Compiled and fact-checked by Tommo, Verus founder · Last verified August 2026 · Spot an error?
Triathlon · Other Distances
Long Course Weekend Wales 2027
- Race day
- Friday, 2 July 2027
- Location
- Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales
- Distance
- 226.06 km total
3.86km swim 180km bike 42.2km run
Long Course Weekend Wales 2027: full-distance swim, bike and run split across three days in Tenby — the Wales Swim, the Wales Sportive and the Wales Marathon. Dates and entry.
295 days to go
Key Race Metrics & Overview
- Date
- Friday, 2 July 2027
- Venue
- Tenby, Pembrokeshire
- Distance
- Other Distances — 226.06km total
- Start Time
- The Wales Swim starts on the Friday evening. Saturday and Sunday start times are confirmed in the final athlete information.
- Draft-Legal Bike
- No — non-drafting
- Cut-Off
- Per the organiser: Friday swim — 2 hours total, 1 hour for the first lap. Saturday bike — both the 112-mile and 80-mile routes cut off at 5pm (self-seeded starts 6:30-9am), with a diversion at Rosebush Crossroads at 1:15pm that shortens any remaining 112-mile riders onto the 80-mile course; the 40-mile and 20-mile routes also cut off at 5pm. Sunday run — the marathon must be at halfway by 1pm and finished by 4pm; the half marathon, 10K and 5K also cut off at 4pm. Miss a cut-off and you're marked DNF and given transport back.
Also this weekend
The Full Long Course Weekend covers the 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile ride and full marathon, and is the only entry that earns the fourth medal. A Half Long Course Weekend and a Junior Long Course also run, and each individual discipline can be entered on its own.
Leg 1 of 3
Swim — 3.86km
The Wales Swim: a 2.4 mile open-water swim off Tenby's North Beach on the Friday evening, in the same water and against the same backdrop as the IRONMAN Wales swim. Starting at dusk on a Welsh beach is a large part of the event's reputation.
- Venue
- Tenby North Beach
- Elevation gain
- No official figure published — see notes above
- Surface
- Sea — open water off an exposed beach.
Wetsuit: Per British Triathlon rules, cited by the organiser: mandatory for swims of 3,000-4,000m when the water is below 16°C. Maximum thickness 5mm, must cover the torso and thighs; hand/foot coverage needs a doctor's note.
Leg 2 of 3
Bike — 180km
The Wales Sportive: a 112 mile ride through the Pembrokeshire countryside on the Saturday, covering the same demanding lanes that give IRONMAN Wales its reputation as one of the hardest bike courses on the circuit.
- Venue
- Pembrokeshire
- Elevation gain
- No official figure published — see notes above
- Surface
- Road — Pembrokeshire lanes, relentlessly undulating.
Non-drafting
Leg 3 of 3
Run — 42.2km
The Wales Marathon on the Sunday, finishing the weekend. Run on tired legs after a Friday-night swim and a Saturday century, which is exactly the point of the format.
- Venue
- Tenby and the Pembrokeshire coast
- Elevation gain
- No official figure published — see notes above
- Surface
- Road — undulating coastal.
Transitions
There are no transitions. This is three separate races on three separate days, not a continuous triathlon — which is the whole idea. You sleep, eat and recover between disciplines.
Long Course Weekend Wales Split Calculator
Long Course Weekend Wales Split-Time Calculator
Enter your own swim, bike and run pace to project a real finish time.
Projected Finish Time
11:13:18
Racing a different distance? Try the generic split calculator or the swim pace calculator.
Where Long Course Weekend Wales starts and finishes
These are the start and finish points, not the route. Verus doesn't hold course files for this race, and drawing a line between two pins would be a guess you might end up training on. The official course map is the one to use: view it on the organiser's site .
Entry & Ballot
Direct entry summary
Entry is through Activity Wales Events on their EventTrac platform. You can enter the Full Long Course Weekend, the Half, the Junior, or any single discipline on its own. Pricing was not published in the sources checked.
Ballot policy
No ballot — entry is direct.
Age requirement
Not published in the sources checked. A Junior Long Course runs alongside the adult events.
Charity Places
No formal charity-place scheme is published.
Race Day Info & Checklist
On the day
- Three days, three disciplines, one town: the Wales Swim on Friday evening, the Wales Sportive on Saturday, the Wales Marathon on Sunday.
- Completing all three earns a fourth medal, which only Full Long Course Weekend entrants receive.
- Over 11,000 athletes and 35,000 supporters from 56 nations attend across the weekend.
- The swim and much of the bike and run cover the same Pembrokeshire ground as IRONMAN Wales in September.
- Individual disciplines can be entered separately, which makes the weekend accessible to swimmers and cyclists who are not triathletes.
- TORQ is the official nutrition sponsor — bike aid has water and savoury/sweet snacks, and riders are told to start with two full bottles. Littering is strictly bin-only at stations.
- Timing chips are worn differently per discipline: outside the wetsuit on the left ankle for the swim, built into the helmet number sticker for the bike, and looped through your shoelaces (metal side up, red side down) for the run.
- Digital event pack sent about two weeks before, with physical numbers and chips only collected in person at registration.
- Results go live via Krono Sports; finisher photos come from Finisherpix, with up to a two-week turnaround.
- Penalties: a missed cut-off is a DNF with no appeal. Changing distance mid-event is also a DNF in the results, but you still get a medal — it costs a £10 admin fee and must be requested at least 4 hours before your start. Littering is an instant disqualification with no appeal.
Checklist
- A wetsuit for a Friday-evening sea swim off Tenby North Beach
- Climbing gears for 112 miles of Pembrokeshire lane — this is not a flat sportive
- Recovery kit and a genuine eating plan for the Friday night and Saturday night, which matter more here than in a one-day race
- Accommodation booked far in advance: Tenby is a small town hosting 11,000 athletes
- Warm layers for the beach after a dusk swim
- A plan for parking or moving around Tenby across three days of closures and crowds
- A certified helmet (ANSI/SNELL/EN1078) and a rear number for the bike, plus a mandatory puncture repair kit
- Broken-in running shoes and a front race number for the run
Transport, Spectating & Where to Stay
Transport
Tenby has its own station on the Pembroke Dock branch line, reached via Swansea and Whitland. It is a long journey from most of the UK but avoids driving into a town at capacity.
Not published in the sources checked. Tenby is small and extremely busy across the weekend — check the athlete information for parking arrangements.
Closures across Tenby and the Pembrokeshire lanes vary by day. The organiser publishes details ahead of the weekend.
Spectator guide
Tenby North Beach for the Friday swim is the picture everyone takes home. The town itself is the natural base for the marathon on Sunday, with the narrow streets giving it the atmosphere IRONMAN Wales is famous for.
Tenby is compact and walkable. The Saturday sportive covers a wide area of Pembrokeshire and is harder to follow.
Where to stay
Tenby town centre
+ Walking distance to the swim start, the finish and the atmosphere. The only place to be for the weekend.
– Books out a year ahead and prices rise accordingly — this is a small seaside town hosting a very large event.
Saundersfoot
+ Two miles up the coast, on the course, with more availability and a quieter base.
– Requires transport into Tenby for the early starts.
Pembroke / Narberth
+ Further out with better availability and value, and easy access to the sportive route.
– A drive into Tenby each day, into a town under road closures.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Long Course Weekend Wales 2027?
2-4 July 2027, in Tenby, Pembrokeshire.
What is the Long Course Weekend format?
Three separate races over three days: the Wales Swim (2.4 miles) on Friday evening, the Wales Sportive (112 miles) on Saturday, and the Wales Marathon on Sunday. There are no transitions — you recover between disciplines.
Is Long Course Weekend the same as an Ironman?
The distances are the same, but the format is not. A full-distance triathlon is one continuous day; Long Course Weekend splits the three disciplines across three days with sleep in between. It is a different kind of challenge, not an easier version of the same one.
What is the fourth medal at Long Course Weekend?
Entrants get a medal for each discipline they complete, and Full Long Course Weekend entrants who finish all three earn a fourth medal for the weekend itself. It is the only way to get it.
Can you enter just one day of Long Course Weekend?
Yes — the swim, the sportive and the marathon can each be entered on their own, which is why the weekend draws swimmers and cyclists as well as triathletes.
How big is Long Course Weekend Wales?
Over 11,000 athletes and around 35,000 supporters from 56 nations across the weekend.
Is Long Course Weekend on the same course as IRONMAN Wales?
It covers much of the same Pembrokeshire ground, including the Tenby North Beach swim — which is why many athletes use it as preparation for IRONMAN Wales in September.
When were Long Course Weekend results published?
Results aren't published until after the race — check back here, or the official results source, once the event has taken place.
What are the Long Course Weekend Wales cut-off times?
Friday's swim: 2 hours total (1 hour for the first lap). Saturday's bike: 5pm for every route, with a 1:15pm diversion at Rosebush Crossroads shortening any remaining 112-mile riders onto the 80-mile course. Sunday's run: the marathon must be at halfway by 1pm and finished by 4pm; shorter distances also cut off at 4pm.
What happens if you miss a cut-off at Long Course Weekend?
You're marked DNF for that discipline, with no appeal, and given transport back. Changing to a shorter distance mid-event is possible for a £10 admin fee requested at least 4 hours ahead, but it's also recorded as a DNF in the results (you still get a medal).