Sporting Events in Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire is the ideal location for outdoor sports and activities with plenty of sporting events taking place. Whether you compete for fun, spectate or are a serious athlete there is something for everyone.
Iron Man
Iron Man Wales is one of the most famous endurance events in the country, attracting around 2,500 athletes from Pembrokeshire at the beginning of September from all over the world. Testing their fitness on the mammoth course in Tenby, which has even earned the name ‘Iron Town’.
The whole three-part course has to be completed within 17 hours. The race starts with a two-loop 2.4-mile sunrise swim at Tenby's famous North Beach. Followed by a gruelling two-loop 112-mile bike course through Pembrokeshire's scenic countryside. Finally, the race finishes with a four-loop 26.2 mile, marathon-length run through Tenby’s buzzing town centre, packed with event supporters.
The fastest athletes will finish the enduring course in around 9 hours. It’s an achievement in itself to complete such an event, but Iron Man Wales also serves as a qualifier for the world championships in Hawaii.
Coastal Cottages Ironman Wales Accommodation
The seventh IRONMAN Wales event will consist of a 2.4 mile sea swim, a 112 mile bike ride and full 26.2 mile marathon - all in one day! This world famous event will take place in Tenby, on the stunning Pembrokeshire Coast and will be host to over 2,000 athletes, competing in the event and in excess of 8,000 visitors who will accompany athletes or simply come to watch this spectacular event.
Supporters Guide
Iron Man Wales boasts some of the most enthusiastic crowds in endurance sports. It’s certainly worth experiencing once, if only from the sidelines, just for the electric atmosphere it creates.
Kicking off early at North Beach, the athletes start the race at 7 am in the choppy waters of Carmarthen Bay. Crowds of supporters rise early to watch the sunrise and cheer on the athletes, zigzagging up the cliff and along the road just to watch. We recommend getting to Tenby early before the roads close at 8:30 am to guarantee a parking spot, otherwise, it’ll be a struggle to get there.
Next is the cycle ride which passes through some of the most beautiful parts of Pembrokeshire. It’s a hilly course, lined with spectators all along the route. Great hotspots for spectators are Narbeth and Carew where the route directly passes through. But a particularly good spot to watch from is in Saundersfoot on St Brides Hill which has been given the nickname ‘Heartbreak Hill’ as it’s one of the most intense climbs on the course.
Competitors finish with the 4-lap marathon run through the cobbled streets of Tenby to New Hedges and back. Like the cycle, it’s a hilly course but the cheering crowds definitely help. A great watch spot, if you’re not one for large crowds, is in New Hedges or the top of Saunderfoot where people line the pavements cheering on the athletes as they pass by. For the electric atmosphere anywhere in Tenby is a great spot to watch from, but the finish line, in particular, creates a buzz with the music blaring and large crowds cheering.
Whether you’re a participant or a spectator, it’s worth sticking around Tenby for the great post-race atmosphere. With three stunning sandy beaches and pastel-coloured houses rising up from a picturesque harbour, Tenby has plenty to offer – and makes the perfect base to explore Pembrokeshire.
Long Course Weekend
Beginning at the end of June and rolling into July, Long Course Weekend is the biggest multisport event in Europe. Based on the Pembrokeshire coast in west Wales, the popular event attracts over 12,000 athletes and 36,000 supporters to compete over three incredible days to remember. You can enter 1, 2 or all 3 events over the weekend or you can do half of each!
Kicking off the event on a Friday is The Wales Swim. Competitors of both the 1.2-mile and 2.4-mile swim events will all start at North Beach in Tenby, at the same time. Those tackling the full 2.4-mile distance will go on to do a second lap.
This day there is also a children's event, the LCKinder. This is the opening event for Long Course Weekend, where children aged 4-11 can take part in their very own competition. Tackling a surf run followed by a run across North Beach to the finish line. So if your children are budding athletes or sports lovers then the LCKinder might be ideal, where all children are given a medal after finishing.
The next day will be The Wales Sportive. There are three different distances with 40-mile, 70-mile and 112-mile options for the bike ride, depending on entry level. How it works is that cyclists competing in each of these categories will have a staggered start. For those athletes wanting to push their limits with the 112-mile course, they will start first, with the 40-mile competitors leaving last.
The final day of the weekend is The Veloforte Wales Marathon, a 26.2-mile marathon run, with Half Marathon, 10K and 5K options. Entrants of the full marathon will start and finish the race at Tenby’s Salterns Car Park, with crowds of supporters cheering them on. This is followed by the prize ceremony and of course the well-deserved after party!
Coastal Cottages Long Course Weekend Accommodation
Pembrokeshire plays host annually to one of the most difficult triathlons in Wales – the Long Course Weekend. This unique event lasts three days, now in June, accommodating some of the best triathlon talent in the UK and the world, including a number of IRONMAN UK athletes, serving as the perfect preparation and build-up to the IRONMAN Wales event in September.
Supporters Guide
Similar to Iron Man, the best place to watch each of the swim events is along Tenby’s North Beach. This one’s not an early start like Iron Man is as each event is on a different day. Here you can watch the kids swim first, which is followed by the men's and women's swim events.
The Wales Sportive happens on Saturday, where athletes cycle down the ramp off the stage at the Salterns in Tenby with a DJ playing music and fireworks. This creates a fantastic buzz for the athletes as well as an amazing atmosphere to be part of for the crowds of supporters.
On the last day of Long Course Weekend on Sunday, there’s the run course which offers the longest and toughest challenge of the weekend. All along the route there are spectators cheering, but a particularly great watch spot is at the finish line where there’s a wild atmosphere on the red carpet with massive crowds showing their support for the athletes. If you get there early enough you can watch the pros run to victory, celebrating with another firework display along with some of the biggest cheers of the whole event.
Tour of Pembrokeshire
Attracting cyclists from all over the world the Tour of Pembrokeshire is a well-established must-do event for riders, happening in mid-May. Being based in the UK's smallest city, the St Davids peninsula serves as an outstanding location for such an event. It offers breathtaking scenery, wonderful natural history, and stunning sandy beaches.
To suit all abilities, the course starts and finishes at Ysgol Penrhyn Dewi with 25, 60, 80, and 105-mile options. The shortest route is ideal for families or sportive first-timers. The longer routes are more suited to experienced riders.
Supporters Guide
The Tour of Pembrokeshire features the stunning North Pembrokeshire Coastline, quiet lanes and open hills. The event is always popular with cyclists and families who turn the opportunity into a short break. If cycling isn’t for you, it’s a great day to be a supporter, with an amazing atmosphere for everyone to enjoy.
It is known for having a real festival atmosphere with something for everyone, along with delicious food along the route as well as a fantastic band to motivate the athletes and of course, celebrate at the end. The best place to watch and support is in St Davids. The small city’s streets are bustling with crowds creating a fantastic environment to be part of.
This event is ideal for families to watch and show their support. It’s best to arrive in St Davids early. For parking, we strongly recommend car sharing, because as you may know, St Davids is a very small city so parking spaces are scarce.
Challenge Wales
Challenge Wales, hosted by The Wales Triathlon, is a fairly fast course that’s ideal for both new and experienced athletes. Kicking off in June Challenge Wales is based in Fishguard with the bike course heading off to St Davids and back.
The swim is a 1.2-mile course made up of 2 laps which take place within the harbour.
This is followed by a 56-mile cycle with the route going to St Davids and circling back to Fishguard. There will be a huge reception as the cyclists go around the square in St Davids, with supporters from all over creating a motivating atmosphere. The event finishes with a 13.1-mile run made up of 4 laps around Fishguard and Goodwick.
Challenge Wales is the ultimate event for athletes of all capabilities, packed with sea views, breathtaking scenic runs and fantastic support.
Supporters Guide
Similar to Long Course Weekend and the Saundersfoot Triathlon there’s a red carpet finish at The Parrog in Goodwick. Fishguard and Goodwick are both great locations to spectate the event with a good selection of small shops and places to stop for a bite to eat.
Parking is available at Goodwick Moor and Manorway Garage both are which are close to the Fishguard Harbour to watch the swim take place. A hotspot for supporters craving a great atmosphere to watch the cyclists is in St Davids where there’s a huge reception for the athletes.
There’s a welcoming triathlon festival feel for the entire weekend offering something for everyone.
Saundersfoot Triathlon
The Saundersfoot triathlon is made up of a 750m swim, a 20K bike ride, and finished with a 5K run. With a mass start on the beach, the athletes head straight to the water with an anti-clockwise swim around the course. This is followed by the bike course, a 1 lap route heading out of the village to Templeton and Ludchurch, circling anti-clockwise back round into Saundersfoot. The event finishes with the run course heading back to the centre of the village for the red carpet finish passing through the short tunnels along the seafront.
This triathlon is the perfect choice if you’re looking for a race with an enclosed stunning sea swim; sea views, and fantastic village support, topped off with one of the most breathtaking scenic runs. The Saundersfoot Triathlon course is simply in one of the best locations in the UK. With its calm, safe and spectator-friendly swim, picturesque ride and fast and flat run.
Supporters Guide
We recommend getting to Saundersfoot early to make sure you don’t miss out on parking. There are two car parks in the village or there’s one a 10-minute walk away in Coppet Hall. This is a flat path suitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs through the short tunnels and further on is Wisemans Bridge.
The Wisemans Bridge Inn is a particularly good spot to show your support. The pub there serves food and drink with fantastic views of the sea and there’s a great beer garden that welcomes dogs. Here you can watch the cyclists come speeding down the hill and it’s only a short walk from Saundersfoot where you can watch the swim take place. The cycling route for Iron Man and Long Course Weekend also passes through Wisemans Bridge so it’s a great spot to show your support at all these events.
If you’re heading to Pembrokeshire for an event, then at Coastal Cottages we have got the perfect accommodation for you.
When enjoying incredible events, whether taking part or there to cheer on the athletes, your home has to match the standards. We have a group of hand-picked gems on each of the 5 local sporting event courses to truly complete your experience.
