IRONMAN 70.3 Buenos Aires Palermo
Buenos Aires, Argentina · October · IRONMAN 70.3
Why people love it
- Compact city venue: swim in Lago de Regatas, run through Bosques de Palermo
- Flat, closed city avenues; one 2025 age-grouper averaged above 40 km (24.9 mi)/h (25 mph)
- Buenos Aires food and hotel depth, with Aeroparque about 5 km (3 mi) away
- 50 World Championship slots on offer
Watch out for
- Rain in 2025 left water ruts, punctures and crashes on the bike
- Crowded 1.9 km (1.2 mi) lake swim of about 1,300 athletes
- Road closures across the city on race Sunday affect getting around
- Few detailed first-person reports exist
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 satisfactionLoved3.5
Few athlete accounts. One racer called 2025 a great race and a personal best, another described a storm-hit day with crashes. · Low confidence
- OrganizationWell run3.6
The city closure plan ran for about 1,300 starters. Rain ruts caused punctures and crashes in 2025. · Low confidence
- First timer friendlyFriendly3.6
Flat urban course with a sheltered lake, but a crowded 1.9 km (1.2 mi) swim and city roads. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- PR potentialFast3.8
Flat course. Winners went 4:00:55 in 2023 and 3:59:18 in 2025 in rain, decent but not elite-fast. · Low confidence
- Course easeModerate4.1
Flat urban course. Rain and crowding are the main variables. · Low confidence
Swim
Wetsuit odds, water temperature, calm, and the experience of the start. Counts for 15% of the overall score.
- Wetsuit legalCoin flip3.0
No water temperature or wetsuit ruling was found. A spring lake is likely borderline. · Low confidence
- Water temperatureAcceptable3.2
No published temperature. October and November lake water is probably around 18-23 °C (64-73 °F). · Low confidence
- Calm waterMostly calm4.1
Sheltered regatta lake in a city park, though rain and wind can add ripples. · Medium confidence
- Swim easeModerate3.4
Two laps with about 1,300 athletes. One top age-grouper lost the leaders on lap two. · Medium confidence
- Swim experienceFine3.2
Clean water per one athlete, but an urban rowing lake and a crowded 1.9 km (1.2 mi). · Medium confidence
Bike
Road surface, closures, scenery and wind. Counts for 19% of the overall score.
- Road surfaceMixed3.2
City avenues, and 2025 rain left water ruts, many punctures and crashes. · Low confidence
- Road closuresMostly closed4.2
The city reported total rolling closures of Figueroa Alcorta, Lugones, Illia and Paseo del Bajo. · Medium confidence
- Bike sceneryPleasant3.0
City highways and avenues with riverfront glimpses. · Low confidence
- WindSome wind3.3
Open highway and riverfront stretches, with no wind reports found. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Bike speedFast4.0
Flat avenues and highway. One 2025 age-grouper averaged over 40 km (24.9 mi)/h (25 mph) for 90 km (56 mi). · Medium confidence
- Bike flatnessMostly flat4.2
Urban flat route. No elevation total is published. · Low confidence
- Bike simplicitySome technical parts3.0
Urban avenues and an autopista with ramps and turns. Rain made it dangerous in 2025. · Medium confidence
Run
Crowds, aid stations, conditions underfoot and scenery. Counts for 13% of the overall score.
- Crowd supportStrong3.7
Urban park run with spectators in Palermo, though accounts are limited. · Low confidence
- Aid stationsGood3.7
Standard IRONMAN aid, with no complaints found. · Low confidence
- Run sceneryBeautiful3.5
Bosques de Palermo parkland and lakes. · Low confidence
- Run conditionsEasy3.8
Park run with tree shade, in cool spring weather and rain in 2025. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Run flatnessFlat4.6
City tourism describes the run in Bosques de Palermo as predominantly flat. · Medium confidence
Conditions
Air temperature, how predictable the weather is, setting, and spectating. Counts for 15% of the overall score.
- Air temperaturePleasant3.9
Spring highs are roughly 12-24 °C (54-75 °F). The 2025 race was cool and wet. · Low confidence
- Weather reliabilityVariable3.0
The 2025 race was run in storm-level rain, and spring is changeable. · Medium confidence
- Venue beautyLovely3.8
Palermo parks and lakes inside a big city. · Medium confidence
- Spectator friendlyEasy4.2
Compact Palermo venue with a park run where athletes pass spectators repeatedly. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Low altitudeSea level5.0
Buenos Aires is near sea level, about 25 m (82 ft). · High confidence
Stay and travel
Hotels, walkability, getting there, and the town around the race. Counts for 11% of the overall score.
- Hotel availabilityPlentiful4.5
Large capital with extensive hotel supply. · Medium confidence
- Hotel valueGood3.9
Argentine pricing generally favours foreign visitors, but no race-week data was found. · Low confidence
- WalkabilityWalkable3.6
Palermo hotels are near Lago de Regatas, but not every stage is adjacent. · Low confidence
- Travel easeEasy4.1
Domestic Aeroparque is about 5 km (3 mi) away and Ezeiza about 35 km (22 mi). · Medium confidence
- LogisticsSimple3.7
Palermo-centred venue with the expo near Andres Bello, though city closures complicate Sunday travel. · Low confidence
- Town and foodGreat4.5
Buenos Aires is a major food and culture city. · Medium confidence
Key facts
- Location
- Buenos Aires, CABA, Argentina
- Typical month
- October
- Latest or next date
- 4 October 2026
- Organiser
- IRONMAN 70.3
- Field size
- About 1,300 athletes
- First held
- 2016
- Distances
- 1.9 km (1.2 mi) swim, 90 km (56 mi) bike, 21.1 km (13.1 mi) run
- Swim venue
- Lago de Regatas, Palermo (lake)
- Swim laps
- 2
- Run shade
- Park trees
- Air temperature
- 12–24 °C (54–75 °F)
- Altitude
- 25 m (82 ft)
- Nearest airport
- Aeroparque Jorge Newbery (AEP); Ezeiza (EZE) for international, 5 km (3 mi) away
- Where to stay
- Palermo, Recoleta
- Booking
- Large city, ample hotels.
What racers and reviewers say
- Diario Jornada: Seba ArrativeRaced 2025 · article · Mixed
Fourth overall in 4:04:34. Describes a storm lasting through the bike and run, clean but crowded water with ~1,300 athletes, water ruts that made the bike dangerous with many punctures and crashes, and about 1,112 classified finishers.
“Water ruts made the course dangerous.”
- Todo Jujuy: Valentin BlascoRaced 2025 · article · Positive
Age-grouper's fourth 70.3, finishing 5:21 with a personal best. Describes closed city avenues for the bike and a flat run, and called it a great race.
- ANBariloche: resultsRaced 2025 · article · Mixed
Results piece: more than 1,300 athletes from over 30 countries; local athletes fought the rain. Notes the Palermo-centered event and finishing times.
- ANBariloche: previewRaced 2025 · article · Positive
Preview with course outline: 1.9 km (1.2 mi) swim in Lago de Regatas, 90 km (55.9 mi) bike on avenues and highways, run in Bosques de Palermo, 7 am start and 50 world-championship slots.
- ESPN Deportes: 2023 resultsRaced 2023 · article · Positive
Debut Palermo edition: about 1,500 triathletes with roughly 600 from abroad (Brazil, Uruguay, Chile), after three earlier 5150 events in the city. Winners Raul Arratia and Gabriela Carena.
Show 4 more
- Endurance Sports Wire: Palermo announcementRaced 2023 · article · Positive
May 2023 announcement of the new Palermo location: swim in Palermo Lake, bike on Figueroa Alcorta, Lugones and Madero, run finishing at the Palermo Woods statue; slots to the 2024 World Championship in Taupo.
- Buenos Aires City TourismRaced 2026 · article · Positive
City tourism page: 4 October start at Lago de Regatas, expo 2-3 October, bike on highways and avenues, run in Bosques de Palermo described as mostly flat, 1,300+ athletes from 31 countries, 50 slots.
- Minuto Uno: road closuresRaced 2025 · article · Mixed
Lists total, rolling closures across Puerto Madero, Retiro, Recoleta, Palermo, Belgrano and Nunez, including Figueroa Alcorta and Illia, running until midnight.
- Trizone: Buenos Aires 70.3 preview (older Tigre venue)Raced 2016 · article · Positive
2017 preview of the earlier Tigre/Puerto Canoas venue (not Palermo): calm protected lake, about 40 roundabouts, flat smooth bike, shadeless run. Useful only as context for the event's organization and fast-flat reputation.
Sources
Pages we used for facts and ratings. See how we rate.
Training for IRONMAN 70.3 Buenos Aires Palermo? Moku Coach builds your plan around race day.