Hilly bike course in store as IRONMAN reveal hosts for next year’s 70.3 Worlds

While the PTO is still to announce its full schedule for this year, IRONMAN have just unveiled the date and location for the 70.3 World Championships in 2025.

Following on from Lahti in Finland last year, Marbella will become the fourth city in Europe and the first in Spain to host the 70.3 Worlds and they’ll take place on November 8th (women) and 9th (men).

Zell am See-Kaprun in Austria in 2015 and Nice in France in 2019 were the other two European locations to host the event, which this year heads to Taupō, New Zealand in December with over 6,000 professional and age-group athletes anticipated to hit the start line across the two-day format that was first adopted in 2017.

Knibb aiming for a hat-trick

Reigning champions are American Taylor Knibb, who will be looking for a third successive win in Taupō, and Germany’s Rico Bogen who caused a huge surprise in Lahti.

“Marbella, Spain joins an exclusive group of worldwide locations that have demonstrated a history of successfully hosting IRONMAN and/or IRONMAN 70.3 events and offers the perfect backdrop for an exciting and memorable race week experience for athletes and their supporters,” said Andrew Messick, President & CEO of The IRONMAN Group.

He added: “Marbella has consistently shown that it can offer a racing experience with a host venue worthy of a World Championship event. Steeped in culture, and a well-reputed holiday destination, Marbella is internationally accessible and will undoubtedly make for an incredible trip for athletes, their family and friends alike.”

What’s in store on Marbella course?

Marbella has been hosting IRONMAN 70.3 events since 2018, and last year it played host to the 2023 IRONMAN 70.3 European TriClub Championship.

Many other prominent sporting events have also been held in Marbella such as Ladies European Tour golf and ATP tennis tournaments.

José María Arrabal, General Secretary for Sport of the Andalusian Government, said: “Having the 2025 VinFast IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship is aligned with our mission to bring to Andalusia the best sporting events in the world that also generate positive economic impact, international tourism opportunities and the promotion of sport at the same time.”

Located on southern Spain’s Costa del Sol, Marbella is flanked by the ocean and the mountains, and in terms of the likely course characteristics 70.3 Marbella – click here to check out our in-depth athletes’ guide – features a swim in the Mediterranean Sea, a one-lap hilly bike section with 1,400 metres of climbing and then a flat run along the promenade.