IRONMAN 70.3 Acapulco
Acapulco (Riviera Diamante), Mexico · November · IRONMAN
Why people love it
- Warm, sheltered Pacific bay swim at about 29 °C (84 °F) with a rolling start.
- Flat, fast two-loop bike on resort boulevards.
- Flat run finishing at the Mundo Imperial hotel.
- Small field of roughly 1,000 to 1,500 athletes.
Watch out for
- Heat and humidity: 30 to 33 °C (86 to 91 °F) highs, and about 17% did not finish in 2023.
- Wetsuits are not an option in 29 °C (84 °F) water.
- The date has moved between March and November across editions.
- A short 600 m (0.4 mi) climb right out of T1, then a bumpy descent.
- Very little first-hand athlete feedback is available.
Race
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 satisfactionLiked3.3
No first-hand athlete reviews found. A warm-water resort venue and flat course suggest a pleasant race, but the evidence is only descriptive. · Low confidence
- OrganizationAdequate3.3
Standard IRONMAN production with a rolling swim start and run aid about every 1 km (0.6 mi). No complaints or praise found. · Low confidence
- First timer friendlyDoable3.4
Flat to rolling course and a sheltered bay help, but 29 °C (84 °F) water and about 31 °C (88 °F) air are demanding. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- PR potentialFast3.5
Billed as flat and fast, but heat hurt: about 17% of the 2023 starters did not finish, and the top individual time was 4:20:05. · Low confidence
- Course easeTough2.7
Flat course, but 30 to 33 °C (86 to 91 °F) highs and high humidity make it a heat race. · Low confidence
Swim
Wetsuit odds, water temperature, calm, and the experience of the start. Counts for 15% of the overall score.
- Wetsuit legalRarely1.1
Water averages about 29 °C (84 °F), far above the 24.5 °C (76 °F) wetsuit limit. · High confidence
- Water temperatureUncomfortable1.6
About 28 to 30 °C (82 to 86 °F) is hot, though the swim is short and sheltered. · Medium confidence
- Calm waterMostly calm3.9
Single loop in a bay protected by surrounding hills. No race-day swell reports found. · Low confidence
- Swim easeEasy3.9
One 1.9 km (1.2 mi) loop in a natural bay, with a rolling self-seeded start that reduces contact. · Low confidence
- Swim experienceGreat3.6
Warm bay ringed by hills, but no athlete accounts of water clarity. · Low confidence
Bike
Road surface, closures, scenery and wind. Counts for 19% of the overall score.
- Road surfaceMixed3.0
One source mentions a bumpy descent early on, with no other surface information. · Low confidence
- Road closuresPartly closed3.4
Closure status is not documented. · Low confidence
- Bike sceneryPleasant3.3
Resort boulevards with a bay and mountain backdrop, and no scenery commentary. · Low confidence
- WindSome wind3.2
Coastal location, with no wind information found. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Bike speedFast3.7
A course guide calls it flat and fast with minor hills, but heat can slow riders. · Low confidence
- Bike flatnessMostly flat3.6
Elevation gain is not published. There is a 600 m (0.4 mi) climb out of T1, then flat roads. · Low confidence
- Bike simplicityMostly simple3.5
Two boulevard loops after a short technical descent out of the marina. · Low confidence
Run
Crowds, aid stations, conditions underfoot and scenery. Counts for 13% of the overall score.
- Crowd supportDecent3.0
Hotel-district finish at Mundo Imperial, with no crowd reports. · Low confidence
- Aid stationsGood3.7
Run aid is about every 1 km (0.6 mi) per the course guide. · Low confidence
- Run sceneryPleasant3.3
Resort and hotel-district run near the ocean. · Low confidence
- Run conditionsHard1.9
Flat but hot and humid, with 30 to 33 °C (86 to 91 °F) highs and limited shade. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Run flatnessMostly flat4.4
Course guides describe a flat run through the hotel district. · Medium confidence
Conditions
Air temperature, how predictable the weather is, setting, and spectating. Counts for 15% of the overall score.
- Air temperatureHarsh1.7
Early-November highs of 30 to 33 °C (86 to 91 °F) and lows of 24 to 27 °C (75 to 81 °F) with tropical humidity. · Medium confidence
- Weather reliabilityVariable3.4
Predictably hot, with some hurricane-season tail risk in November. No cancellations found. · Low confidence
- Venue beautyLovely3.9
Pacific bay beach resort with a hillside backdrop. · Low confidence
- Spectator friendlySome viewpoints3.2
Two bike loops and a compact hotel-district run, but no spectator guidance found. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Low altitudeSea level5.0
Sea level, about 3 m (10 ft). · High confidence
Stay and travel
Hotels, walkability, getting there, and the town around the race. Counts for 11% of the overall score.
- Hotel availabilityGood4.0
Large resort hotel stock, and the race is small at about 1,000 to 1,500 athletes. · Low confidence
- Hotel valueGood3.5
Mexican resort pricing, but no race-week price data. · Low confidence
- WalkabilitySome driving3.4
T1 is at Marina Cabo Marqués and the finish is at Mundo Imperial, with hotels in the Diamante zone near both. · Low confidence
- Travel easeOne connection3.0
Acapulco airport is mainly served via Mexico City connections. · Low confidence
- LogisticsSome complexity3.2
The start and finish are in different places, so expect two transition areas. · Low confidence
- Town and foodGood3.7
Classic Mexican beach city with resort dining. No race-specific reviews. · Low confidence
Key facts
- Location
- Acapulco (Riviera Diamante), Guerrero, Mexico
- Typical month
- November
- Latest or next date
- 1 November 2026
- Organiser
- IRONMAN
- Field size
- About 1,500 athletes
- First held
- 2021
- Distances
- 1.9 km (1.2 mi) swim, 90 km (56 mi) bike, 21.1 km (13.1 mi) run
- Cutoffs
- Bike 5:30 after last athlete starts swim, Finish 8:30 after last athlete starts swim
- Swim venue
- Playa Majahua, Puerto Marqués Bay (next to Marina Cabo Marqués) (ocean)
- Water temperature
- 28–30 °C (82–86 °F)
- Wetsuit
- Banned
- Swim start
- rolling (self-seeded)
- Swim laps
- 1
- Bike laps
- 2
- Key climbs
- 600 m (0.4 mi) climb out of T1
- Run shade
- Limited; tropical sun, finish in front of the Mundo Imperial hotel
- Air temperature
- 24–33 °C (75–91 °F)
- Humidity
- high (tropical)
- Altitude
- 3 m (10 ft)
- Nearest airport
- Acapulco International (ACA)
- Where to stay
- Riviera Diamante
- Booking
- Riviera Diamante resort hotels around the finish; no race-week review data found.
What racers and reviewers say
- RaceRavesRaced 2025 · aggregator · Mixed
Course guide for the 9 Nov 2025 edition: rolling-start sea swim at Playa Majahua, a bike billed as flat and fast with minor hills after a 600 m (0.4 mi) opening climb, and a flat run in the Riviera Diamante. Lists water at 29 C (84 F) and air about 31 C (88 F). No athlete ratings are posted yet.
- Mundo Imperial press roomRaced 2023 · article · Positive
Host-hotel release on the third edition (26 March 2023): about 1,500 athletes from 26 countries, 6:20 am swim start, 30 World Championship slots and a finish in front of the host hotel. Promotional, with no conditions or feedback.
- endurance-data.comRaced 2023 · aggregator · Mixed
2023 results: 833 finishers from 1,000 starters (about 17% did not finish), best individual times 4:20:05 (men) and 4:26:54 (women), with a relay team faster overall at 4:12:08. The attrition suggests demanding conditions.
- PJAMM Cyclingaggregator · Mixed
Course-profile page lists distances only; elevation gain shows as zero placeholder, so no usable climbing figure exists there.
Sources
Pages we used for facts and ratings. See how we rate.
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