IRONMAN 70.3 Erkner

Erkner, Germany · September · IRONMAN 70.3

Why people love it

4.0Very good

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 satisfactionLoved3.9
Press and results coverage are uniformly positive with lively crowds, but no first-person athlete reports were found. · Low confidence
OrganizationWell run3.9
Sold out with nearly 2,000 athletes in 2025 and no criticism found, though there are no athlete write-ups. · Low confidence
First timer friendlyFriendly4.2
A flat 90 km (56 mi) bike with 129 m (423 ft) of climbing, cool air and a lake swim. · Medium confidence

PR potentialFast4.3
Flat course, cool 16 to 22 °C (61 to 72 °F) weather, and dozens averaged over 40 km (24.9 mi)/h (25 mph) in 2022. · Medium confidence
Course easeModerate4.2
Flat, cool and fast, with 194 m (636 ft) of total climbing. · Medium confidence

4.1Very good

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

Wetsuit legalUsually3.9
Wetsuits were allowed at 19 °C (66 °F) in 2022; other years are undocumented and mid-September lakes vary. · Low confidence
Water temperatureComfortable4.1
Around 19 to 20 °C (66 to 68 °F), at the cool end of the comfortable range. · Medium confidence
Calm waterMostly calm4.2
A sheltered lake with no current. · Medium confidence
Swim easeEasy3.8
A single 1.9 km (1.2 mi) lake loop; navigation details are not reported. · Low confidence
Swim experienceGreat3.8
A race write-up calls the Dämeritzsee clear, in a wooded lake setting. · Low confidence

4.0Very good

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

Road surfaceGood4.2
Newly paved roads along the Spree are noted. · Low confidence
Road closuresMostly closed3.9
Closures are implied by a course through villages, but no detail is published. · Low confidence
Bike sceneryBeautiful3.7
Forests, fields, the Spree and Scharmützelsee. · Medium confidence
WindSome wind3.3
Open Spree valley; no wind data found. · Low confidence

Bike speedFast4.4
Flat and fast, with 129 m (423 ft) of gain over 90 km (56 mi). · Medium confidence
Bike flatnessPancake flat4.8
129 m (423 ft) over 90 km (56 mi) is well below the 300 m (1,000 ft) pancake mark. · Medium confidence
Bike simplicityMostly simple4.0
Straight roads along the Spree. · Low confidence

3.9Very good

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

Crowd supportStrong4.1
Reports describe loud applause and a buzzing town centre. · Medium confidence
Aid stationsGood3.7
No complaints, but little detail. · Low confidence
Run sceneryPleasant3.3
Town streets, market square and park. · Low confidence
Run conditionsEasy4.1
Cool weather and a flat multi-lap town course. · Medium confidence

Run flatnessFlat4.7
65 m (213 ft) of climbing over 21.1 km (13.1 mi). · Medium confidence

4.0Very good

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

Air temperaturePleasant4.2
Highs of 16 to 29 °C (61 to 84 °F) and lows of 9 to 14 °C (48 to 57 °F). · Medium confidence
Weather reliabilityReliable3.6
Mid-September is usually stable, but highs swung between years. · Low confidence
Venue beautyLovely3.5
Lakeside small town with forest. · Low confidence
Spectator friendlyEasy4.2
A multi-lap run through the centre gives plenty of viewing. · Medium confidence

4.2Very good

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

Hotel availabilityBook early3.4
A small town, but Berlin is close by S-Bahn. · Low confidence
Hotel valueGood3.6
Berlin-area prices are moderate; no race-week data was found. · Low confidence
WalkabilityWalkable4.0
Compact town with swim, run and finish in Erkner. · Low confidence
Travel easeEasy4.2
BER airport plus S-Bahn from Berlin. · Medium confidence
LogisticsSimple3.8
A single town venue; the transition layout is not documented. · Low confidence
Town and foodGood3.5
A small town with Berlin amenities close by. · Low confidence

Runner's World Germany (2022 debut)Raced 2022 · article · Positive
Inaugural edition: 19 °C (66 °F) lake allowed wetsuits and air stayed under 20 °C (68 °F). The flat Spree bike loop produced many 40+ km/h (25+ mph) averages and about 1,400 finished; winner ran a 1:09:22 half marathon.
Runner's World Germany (2025)Raced 2025 · article · Positive
Fourth edition in mid-September 2025 with nearly 2,000 athletes from about 45 countries and a town full of spectators and happy faces. No criticism of organisation in the report.
“Der Jubel über diese Topleistungen war groß.”
Runner's World DE
HD Sports 2025 resultsRaced 2025 · article · Positive
2025 write-up calls the Dämeritzsee clear, the bike flat and fast through forests and fields along the Spree and Scharmützelsee, and the run a multi-lap town course. Says spectators created an unforgettable atmosphere.
Endurance-Data statistics (2022-2023)Raced 2023 · aggregator · Positive
Results databases show about 1,463 starters in 2022 and 1,424 in 2023 with strong finish rates, plus fast winning times around 3:52-3:56. Course elevation per a Dutch listing: 129 m (423 ft) bike, 65 m (213 ft) run.
RaceRaves (course page)Raced 2026 · aggregator · Mixed
Course facts: single-loop Dämeritzsee swim at about 20 °C (68 °F), two-loop flat bike on newly paved roads along the Spree, four-lap flat run. No athlete reviews posted.

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