 to 23 °C (72 to 73 °F) is at the warm end of ideal, in clear Red Sea water. · Medium confidence

  • Calm waterSome chop3.3

    The Gulf of Eilat is mostly sheltered, but the 2014 half had a choppy swim. · Low confidence

  • Swim easeModerate3.1

    A 1.9 km (1.2 mi) triangle, but a crowded start and strobe-lit buoys in the dark make sighting harder. · Low confidence

  • Swim experienceGreat4.1

    Warm Red Sea with coral and fish. Slowtwitch compared it to a nature show. · Medium confidence

Bike

3.3Good

Road surface, closures, scenery and wind. Counts for 19% of the overall score.

  • Road surfaceGood3.7

    Desert highway roads with no surface complaints found. · Low confidence

  • Road closuresPartly closed3.4

    Closure details are not documented. · Low confidence

  • Bike sceneryBeautiful4.4

    Desert mountains beside the Egyptian border with views over the Gulf of Eilat. · Medium confidence

  • WindWindy2.0

    Mountain wind was described as constantly up and down in 2014, with gusts in other years. Official average is 18 km (11.2 mi)/h (11 mph). · Medium confidence

Course traits, not part of the score

  • Bike speedSlow1.6

    A 625 to 823 m (2,050 to 2,700 ft) climb in the first 10 to 11 km (6 to 7 mi), then a windy ridge. · Medium confidence

  • Bike flatnessMountainous1.4

    The opening climb alone is about 625 m (2,050 ft). The half's total gain is not published but is clearly high. · Low confidence

  • Bike simplicityTechnical2.1

    A steep, fast descent into T2 and exposed ridge crosswinds. · Medium confidence

Run

3.2Good

Crowds, aid stations, conditions underfoot and scenery. Counts for 13% of the overall score.

  • Crowd supportStrong3.5

    Cafe crowds cheer on the promenade, but the mountain descent is quiet. · Low confidence

  • Aid stationsStandard3.4

    No complaints found, but little aid-station detail. · Low confidence

  • Run sceneryBeautiful4.0

    Descent with Gulf views, then the beach promenade. · Medium confidence

  • Run conditionsModerate2.8

    Mild January temperatures help, but the descent left a relay runner's quads trashed. · Medium confidence

Course traits, not part of the score

  • Run flatnessHilly2.3

    Net downhill, but a steep 10 to 12 km (6 to 7.5 mi) drop from the mountain T2 punishes legs before the flat promenade. · Medium confidence

Conditions

3.6Very good

Air temperature, how predictable the weather is, setting, and spectating. Counts for 15% of the overall score.

  • Air temperaturePleasant3.9

    January air is about 10 to 22 °C (50 to 72 °F), cold at the early start and mild by day. · Low confidence

  • Weather reliabilityVariable3.0

    Ridge conditions can swing from near-freezing to hot and from calm to howling. · Medium confidence

  • Venue beautyLovely4.2

    A Red Sea resort town beneath desert mountains. · Medium confidence

  • Spectator friendlySome viewpoints3.2

    The promenade finish is easy to watch, but T2 is on the mountain and the bike is remote. · Low confidence

Course traits, not part of the score

  • Low altitudeLow4.3

    Swim and finish are at sea level, though the bike climbs to a plateau of roughly 800 m (2,600 ft). · Medium confidence

Stay and travel

2.9Good

Hotels, walkability, getting there, and the town around the race. Counts for 11% of the overall score.

  • Hotel availabilityGood3.8

    Resort town with many hotels and no race-week sell-out reports. · Low confidence

  • Hotel valueNormal3.0

    No race-week price data found, and Eilat is a pricey winter-sun destination. · Low confidence

  • WalkabilitySome driving3.2

    Start and finish are close together, but T2 is on the mountain and bikes are transported. · Low confidence

  • Travel easeOne connection3.2

    Ramon Airport is about 18 km (11 mi) away, and entry plus the health permit need paperwork. · Medium confidence

  • LogisticsSome complexity2.8

    Separate T2 on the mountain, bike transport and a required doctor-signed health permit. · Medium confidence

  • Town and foodGood4.0

    Busy Red Sea resort town with cafes and a promenade. · Low confidence

Key facts

Location
Eilat, Southern District, Israel
Typical month
January
Latest or next date
29 January 2027
Organiser
Challenge Family
Field size
About 700 athletes
Distances
1.9 km (1.2 mi) swim, 90 km (56 mi) bike, 21.1 km (13.1 mi) run
Swim venue
Red Sea, start/finish at the Royal Beach, Eilat (ocean)
Water temperature
22–23 °C (72–73 °F)
Wetsuit
Optional
Swim start
mass/wave (half starts about 15 min after the full-distance field)
Swim laps
1
Bike laps
1
Key climbs
Opening climb of about 625 m (2,050 ft) over 10 km (6.2 mi), reported by Slowtwitch in 2014; Another report cites about 823 m (2,700 ft) over about 11 km (7 mi)
Run laps
1
Run shade
Little; desert and promenade, but January temperatures are mild
Air temperature
10–22 °C (50–72 °F)
Humidity
low (desert)
Altitude
0 m (0 ft)
Nearest airport
Ramon Airport (ETM), 18 km (11 mi) away
Where to stay
Near the Royal Beach / waterfront
Booking
Resort-town hotels along the Eilat waterfront; January is a popular winter-sun period. No race-week price data found. Registration requires a doctor-signed health permit.

Official race website (challengefamily.com)

What racers and reviewers say

  • Slowtwitch (John Hirsch)Raced 2017 · article · Positive

    Calls Israman one of the world's hardest courses because Eilat's geography forces the route up into the desert. Describes the swim as a nature show, the bike as a true test with about 7 miles (11 km (6.8 mi)) climbing 2,700 ft (823 m (2,700 ft)), a punishing descent into T2 and a pleasant, well-supported beach run.

  • Slowtwitch (Tim Carlson) 2014 Israman Negev TriathlonRaced 2014 · article · Mixed

    Describes a climb of about 2,050 ft (625 m (2,050 ft)) over 10 km (6.2 mi), a ridge by the Egyptian fence and a steep run descent. Weather can swing from near-freezing to hot and calm to windy; about 700 athletes raced the half within a field of roughly 1,200.

  • Slowtwitch: Tough times at IsramanRaced 2014 · article · Mixed

    Half-distance winner Edo Van Der Meer said his time was far slower than his 70.3 best because of the difficulty and the shifting wind. The women's winner called the course brilliant and very testing; the swim was choppy.

    “very testing”

    Tim Carlson
  • US Army: Corps of Engineers trio tackles IsramanRaced 2014 · article · Positive

    Three first-time relay racers did the half distance. They describe a chaotic swim scrum, a roughly 800 m (2,600 ft) opening climb, rolling desert hills, mostly calm weather with occasional gusts and about 11 km (7 mi) of run descent that left quads tight.

  • 220 Triathlon: Race report Isramanblog · Mixed

    Race report on a crowded start with strobe-lit buoys, a 12 km (7.5 mi) climb straight out of transition and a downhill run likened to fell running. (Page was blocked to direct fetch; details taken from search-result summary.)

Show 2 more
  • Challenge Family: Records shattered at Israman 2025Raced 2025 · article · Positive

    Organiser report: 1.9 km (1.2 mi) Red Sea swim, 90 km (56 mi) bike through the Eilat mountains and run descending from Netafim to the promenade. Marcel Bolbat won in 4:13:41 and Sofia Korzunina won the women's race in 5:23:35.

  • Challenge Family: Israman 2026 reportRaced 2026 · article · Positive

    27th edition: 22.7 C (72.9 F) water at 7:10 am, 90 km (56 mi) ride through the Eilat Mountains, Bolbat in a 4:13:36 course record and women's winner Mazar in 5:33:25 with a 3:19:10 bike split.

Sources

Pages we used for facts and ratings. See how we rate.

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