Ironcat (Ironcat-L'Ampolla)
L'Ampolla, Spain · October · Independent
Why people love it
- Flat, fast loops: 6 x 30 km (18.6 mi) bike, course record 8:13:43
- Oldest full-distance race in Iberia, with a small friendly field of about 100
- 16 h cut-off and a half-distance option
- Race HQ hotel on the seafront
Watch out for
- Delta wind can be strong on the bike and swim; 2014 headwinds slowed riders to about 27 km (16.8 mi)/h (17 mph)
- Few English-language reviews; field is small (about 100 full)
- Date moved from May to October in 2024; no 2026 results found yet
- Elevation, wetsuit rule, closures and airport distance not confirmed
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
Two blogger reports (2013, 2014) finish satisfied but call it tough. A friendly small field at the oldest full in Iberia. · Low confidence
- OrganizationWell run3.6
Bloggers praise volunteers, wristband lap counting and feeding. The only gripes were briefing audibility and shirt sizes. · Low confidence
- First timer friendlyFriendly3.6
Flat with a 16 h cut-off and a family feel. Wind, a small field and little English information are the drawbacks. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- PR potentialFast3.9
Flat 30 km (18.6 mi) loops, with course records of 8:13:43 (M) and 9:34:17 (F). Delta wind slowed one blogger to 27 km (16.8 mi)/h (17 mph). · Medium confidence
- Course easeModerate3.6
Flat with no climbs, but wind, six laps and possible heat above 30 °C (86 °F) in May. 78 of 104 starters finished in 2022. · Medium confidence
Swim
Wetsuit odds, water temperature, calm, and the experience of the start. Counts for 15% of the overall score.
- Wetsuit legalAlmost always4.6
October water averages 19-24 °C (66-75 °F), under the 24.5 °C (76.1 °F) limit. Wetsuits were worn in May 2013. · Medium confidence
- Water temperatureIdeal4.5
19-24 °C (66-75 °F) in October. May reports describe the water as icy, so comfort holds only in autumn. · Medium confidence
- Calm waterMostly calm3.6
The sheltered Fangar harbour was calm in 2013, but strong wind created considerable waves in 2010. · Medium confidence
- Swim easeEasy3.9
A rectangular harbour course, two laps of 3.8 km (2.4 mi) total, with a mass start. Little is written on sighting. · Low confidence
- Swim experienceFine3.1
A natural harbour start at Club Nàutic with a mass start. No reports on clarity or scenery. · Low confidence
Bike
Road surface, closures, scenery and wind. Counts for 19% of the overall score.
- Road surfaceMixed3.1
No direct comments on the local Delta roads. · Low confidence
- Road closuresPartly closed3.2
Listings call it a controlled circuit, but the level of closure is unconfirmed. · Low confidence
- Bike sceneryPleasant3.2
Ebro Delta rice fields, flat and repetitive over six laps. · Low confidence
- WindSome wind2.6
Strong wind in 2010, building wind in 2013, and a 2014 headwind that dropped speeds to about 27 km (16.8 mi)/h (17 mph). · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Bike speedFast4.1
Pancake 30 km (18.6 mi) loops, with winners splitting about 4:20-4:30. Wind is the main brake. · Medium confidence
- Bike flatnessPancake flat4.8
Flat per the organiser and every report. No elevation figure is published. · High confidence
- Bike simplicityStraight and simple4.5
A straight 30 km (18.6 mi) loop repeated six times, with few turns. · Medium confidence
Run
Crowds, aid stations, conditions underfoot and scenery. Counts for 13% of the overall score.
- Crowd supportDecent2.9
A seafront finish crowd, but only about 100 full-distance starters (about 283 in 2010). · Low confidence
- Aid stationsGood4.0
Aid every 15 km (9.3 mi) on the bike and 3.5 km (2.2 mi) on the run. Volunteers are praised. · Medium confidence
- Run sceneryPleasant3.1
Seafront promenade and port paths. · Low confidence
- Run conditionsModerate3.4
Flat but with little shade. A 2014 runner overheated above 30 °C (86 °F) in May. October is cooler. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Run flatnessFlat4.8
Flat asphalt and dirt-path seafront loops of about 7 km (4.3 mi). · Medium confidence
Conditions
Air temperature, how predictable the weather is, setting, and spectating. Counts for 15% of the overall score.
- Air temperatureIdeal4.6
October race-day air is about 16-25 °C (61-77 °F). · Medium confidence
- Weather reliabilityVariable3.1
Wind and waves in 2010 and a pre-dawn storm in 2013. Mediterranean autumn is variable and data points are few. · Low confidence
- Venue beautyLovely3.5
Ebro Delta Natural Park, harbour and beaches. · Low confidence
- Spectator friendlyEasy4.0
Loops from the port and seafront, with live tracking. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Low altitudeSea level5.0
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 availabilityBook early3.0
A small coastal town. Hotel Flamingo is race HQ, so book ahead. · Low confidence
- Hotel valueGood4.0
Hotel Flamingo (4-star) is about GBP 95 (about USD 120) per night. · Low confidence
- WalkabilityWalk to everything4.8
Briefing, bib pickup and seafront hotels are all near the port start and finish. · Medium confidence
- Travel easeOne connection2.5
Reus (REU) is the nearest airport, with Barcelona about 150 km (93 mi) further. A regional station is 0.8 km (0.5 mi) from HQ. · Low confidence
- LogisticsSimple4.4
Start, finish and transition are all at Club Nàutic port, with bag storage and changing rooms. · Low confidence
- Town and foodGood3.5
A small fishing and rice-region town with seafront restaurants. · Low confidence
Key facts
- Location
- L'Ampolla, Tarragona, Catalonia (Ebro Delta), Spain
- Typical month
- October
- Latest or next date
- 10 October 2026
- Organiser
- Independent
- Field size
- About 100 athletes
- Entry fee
- About $290
- First held
- 2004
- Distances
- 3.8 km (2.4 mi) swim, 180 km (112 mi) bike, 42.2 km (26.2 mi) run
- Cutoffs
- Finish 16:00
- Swim venue
- Fangar natural harbour, starting and finishing at Club Nautic de l'Ampolla (Platja de l'Arquitecte) (ocean)
- Water temperature
- 19–24 °C (66–75 °F)
- Swim start
- mass
- Swim laps
- 2
- Bike laps
- 6
- Run laps
- 6
- Run shade
- Little; 2014 edition >30 C in the afternoon (May)
- Air temperature
- 16–25 °C (61–77 °F)
- Humidity
- Coastal Mediterranean; moderate
- Altitude
- 0 m (0 ft)
- Nearest airport
- Reus (REU) - distance not verified; Barcelona (BCN) further
- Where to stay
- L'Ampolla seafront, near Club Nautic port
- Booking
- Race briefing and bib pickup at Hotel Flamingo. Hotel Flamingo (4-star, seafront) scores ~8.7/10; small town so book ahead.
What racers and reviewers say
- Casco Oscuro blog (Crónica Ironcat 2013)Raced 2013 · blog · Positive
First-time iron-distance finisher (12:21) reports a calm sea that felt icy before the wetsuit warmed him, six bike laps with a fast group early then wind building and hurting slower riders, and a marathon started with cramps. He praises volunteers, aid stations and the wristband lap system, but found the pre-race briefing hard to follow. Pre-dawn storm left a cool 17-18 C (63-64 F) morning.
- Casco Oscuro blog (Crónica Ironcat XI 2014)Raced 2014 · blog · Mixed
Second Ironcat (11:35). Cold water and a mass-start swim, six flat bike laps between L'Ampolla and Camarles through rice fields with headwinds milder than the year before, then a hot (above 30 C / 86 F) afternoon run that went badly after pacing and nutrition errors. Praises Camarles feed station and finish-line medical help; complaints limited to an XXL fleece and short shirt sizes. Slept poorly in town due to bird-scaring gas cannons.
- NacioDigital - 7th Ironcat report (Manresa)Raced 2010 · article · Mixed
Press report on the 2010 edition with 283 starters. Strong wind produced considerable waves and a hard swim, and even though the bike was very flat the wind made riding difficult; Manresa athletes found the bike the hardest leg. Winner 9:15:49.
- EbreDigital - XIV Ironcat resultsRaced 2018 · article · Positive
Local news result report for the 14th edition (Copa de les Nacions): 165 starters, 148 finishers, men's winner Albert Jimenez in 8:50:00 and women's winner Ivet Farriols in 10:04:01. Confirms the 7 a.m. Platja de l'Arquitecte start and the Ebro Delta bike route; no weather commentary.
- Diari de Tarragona - Karas wins Ironcat 2019Raced 2019 · article · Positive
Robert Karas set the course record of 8:13:43 with a 47:51 swim, bike arriving at T2 at 4:22 and a 3:03 marathon, from 135 starters of 141 entrants. Splits show how fast the flat loops can be in good conditions. Weather not described (details taken from search excerpts).
Show 6 more
- EbreDigital - 17th Ironcat resultsRaced 2022 · article · Mixed
Results piece for May 2022: 104 starters, 78 finished and 15 retired, men's winner 8:16:53 and women's 11:30:47. The attrition rate hints at a harder day than the flat profile suggests; no conditions are given.
- Diari de Tarragona - Albert Jimenez and Ana Lopez win (2023)Raced 2023 · article · Positive
2023 edition (13 May) described as having ideal weather though course records stayed intact; roughly 80 finishers from nearly 100 entrants. Men's winner 8:25:06, women's winner 11:23:49 (from search excerpt; page not fetched).
- VKS Sport - IRONCAT 2025Raced 2025 · article · Positive
Promotional preview of the 11 Oct 2025 edition: flat Delta courses, six 30 km (18.6 mi) bike laps with aid every 15 km (9.3 mi), run laps on asphalt with two aid stations per lap, and a close, family-style atmosphere suitable for debutants and veterans. No participant feedback.
- Miles Republic - Ironcat L'AmpollaRaced 2025 · aggregator · Positive
Event listing describing a rectangular swim in calm Fangar harbour, a fast flat 30 km (18.6 mi) looped bike through Delta landscape, and a run that meets the playful Delta winds. Lists full and half distances.
- Finishers - IroncatRaced 2025 · aggregator · Positive
Organizer-verified listing: 16 h cutoff, 2-lap rectangular Fangar swim, 6 x 30 km (18.6 mi) bike, run loops of about 7 km (4.3 mi), aid every 15 km (9.3 mi) on bike and every 3.5 km (2.2 mi) on run, full fee EUR 250-290 and free photos. Marketing tone; no athlete reviews.
- Trip.com - Hotel Flamingo L'AmpollaRaced 2025 · hotel-review · Positive
Seafront 4-star that doubles as race HQ scores 8.7/10 from 47 verified reviews: guests like location, staff, breakfast and pools; minor complaints about thin walls and garage size. Average starting price around GBP 95.
Sources
Pages we used for facts and ratings. See how we rate.
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