IRONMAN 70.3 Portugal-Cascais

Cascais, Portugal · October · IRONMAN 70.3

IRONMAN 70.3 Portugal-Cascais: cascais bay beach near ribeira (swim venue)Photo is not from race dayFrancisco Anzola, CC BY 2.0
Cascais bay beach near Ribeira (swim venue). Photo via Wikimedia Commons.

Why people love it

  • Scenic bike through Sintra forests and along Guincho beach
  • Cool October weather with highs of 15-23 °C (59-73 °F)
  • Beach swim in a sheltered bay with a fortress backdrop
  • Lisbon airport about 30 km (19 mi) away

Watch out for

  • About 950 m (3,120 ft) of bike climbing, mostly after 50 km (31 mi)
  • Drafting packs on the flat first 25 km (15.5 mi)
  • Atlantic water of 17-20 °C (62-68 °F)
  • Few toilets and long queues in 2019, and transition 0.8 km (0.5 mi) uphill from the finish
  • Hotels sell out race weekend; only one first-hand review was found

Race

3.6Very 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 satisfactionLoved4.0

    One 2019 review rated it 4.5 out of 5 for the stunning location. Most other sources are press and results. · Low confidence

  • OrganizationWell run3.6

    Easy bike racking and an organised race morning in 2019, but an unclear briefing, long queues and too few toilets. · Low confidence

  • First timer friendlyDoable3.2

    Cool pleasant air and a wetsuit swim, but about 950 m (3,120 ft) of bike climbing, a hilly run and drafting packs. · Low confidence

Course traits, not part of the score

  • PR potentialAverage3.0

    About 950 m (3,120 ft) of bike climbing. Winners went 3:47:50 in 2021 and 3:45:28 in 2022, which is average. · Medium confidence

  • Course easeTough2.8

    About 950 m (3,120 ft) of bike gain and a hilly run, with cool weather. · Low confidence

Swim

3.8Very good

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

  • Wetsuit legalUsually4.3

    Water is 17-20 °C (62-68 °F) in October, so wetsuits are expected. · Low confidence

  • Water temperatureComfortable3.7

    Atlantic water of 17-20 °C (62-68 °F) in October can feel cold. · Medium confidence

  • Calm waterMostly calm3.5

    Sheltered bay but open Atlantic. No race-day chop reports. · Low confidence

  • Swim easeEasy4.1

    One loop in the bay. In 2019 the pens, with a bell every 4 seconds, gave space. · Low confidence

  • Swim experienceGreat3.9

    Sandy beach start with a fortress backdrop, but a 600 m (0.4 mi) uphill run to T1. · Low confidence

Bike

4.2Very good

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

  • Road surfaceGood3.7

    No surface complaints on coastal and Sintra park roads. · Low confidence

  • Road closuresMostly closed4.0

    The municipality published traffic cuts. Drafting packs were reported rather than traffic. · Low confidence

  • Bike scenerySpectacular4.5

    Ocean, Sintra forests, Lagoa Azul, the Estoril circuit and Guincho beach. · Medium confidence

  • WindSome wind3.0

    Coastal Guincho section and sea breeze. No wind complaints found. · Low confidence

Course traits, not part of the score

  • Bike speedAverage2.9

    The first 25 km (15.5 mi) are fast and flat, then Sintra climbs add about 950 m (3,120 ft) over 90 km (56 mi). · Medium confidence

  • Bike flatnessRolling2.7

    About 950 m (3,120 ft) of ascent per the 2017 organiser flyer, above the hilly range for 90 km (56 mi). · Medium confidence

  • Bike simplicitySome technical parts3.2

    Descent from Sintra to Guincho and early drafting packs on a single loop. · Low confidence

Run

3.6Very good

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

  • Crowd supportStrong3.7

    Seafront promenade run in a busy resort. No direct crowd reports. · Low confidence

  • Aid stationsGood3.6

    Feed stations were well stocked with nutrition, sponges and water, though one cooling shower in the 2019 heat. · Medium confidence

  • Run sceneryBeautiful4.2

    Seafront promenade toward Estoril and S. Pedro. · Low confidence

  • Run conditionsModerate3.4

    Sea breeze helps, but the hills were hard in the 2019 heat. · Low confidence

Course traits, not part of the score

  • Run flatnessRolling3.2

    A 2019 reviewer described an undulating, hilly out-and-back, while press says seafront. Elevation is unpublished. · Low confidence

Conditions

4.4Very good

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

  • Air temperaturePleasant4.1

    October highs of 15-23 °C (59-73 °F), sometimes warmer. · Low confidence

  • Weather reliabilityReliable3.8

    Mild October climate. No cancellations found. · Low confidence

  • Venue beautyStunning4.6

    Cascais bay, the fortress and the Sintra coast. One reviewer called the location absolutely stunning. · Medium confidence

  • Spectator friendlyEasy3.7

    Seafront run, but transition and briefings sit 0.8 km (0.5 mi) uphill from the finish. · Low confidence

Course traits, not part of the score

  • Low altitudeSea level5.0

    Coastal and near sea level. · High confidence

Stay and travel

3.6Very good

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

  • Hotel availabilityBook early2.8

    Local press said hotels in the region sold out for the 2024 race weekend, with about 6,000 athletes. · Medium confidence

  • Hotel valueNormal3.0

    No price data. Resort town. · Low confidence

  • WalkabilitySome driving3.2

    Transition and briefings are 0.8 km (0.5 mi) uphill from the finish, plus a 600 m (0.4 mi) run to T1. · Low confidence

  • Travel easeVery easy4.5

    Lisbon airport is a major hub about 30 km (19 mi) away. · Medium confidence

  • LogisticsSome complexity3.2

    Single bike loop, but long walks between venues and an unclear briefing in 2019. · Low confidence

  • Town and foodGreat4.6

    Popular Portuguese resort town with restaurants and seafront. · Medium confidence

Key facts

Location
Cascais, Lisbon District, Portugal
Typical month
October
Latest or next date
17 October 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
Praia da Ribeira, Cascais Bay (Atlantic) (ocean)
Water temperature
17–20 °C (63–68 °F)
Wetsuit
Legal
Swim start
rolling (pens, 2019)
Swim laps
1
Bike climbing
950 m (3,120 ft)
Bike laps
1
Key climbs
Alcabideche and Estoril circuit; Malveira da Serra and Lagoa Azul in the Sintra hills
Run laps
2
Run shade
Little
Air temperature
15–23 °C (59–73 °F)
Humidity
Moderate
Nearest airport
Lisbon Humberto Delgado (LIS), 30 km (19 mi) away
Where to stay
Cascais centre near Ribeira
Booking
Regional hotels sold out for the 2024 Ironman weekend (about 6,000 athletes).

Official race website (ironman.com)

What racers and reviewers say

  • RaceCheck (Helen V.)Raced 2019 · aggregator · Positive

    4.5/5 review: swim in pens with a bell every 4 seconds, exit up a hill with a 600 m (0.4 mi) run to T1. First 25 km (15.5 mi) flat and fast with drafting, then undulating climbs near the Estoril circuit and national park and a long Atlantic-view descent. Hilly out-and-back run was hard in the heat; well-stocked feed stations; briefing and banquet disorganised.

    “Absolutely stunning location of Cascais”

    Helen V.
  • Slowtwitch (course preview 2017)Raced 2016 · article · Positive

    Preview: one-loop 1.9 km (1.2 mi) swim in the bay with the Cidadela backdrop, 90.1 km (56 mi) bike along the coast to Oeiras, through Sintra forests and back via Guincho, and a two-loop seafront run cooled by the sea breeze.

  • Cascais municipality flyer (2017)Raced 2017 · article · Mixed

    Official traffic flyer: single 90.1 km (56 mi) loop with about 950 m (3,120 ft) ascent; first 50 km (31 mi) mostly flat, then climbs to Alcabideche, the Estoril circuit and the Sintra hills before descending to Guincho.

  • Slowtwitch (2022 race report)Raced 2022 · article · Positive

    15 Oct 2022 edition under sun: Ribeira Beach swim with race-best 20:33, winners 3:45:28 (men) and 4:18:51 (women). Shows a quick, competitive course.

  • Slowtwitch (2021 race report)Raced 2021 · article · Positive

    24 Oct 2021: Ditlev won in 3:47:50 with a 2:07:18 bike; women's winner 4:17:04. Context for speed only.

Show 2 more
  • Record.pt (2022 coverage)Raced 2022 · article · Positive

    Local press: record of about 4,800 athletes across the full and 70.3 races from 101 nationalities, with the event contracted to stay in Cascais through 2025.

  • Diario de Noticias (2024 coverage)Raced 2024 · article · Mixed

    October 2024 press: about 6,000 athletes and an estimated EUR 50 million impact, with hotels in the region sold out. Suggests accommodation is tight race weekend.

Sources

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

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