IRONMAN 70.3 Western Australia
Busselton, Australia · December · IRONMAN 70.3
Why people love it
- Swim beside and under the 1.8 km (1.1 mi) Busselton Jetty in Geographe Bay
- Flat 90 km (56 mi) bike and flat two-lap run, billed as a PB course
- Water about 19 °C (66 °F) and mild December air
- Near-perfect conditions in 2025
Watch out for
- Shark concerns: the swim was cancelled in 2017 and spotting is by helicopter and drone
- Coastal wind and 24-29 °C (75-84 °F) afternoons are possible; flies can be heavy
- Rough bike road reported in 2017, from a single racer
- Perth is about 220 km (137 mi) away; rooms are scarce on race weekend
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 satisfactionLoved3.8
Bucket-list billing, a 2024 sellout and near-perfect 2025 conditions, offset by the 2017 shark-driven swim cancellation, a rough road and flies. · Low confidence
- OrganizationWell run3.6
2016 timing problems and the 2017 swim cancellation were early issues; recent editions show no major complaints. · Low confidence
- First timer friendlyFriendly3.6
Flat course, bay swim and mild temperatures suit newcomers, but shark anxiety, heat and flies are real. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- PR potentialFast4.2
Flat 90 km (56 mi) bike and flat run; the 2024 men's winner went 3:37:35, though coastal wind can cost time. · Medium confidence
- Course easeModerate4.0
Flat bike and run; heat, wind and flies are the main challenges. · Medium confidence
Swim
Wetsuit odds, water temperature, calm, and the experience of the start. Counts for 15% of the overall score.
- Wetsuit legalUsually4.4
Water averages about 19 °C (66 °F) in December, well below the 24.5 °C (76.1 °F) limit; year-by-year rulings were not found. · Low confidence
- Water temperatureComfortable4.2
Average 19 °C (66 °F) from a promotional page, at the bottom of the ideal 19-23 °C (66-73 °F) band. · Low confidence
- Calm waterSome chop3.4
Glass-flat in some editions, but choppy with building wind on 1 December 2024; the bay is sheltered near the jetty. · Low confidence
- Swim easeEasy3.5
Straight line alongside the jetty with easy sighting; shark spotting by helicopter and drone adds stress for some. · Low confidence
- Swim experienceGreat3.9
Swimming beside and under the 1.8 km (1.1 mi) historic jetty is the headline; shark worries dampen it. · Low confidence
Bike
Road surface, closures, scenery and wind. Counts for 19% of the overall score.
- Road surfaceMixed3.2
One 2017 racer said it rattled their teeth, with a poor section off Tuart Road; a single report. · Low confidence
- Road closuresMostly closed3.7
No explicit data; closed or controlled roads are assumed, as for a full-distance weekend. · Low confidence
- Bike sceneryBeautiful3.9
Coast, then Tuart Forest bushland with wildlife; mostly promotional description. · Low confidence
- WindSome wind2.8
Coastal winds are noted as picking a favourite each year; strength on the bike was not reported. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Bike speedFast4.1
Described as pancake flat and fast, but one racer called the road rough in 2017. · Low confidence
- Bike flatnessPancake flat4.7
Every source calls it flat; elevation is unpublished, so under 300 m (985 ft) is assumed. · Low confidence
- Bike simplicityMostly simple4.2
One lap, mostly straight and flat; a kangaroo swerve is the only hazard mentioned. · Low confidence
Run
Crowds, aid stations, conditions underfoot and scenery. Counts for 13% of the overall score.
- Crowd supportStrong3.5
Two-lap run past the jetty and foreshore; no specific crowd reports. · Low confidence
- Aid stationsStandard3.4
Standard support; one racer waited about 90 minutes for a flat-tyre rescue 50 km (31 mi) from the finish in a past year. · Low confidence
- Run sceneryBeautiful4.1
Geographe Bay foreshore and the jetty. · Low confidence
- Run conditionsModerate3.2
Flat surface, but heat on the run and flies near the finish are mentioned. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Run flatnessFlat4.6
Two flat laps along the foreshore; elevation not published. · Low confidence
Conditions
Air temperature, how predictable the weather is, setting, and spectating. Counts for 15% of the overall score.
- Air temperaturePleasant3.7
Forecast range 16-23 °C (61-73 °F), but past race-day highs reached 24-29 °C (75-84 °F). · Low confidence
- Weather reliabilityVariable3.4
Wind and heat vary year to year, and bushfires affected 2017. · Low confidence
- Venue beautyLovely4.3
Geographe Bay, a long timber jetty and bushland. · Medium confidence
- Spectator friendlyEasy4.0
Foreshore start, finish and two-lap run make viewing easy. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Low altitudeSea level5.0
Sea level, about 5 m (16 ft). · High confidence
Stay and travel
Hotels, walkability, getting there, and the town around the race. Counts for 11% of the overall score.
- Hotel availabilityBook early2.5
Small town; the 70.3 sold out in 2024 and shares its weekend with a full-distance race. · Low confidence
- Hotel valueNormal3.0
No pricing evidence found. · Low confidence
- WalkabilityWalkable4.1
Swim, run and finish are on the foreshore; transition detail is not confirmed. · Low confidence
- Travel easeOne connection2.5
Perth is about 220 km (137 mi) away by road, and the local airport has limited service. · Medium confidence
- LogisticsSimple3.9
Foreshore-based event with a single bay swim; no logistics complaints found. · Low confidence
- Town and foodGood3.8
Holiday town with a jetty, cafes and wine-region access; little reviewer detail. · Low confidence
Key facts
- Location
- Busselton, Western Australia, Australia
- Typical month
- December
- Latest or next date
- 6 December 2026
- Organiser
- IRONMAN 70.3
- Field size
- About 1,205 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
- Geographe Bay, from the Busselton Foreshore beside the historic Busselton Jetty (ocean)
- Water temperature
- 19 °C (66 °F)
- Swim start
- rolling/wave (not confirmed)
- Swim laps
- 1
- Bike laps
- 1
- Run laps
- 2
- Run shade
- Limited; foreshore
- Air temperature
- 16–23 °C (61–73 °F)
- Humidity
- low to moderate
- Altitude
- 5 m (16 ft)
- Nearest airport
- Busselton-Margaret River Airport (BQB, limited service); Perth (PER) about 220 km (137 mi) by road, 220 km (137 mi) away
- Where to stay
- Busselton foreshore, Geographe Bay
- Booking
- Small town; the event sold out in 2024 and stays fill during the shared 70.3 and full-distance weekend. Book early.
What racers and reviewers say
- Slowtwitch forum: IRONMAN Western Australia race reportRaced 2017 · forum · Mixed
Thread after the 2017 events. One 70.3 racer was pulled from the water about 500 m (1,640 ft) in during a wildlife scare, the bike road felt rough, and heat and flies were heavy. Posters worried shark concerns were hurting entries and one would return only with shark nets, though the people and town drew praise.
“it got very hot”
- Tri Alliance weekend highlightsRaced 2018 · blog · Positive
Club roundup of the 2018 race weekend. Swim went ahead and several members exited in the top 10; one athlete set a 70.3 PB but strained a neck in the swim. The roundup also recalls 2017 as extraordinary with fires, kangaroos, sharks and a cancelled swim. Athlete moods ranged from blast to long grind.
“Liza said she had a blast at the 70.3.”
- Slowtwitch: Gregory Barnaby surges to top of IRONMAN Pro SeriesRaced 2024 · article · Positive
Report of the 1 December 2024 race. Open water swim was choppy with wind building through the morning; the second half of the bike is described as pancake-flat. Barnaby won in 3:37:35 and Sanchez in 4:06:38.
- Slowtwitch: Alexander, Luxford top BusseltonRaced 2016 · article · Mixed
Report of the 1 May 2016 inaugural edition: Craig Alexander set a course record of 3:43:00. Timing problems meant only the women's winner had a reliable finish time and run splits were unreliable.
- Slowtwitch: Wilson, Gibb take Busselton 70.3Raced 2017 · article · Positive
Results-focused piece on the 7 May 2017 race: Dan Wilson's 1:11:30 run sealed his win and Katey Gibb won by 49 seconds. Gives course distances but no conditions, so it adds little on experience.
Show 4 more
- TriWA: IRONMAN Western Australia and 70.3 2025 recapRaced 2025 · article · Positive
Recap of 7 December 2025, calling conditions near perfect for both events. Lists results; the 70.3 age-group winners were Oliver Wright 4:06:55 and Ella Phelan 4:41:53.
- Busselton Dunsborough Times: 70.3 sells outRaced 2024 · article · Positive
July 2024 local report: the 70.3 sold out ahead of its 1 December date, with the Oceania managing director calling it a bucket-list event and praising the jetty swim. Promotional but confirms demand.
“the incredible swim that goes alongside and under the historic Busselton Jetty”
- RaceRaves: IRONMAN 70.3 Western AustraliaRaced 2026 · aggregator · Positive
Listing with no athlete ratings yet. It supplies the 19 C (66 F) average water temperature, forecast 16-23 C (61-73 F) and past race-day highs/lows, and labels the swim bay, bike flat and run flat.
- Tri Alliance weekly newsletter (8 Dec 2025)Raced 2025 · blog · Positive
Weekly summary describing Busselton as glass-flat water, a long fast swim, a flat but mentally demanding bike and coastal winds that pick a favourite. Reports that every starter in the club finished despite some hurdles.
Sources
Pages we used for facts and ratings. See how we rate.
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