Ironman

Ironman South Africa 2014

Race Course

Start Location
Hobie Beach, Port Elizabeth, South Africa.

3,8km Swim
The swim course will change slightly for the 2014 event. Athletes will swim one 3.8km loop. The water temperature should be between 17 and 24.5 C°, therefore wetsuits should be allowed. If it is below 14 C°, then wetsuits are compulsory. You will be informed on race day if these rules apply.

The swim will take athletes from Hobie Beach past Humewood Beach to King's Beach. Athlete's turn around the buoys at King's Beach and return to shore at Hobie Beach. Marker buoys and sighting buoys will be on course. The swim will start in three waves with PROs starting at 06:30, Wave 2 starting at 06:40 and Wave 3 starting at 07:00. Wave compositions will be announced once finalised.

The cut-off for the swim is 2 hours 20 minutes.
Swim times and wave starts

The new swim course will see athletes starting in three waves. Swim times may be used as a seeding mechanism for waves. All athletes are requested to submit proof or a swim time of no older than 1 year for an A) IRON-distance event; B) Half IRON-distance event; OR C) Olympic distance event. Email your result to Sharon Talbot on for seeding consideration. Athletes who do not submit swim times will be seeded by age.

General info

Pre-race final check-in will begin at 05h00 (approx. 2 hours before race start). Athletes will be required to cross over the mats at the swim start to ensure that we have an accurate count going into the water. Failure to cross these mats could result in disqualification. For those who wear glasses or hearing aids, please label them with your name and race number. Tables will be provided at the timing mats at the Swim Start area, where these can be handed in. These tables will be placed at the entrance to Transition where you can pick up your glasses / hearing aid after completing the swim. There will be showers at the end of the beach run going into transition. Wetsuits may be fully removed in the changing tents only. Public nudity is prohibited. Please take your bag to the bag drop-off zone outside the changing tent. (NB: It is your responsibility to ensure ALL equipment is placed in the bag and securely closed.)

2 hours and 20 minutes (140 minutes), from race start.

180.2km Bike
The bike course will change for 2014. Athletes will bike 2 loops of 90km. The new bike portion of the route will extend from Mount Pleasant including Seaview Road, Kragga Kamma Road, De Stades Road and Maitland Road, combining into what is arguably the most spectacular bike course on the IRONMAN world circuit. Athletes can expect some climbs on the course with a total gain of 806m per loop.

The cut-off time for the bike is 10 hours and 30 minutes (630 mins.) from the race start.

Your bike will be checked out using your official race chip and chip belt. If you are unable to fetch your own bike for any reason, a family member or friend may collect it for you as long as they have the Bike Check-Out card, race chip, and chip belt. This card will be included in your Registration packs.

The bike cut-off is 10 hours and 30 minutes (630 minutes) from race start.

42.2km Run
The run will be a three loop course of 14.07km along Marine Drive. The run route is a very fast, flat route, with no hills, through the top gate of Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University and out through the bottom gate of the University, heading towards Transition. The route will be closed to civilian vehicles. Aid stations will be available, approximately 2km apart.

Many contestants will still be on the course after dark. We urge all of you to make yourselves as visible as possible. In
addition to the required hot spots on your shoes (heels and toes) and reflective tape on your shorts (front and back), we suggest you use additional reflective tape or other materials freely and judiciously to make yourself visible from both the front and the rear to the cars and other runners. Your safety and the safety of others is paramount!

The total cut-off time is 24:00am (midnight) – 17 hours after race start.

Finish Location
Hobie Beach

The finish of the 2014 IRONMAN South Africa will end at midnight or after the last athlete has crossed the finish line, whichever comes first.

Race End
24:00am - midnight (17 hours after the event start)