IRONMAN triathlon racing at an all-time high in the UK as Leeds gets ready to host the inaugural edition of IRONMAN Leeds

This weekend, Leeds is set to host the inaugural edition of IRONMAN Leeds triathlon and will welcome nearly 2,500 athletes from all over the world take part in the world’s most iconic, single-day endurance event. Over 56% of athletes are first-timers, and 94% of athletes are from the UK, with athletes also flying in from the US, France, UAE, Italy and Spain to compete. A male professional field, including the 2023 IRONMAN World Champion, Sam Laidlow (FRA), will also be battling out for prize money and qualifying slots for the 2025 IRONMAN World Championship triathlon.

The race consists of a 2.4-mile (3.8km) swim in Waterloo Lake in Roundhay Park, a 112-mile (180km) bike course through North Leeds, and a 26.2 mile (42.2km) run around the residential areas of Rounday and Gledhow, making up a total distance of 140.6 miles. Athletes must complete the course within strict time cut-offs if they want to hear the famous words ‘You are an IRONMAN!’ as they cross the finish line.

More British athletes than ever are competing in IRONMAN triathlons:

IRONMAN triathlon racing is at an all-time high in the UK, with nearly 10,000 British athletes currently registered to do an IRONMAN race this year, a 27% increase on last year. In 2024, the UK was the second most represented nation across the IRONMAN and IRONMAN® 70.3® triathlon portfolio, just behind the United States of America.

The growing interest in IRONMAN racing in the UK has been spearheaded by the younger generation, with a 63% year-on-year increase of the under 30s.   And, whilst globally women make up only 18% of an IRONMAN triathlon’s participants, more British women than ever before have registered to do an IRONMAN triathlon this year, showing positive signs of growth.

Social media content creator and triathlete, Kellie Branagan, did her first IRONMAN triathlon at the age of 27, and has completed 2 x IRONMAN’s and 4 x IRONMAN 70.3 triathlon events said: “I always knew about IRONMAN because I grew up in Bolton (a former host of IRONMAN UK), but I never thought it was achievable until I saw a friend of mine complete it in 2022. I think there’s a bit of a domino effect happening – the more young people in Bolton who race, the more others see it and feel inspired. Especially with the rise of endurance sports on social media, more young people are recognising the benefits of having the discipline to work toward such a massive goal and seeing that crossing the red carpet at the end of the race is one of the best feelings in the world.”

With the introduction of the IRONMAN Leeds triathlon to this year’s calendar, the sport is attracting more newcomers than ever. Remarkably, 58% of UK IRONMAN registrants in 2025 are first-time participants, highlighting a significant surge in newbies to the sport.

This boom in IRONMAN triathlon racing in the UK may be attributed to the rise and success of long-distance British triathletes who have made waves in the community and mainstream media. In 2023, Lucy Charles-Barclay finally became an IRONMAN World Champion in Hawaii – the birthplace of the sport – a victory which was even more meaningful as she had finished runner-up four times prior.

Additionally, Exmouth born, Kat Matthews is currently one of the most talked about triathletes on the global stage. She holds the second fastest IRONMAN triathlon time ever – an astonishing 08:05:13 set at the 2025 IRONMAN Hamburg European Championship. Matthews has also earned runner-up finishes at both the IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships, each on two occasions, and last year won the IRONMAN Pro Series. The UK triathlon audience will no doubt be watching with bated breath as Matthews heads to the IRONMAN World Championships in Kona in October, determined to finally claim the coveted world title.

However, it’s not just professional athletes contributing to this excitement around IRONMAN triathlon racing; major household names have brought the sport into the spotlight.  In March, the nation tuned in to watch broadcaster and former racing driver Billy Monger has he took on a challenge for Comic Relief to become the youngest and fastest double leg amputee to compete in the IRONMAN World Championship in Kona. His journey was televised in the BBC documentary Billy Monger: The Race is on for Comic Relief, and he was later awarded a Guinness World Record for his achievement.

Chef and TV personality Gordon Ramsay also made a return to IRONMAN racing last weekend, as he toed the line at IRONMAN 70.3 Luxembourg Remich-Région Moselle triathlon. After the race, Gordon shared, “IRONMAN I’m Back and Cooking!”

IRONMAN Leeds – A Sellout Race with an IRONMAN World Champion in the mix:

On Sunday 27th July, nearly 2,500 athletes will gather in Roundhay Park for the inaugural edition of IRONMAN Leeds. Leeds will be the fifth host of an IRONMAN triathlon in the UK, and the largest city to do so thus far. Previous hosts include Sherborne, Bolton and Weymouth.   Tenby is the current host of IRONMAN Wales which takes place in September.

Over 56% of athletes are choosing to do their first IRONMAN triathlon in Leeds, and 94% of athletes are from the UK, with athletes also flying in from the US, France, UAE, Italy and Spain to compete.

In line with the growing interest of younger athletes, the average age of participants is 39.26, and the 30-34 age category is the largest, making up 18% of the field.

As well as welcoming amateur triathlons, Leeds will also host a small but mighty professional male field, headlined by Sam Laidlow the 2023 IRONMAN World Champion. Laidlow, who was born in Bedfordshire, but now represents France, is currently the youngest ever IRONMAN World Champion, and the first Frenchman to ever claim the title.

Laidlow will be challenged by a strong British contingent, including Harry Palmer and Kieran Lindars, who are both hot off the heels of IRONMAN 70.3 Swansea last weekend, where Palmer took home the win and Lindars placed third on the podium. Other British names to look out for include Joe Skipper who won IRONMAN Wales in 2022, and IRONMAN UK Bolton in 2021.

Joe Skipper said: “I’m looking forward to racing against some of the top British long-distance athletes on a very tough course. Looking at the profile it looks like it will be a very challenging course but I’m sure the support will be amazing as the crowds always come out at the British races!”

The full start list can be found HERE.

About the Course:

Athletes will begin their IRONMAN triathlon journey in Roundhay Park, a 700-acre urban park, just three miles away from Leeds City Centre. They will take on their 2.4-mile (3.8km) lake swim in the same venue that World Triathlon Championship Series Leeds took place.

Upon exiting the water, they will run into transition to grab their bike and set out upon a challenging but truly Yorkshire three loop bike course.

Athletes will start off with a 6 kilometre ride out to Shadwell, before heading out to Thorner, and going through the villages and suburbs of Wike, Harewood, Eccup, Arthington, Adel, and Alwoodley.

They will go past some of North Leeds’ most iconic gems including Harwood House, Eccup Reservoir and Golden Acre Park. The main climb on the course is on Black Hill Road, just after Arthington. This infamous climb was featured on Stage 4 of the 2018 Tour de Yorkshire and will make up a good chunk of the 2,574m total elevation across the three laps.

After the third lap, athletes will head back into Roundhay Park and back to transition to prepare for their marathon run leg.

The run course (42.2km / 26.2 miles) consists of a quick loop of Upper Lake within the grounds of Roundhay Park, and then four loops of Roundhay and Gledhow, making it optimal for spectators to catch their athletes at multiple times, and no doubt promises to be a party atmosphere.

Athletes will finish their journey on the magic red carpet in the centre of Roundhay Park to the iconic, and long-awaited words of “YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!”

IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 triathlon races in the UK

All 2025 UK races are now sold, with a record breaking 13,000 athletes racing this season, making it the biggest UK season ever recorded. The trend is expected to continue growing further into 2026 so athletes are encouraged to sign up early to avoid disappointment:

• IRONMAN 70.3 Bolton – Opens 23rdJuly
• IRONMAN 70.3 Swansea – Opens in August
• IRONMAN Leeds – will open shortly after the race
• IRONMAN Wales – will open shortly after the race
• IRONMAN 70.3 Weymouth – will open shortly after the race