IRONMAN 70.3 Campeche
Campeche, Mexico · November · IRONMAN 70.3
Why people love it
- UNESCO walled old town and sea-gate finish
- Flat, fast highway bike: pro splits of 2:00-2:07 for 90 km (56 mi)
- Warm 28 °C (82 °F) water, closed highway and good volunteers
Watch out for
- Wind and chop can make the swim and flat bike much harder
- Heat above 30 °C (86 °F) with a very exposed run
- Steep 10-15% climb straight out of T1
- Split transition between the swim start and downtown
- Date moved from March to November; most reports are pro accounts from 2017 to 2020
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 satisfactionLoved3.6
A 2017 pro called it beautiful, and pros praised the crowds and podium. Swim chop and heat recur, and there are no age-group voices. · Low confidence
- OrganizationWell run3.8
The 2017 report praised volunteers, bottle handling and a closed highway. No negative organisation reports were found, but the evidence is old. · Low confidence
- First timer friendlyDoable2.6
No-wetsuit swim in 28 °C (82 °F) water, 30 °C (86 °F)+ (86 °F+) heat, wind, a steep climb out of T1 and a split transition. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- PR potentialFast3.6
A 2:06:56 bike course record in 2018 and winners at 3:48:57 and 3:50:02. Fast, but weather dependent. · Low confidence
- Course easeTough2.8
Heat above 30 °C (86 °F) and wind outweigh a flat bike. Steep early climb. · Low confidence
Swim
Wetsuit odds, water temperature, calm, and the experience of the start. Counts for 15% of the overall score.
- Wetsuit legalRarely1.0
A race guide gives water of about 28 °C (82 °F) and tells athletes to prepare for a non-wetsuit swim. · Medium confidence
- Water temperatureExtreme1.3
About 28 °C (82 °F), above the roughly 27 °C (81 °F) hot threshold. · Medium confidence
- Calm waterChoppy2.0
Large swell in 2017, the roughest swim one winner had raced in 2019, and choppy marina water in 2020. · Medium confidence
- Swim easeModerate3.0
A simple rectangular 1.9 km (1.2 mi) loop, but chop and swell make it harder. Self-seeded rolling start. · Low confidence
- Swim experienceFine2.8
Gulf water with chop in most reports, a marina setting, and little praise for the swim. · Low confidence
Bike
Road surface, closures, scenery and wind. Counts for 19% of the overall score.
- Road surfaceGood3.8
Highway with no surface complaints in the reports found. · Low confidence
- Road closuresFully closed4.5
A 2017 pro described a closed highway with capable marshals. · Medium confidence
- Bike sceneryPleasant2.8
Highway riding. The scenic draw is the old town and malecon rather than the bike. · Low confidence
- WindWindy1.8
Wind featured in 2017, 2018 and 2019 reports, with headwind sections that made the flat bike much harder. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Bike speedFast3.8
Flat highway out-and-back. Pro splits of 2:00-2:07 imply 42-45 km (26.1–28 mi)/h (26-28 mph), but wind and heat slowed age-groupers. · Low confidence
- Bike flatnessMostly flat4.0
Fast and flat with a steep 10-15% climb after T1 and some rollers. No elevation total is published. · Low confidence
- Bike simplicityMostly simple4.0
Mostly straight out-and-back on the Merida Highway, with one steep early climb. · Medium confidence
Run
Crowds, aid stations, conditions underfoot and scenery. Counts for 13% of the overall score.
- Crowd supportStrong3.8
Later start times drew more spectators, and downtown and the malecon were lively. · Low confidence
- Aid stationsGood4.0
The 2017 report praised volunteers, bottle handling and water bags on the run. · Low confidence
- Run sceneryBeautiful4.0
Coastal malecon, colonial fortifications, UNESCO old town and a finish at the sea gate. · Medium confidence
- Run conditionsHard2.2
Heat above 30 °C (86 °F), wind on the out-and-back sections and cobblestones through the old town. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Run flatnessMostly flat4.4
Flat malecon and downtown laps. Elevation is not published. · Low confidence
Conditions
Air temperature, how predictable the weather is, setting, and spectating. Counts for 15% of the overall score.
- Air temperatureHarsh1.8
Race days were above 30 °C (86 °F), with a 2017 forecast of 36 °C (97 °F). · Medium confidence
- Weather reliabilityVariable3.3
Reliably hot and windy with no cancellations found. The date has moved from March to November. · Low confidence
- Venue beautyLovely4.2
UNESCO walled town, malecon and Gulf views. · Medium confidence
- Spectator friendlyEasy3.8
Three downtown run laps pass the finish area several times. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Low altitudeSea level5.0
Gulf coast at sea level. · High confidence
Stay and travel
Hotels, walkability, getting there, and the town around the race. Counts for 11% of the overall score.
- Hotel availabilityGood3.5
Boutique and mid-range hotels near the malecon, with no sell-outs reported. · Low confidence
- Hotel valueGood3.9
Budget and mid-range hotels from about USD 59 a night, and a 2017 pro praised cheap good food. · Low confidence
- WalkabilitySome driving2.5
Split transition: swim start and T1 at a country club near Lerma, T2 and finish downtown. · Medium confidence
- Travel easeOne connection2.6
Small airport about 10 km (6 mi) from the malecon. Europeans need connections, and a 2017 pro routed via Mexico City. · Medium confidence
- LogisticsFiddly2.4
Split transitions, two bike loops and three run laps, though a 2017 pro found it easy once there. · Medium confidence
- Town and foodGood4.0
Walled colonial town with seafood and cheap local cafes. · Medium confidence
Key facts
- Location
- Campeche, Campeche, Mexico
- Typical month
- November
- Latest or next date
- 8 November 2026
- Organiser
- IRONMAN 70.3
- First held
- 2017
- Distances
- 1.9 km (1.2 mi) swim, 90 km (56 mi) bike, 21.1 km (13.1 mi) run
- Swim venue
- Gulf of Mexico at Bonita Beach / Campeche Country Club marina, near Lerma (ocean)
- Water temperature
- 28 °C (82 °F)
- Wetsuit
- Banned
- Swim start
- rolling (self-seeded)
- Swim laps
- 1
- Bike laps
- 2
- Key climbs
- Steep 10-15% climb straight out of T1
- Run laps
- 3
- Run shade
- Little; exposed malecon
- Air temperature
- 28–36 °C (82–97 °F)
- Humidity
- High
- Nearest airport
- Ignacio Alberto Acuna Ongay International (CPE), 10 km (6 mi) away
- Where to stay
- Malecon, Historic centre
- Booking
- Partner hotels not announced in the guide; malecon hotels popular.
What racers and reviewers say
- Rappstar (Jordan Rapp)Raced 2017 · blog · Positive
Pro's report from the inaugural race. Rough swim with large swells; bike looked flat but wind made it far harder, with a steep climb straight out of T1. Heat was less than the forecast 36 C (97 F) but wind dominated. Praised volunteers, closed highway and venue.
“Campeche is, simply, beautiful. Highly recommend this race.”
- Slowtwitch (Trevor Wurtele interview)Raced 2017 · article · Mixed
Pro describes the bike as pretty sweet: a steep climb and descent early then rolling highway. Wind forced small-ring riding on rollers and a headwind section faded some riders. Weather reasonably hot.
- Michi Weiss blog (2018)Raced 2018 · blog · Positive
Pro runner-up's account: hot, gusty bike with rolling hills and a steep early climb of about 15%. He set a bike course record of 2:06:56 on the day. Enthusiastic crowd support noted.
- Michi Weiss blog (2019)Raced 2019 · blog · Mixed
Winner's report of a 12:50 start: choppy swim in the country-club marina, heat cutting his bike power 5-10%, and wind on bike and run. Run is two coastal malecon loops with an old-town cobblestone section. Late start brought more spectators.
“a sufferfest all day long”
- Triathlon Magazine Canada (Wurtele three-peat)Raced 2019 · article · Mixed
Winner described the roughest swim she has raced in, 1 p.m. start and heat above 30 C (86 F). Praised the local atmosphere and Mexican podium ceremony.
Show 2 more
- Slowtwitch (2020 race report)Raced 2020 · article · Mixed
Results report for March 2020: fast bike splits of about 2:04-2:18 and men's winner 3:48:57. No conditions detail; useful mainly for speed context.
- Tri247 race guideRaced 2026 · article · Positive
Guide for the Nov 2026 edition: Bonita Beach rolling start, non-wetsuit water about 28 C (82 F), two-loop out-and-back on Merida Highway, three flat run laps finishing at the sea gate, split transition, and a heat-prep warning. Travel from Europe needs connections.
Sources
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