Best 70.3 races in Australia
10 rated races, ranked by an overall score built from racer reviews and race reports. How we score
10 races
By the numbers
Overall score 4.4Very good#7 of 221Moderate evidence · 7 sources
Bike climb 620 m (2,030 ft)
1. IRONMAN 70.3 Sunshine Coast
Overall score 4.4Very goodModerate evidence · 7 sourcesTop 4%#7 of 221 overallMooloolaba (Sunshine Coast), Australia · IRONMAN · Next race 12 Sep 2027
Racers loveSmooth, fast roads: 620 m (2,034 ft) of climbing over 90 km (56 mi)
Watch outOcean swell can make the swim rough, as in 2024
“Everything worked like clockwork.” RaceCheck (Alexandros T.)
- Bike climb
- 620 m (2,030 ft)
- Field
- about 2,000
- Best
- Conditions 4.6
- Weakest
- Swim 3.6
Overall score 3.9Very good#45 of 221Moderate evidence · 7 sources
Water 17–19 °C (63–66 °F)
2. IRONMAN 70.3 Geelong
Overall score 3.9Very goodModerate evidence · 7 sourcesTop 20%#45 of 221 overallGeelong, Australia · IRONMAN · Next race 21 Mar 2027
Racers loveProtected Corio Bay swim, wetsuit legal and beginner friendly
Watch outChop in the first 800 m (0.5 mi) of the swim in a southerly
- Water
- 17–19 °C (63–66 °F)
- Air
- 11–22 °C (52–72 °F)
- Bike climb
- 412 m (1,350 ft)
- Field
- about 1,300
- Best
- Stay and travel 4.4
- Weakest
- Bike 3.6
Not a standard 70.3Overall score 3.9Very good#49 of 221Moderate evidence · 8 sources
3. Busselton 100 (Festival of Triathlon)
Overall score 3.9Very goodModerate evidence · 8 sourcesTop 23%#49 of 221 overallBusselton, Australia · Last race 3 May 2026
Not a standard 70.3 · 2 / 80 / 18 kmRacers loveSwim runs alongside the almost 2 km (1.2 mi) Busselton Jetty in clear Geographe Bay water.
Watch outNot a half: 2 km (1.2 mi) swim, 80 km (50 mi) bike, 18 km (11 mi) run.
- Field
- about 3,000
- Best
- Swim 4.2
- Weakest
- Bike 3.4
Overall score 3.8Very good#55 of 221Moderate evidence · 9 sources
Water 24–26 °C (75–79 °F)
4. IRONMAN 70.3 Cairns
Overall score 3.8Very goodModerate evidence · 9 sourcesTop 25%#55 of 221 overallCairns (Palm Cove), Australia · IRONMAN · Next race 13 Jun 2027
Racers loveBeach swim from Palm Cove with an island backdrop in the Coral Sea
Watch outOcean chop and stingers: calm one year, rough surf another
“Crowd support among the best she has seen.” Slowtwitch: Final Thoughts on the Race in…
- Water
- 24–26 °C (75–79 °F)
- Air
- 19–27 °C (66–81 °F)
- Best
- Conditions 4.3
- Weakest
- Swim 3.0
Overall score 3.8Very good#66 of 221Moderate evidence · 6 sources
5. Husky Ultimate (Long Course) Triathlon
Overall score 3.8Very goodModerate evidence · 6 sourcesTop 29%#66 of 221 overallHuskisson, Australia · Next race 6 Mar 2027
Racers loveLargest long-course triathlon festival in the Southern Hemisphere, with 6,000+ athletes in 2025
Watch outEntries sell out and lodging in the small town fills early
- Best
- Race 4.0
- Weakest
- Stay and travel 3.2
Overall score 3.6Very good#78 of 221Moderate evidence · 5 sources
Water 16–19 °C (61–66 °F)
6. IRONMAN 70.3 Melbourne
Overall score 3.6Very goodModerate evidence · 5 sourcesTop 35%#78 of 221 overallSt Kilda (Melbourne), Australia · IRONMAN · Next race 8 Nov 2026
Racers loveFlat, fast two-lap bike along Beach Road and a flat waterfront run
Watch outBay swim is exposed; in 2023 it was cut to 900 m (0.56 mi) for wind and chop
- Water
- 16–19 °C (61–66 °F)
- Air
- 11–23 °C (52–73 °F)
- Field
- about 2,000
- Best
- Stay and travel 5.0
- Weakest
- Bike 3.1
Overall score 3.5Very good#104 of 221Moderate evidence · 6 sources
Water 16–19 °C (61–66 °F)
7. Challenge Canberra (Middle Distance)
Overall score 3.5Very goodModerate evidence · 6 sourcesTop 48%#104 of 221 overallCanberra, Australia · Challenge Family · Next race 22 Nov 2026
Racers loveCalm, sheltered lake swim with landmarks and room to swim.
Watch outSources disagree on the bike: 90 km (56 mi) or 80 km (50 mi). Check the current course.
- Water
- 16–19 °C (61–66 °F)
- Air
- 12–26 °C (54–79 °F)
- Bike climb
- 945 m (3,100 ft)
- Best
- Bike 4.4
- Weakest
- Race 2.8
Overall score 3.5Very good#105 of 221Moderate evidence · 9 sources
Water 19 °C (66 °F)
8. IRONMAN 70.3 Western Australia
Overall score 3.5Very goodModerate evidence · 9 sourcesTop 48%#105 of 221 overallBusselton, Australia · IRONMAN · Next race 6 Dec 2026
Racers loveSwim beside and under the 1.8 km (1.1 mi) Busselton Jetty in Geographe Bay
Watch outShark concerns: the swim was cancelled in 2017 and spotting is by helicopter and drone
“it got very hot” Patterson, IamSpartacus, zedzded, EyeRunMD, Slowtwitch forum: IRONMAN Western Australia…
- Water
- 19 °C (66 °F)
- Air
- 16–23 °C (61–73 °F)
- Field
- about 1,205
- Best
- Swim 3.9
- Weakest
- Stay and travel 2.9
Overall score 3.2Good#127 of 221Moderate evidence · 8 sources
Bike climb 1,455 m (4,770 ft)
9. IRONMAN 70.3 Port Macquarie
Overall score 3.2GoodModerate evidence · 8 sourcesBottom 43%#127 of 221 overallPort Macquarie, Australia · IRONMAN · Last race 18 Oct 2026
Racers loveFlat run finishing on Town Green in the centre of town
Watch outBike has about 1,455 m (4,774 ft) of climbing, with an 18.6% ramp ridden twice
“That was really hard on the run with that wind.” Triathlete
- Air
- 14–24 °C (57–75 °F)
- Bike climb
- 1,455 m (4,770 ft)
- Field
- about 1,280
- Best
- Run 3.8
- Weakest
- Bike 2.8
Overall score 2.8Good#199 of 221Moderate evidence · 7 sources
10. IRONMAN 70.3 Western Sydney
Overall score 2.8GoodModerate evidence · 7 sourcesBottom 12%#199 of 221 overallPenrith, Australia · IRONMAN · Next race 2 May 2027
Racers loveCalm, protected Olympic regatta lake for the 1.9 km (1.2 mi) swim
Watch outWetsuits banned in at least one warm November edition; the date has since moved to May
- Air
- 8–22 °C (46–72 °F)
- Field
- about 1,072
- Best
- Swim 3.8
- Weakest
- Run 2.6
About these ratings
Races are ranked by an overall score out of 5, built from racer reviews and race reports, on the race itself, swim, bike, run, conditions and travel. 5 is always the better end. How we rate
70.3 course: 1.9 km (1.2 mi) swim, 90 km (56 mi) bike, 21.1 km (13.1 mi) run.
72 racer reviews and race reports.
Browse all 10 races, A to Z
Training for one of these? Moku Coach builds your plan around race day.