IRONMAN 70.3 Santa Cruz
September 13, 2026
Santa Cruz Main Beach / Depot Park (T1) · Santa Cruz, United States
About
IRONMAN 70.3 Santa Cruz offers a laid-back California coastal experience with a 1.2-mile ocean swim around the wharf, a 56-mile rolling bike along scenic Highway 1, and a flat half-marathon through parks and along coastal bluffs. The race blends a chill, local-race feel with the high-end IRONMAN experience, finishing at the famous beach finish line in Surf City.
Pick your distance
Everything below adapts to your choice
Start
Santa Cruz Main Beach / Depot Park (T1)
Weather
Mild 20°C
How about we do this one together?
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IRONMAN 70.3 Santa Cruz
Your readiness
Top finishers
- 1Sam🇦🇺3:41:04
- 2Trevor🇺🇸3:42:52
- 3Ben🇺🇸3:43:06
Why this race
- Official IRONMAN 70.3 branded race
- Part of globally televised Ironman series
- Standard 70.3 distance on official ironman.com domain
If you like IRONMAN 70.3 Oceanside or IRONMAN 70.3 Monterey, you'll like this one.
Pack this
- Wetsuit (likely legal in ~15°C Pacific), goggles, swim cap provided
- Road bike inspected + spare tube, CO2, multi-tool, two bottles
- Tri suit, cycling shoes, run shoes with quick laces, race belt
- Gels/chews for ~3h effort + 500ml electrolyte on bike
- Photo ID, USAT card or one-day license, printed athlete guide
What you should know
- Point-to-point swim in Monterey Bay; expect kelp, swell, and 14-17°C water — wetsuit almost always legal.
- Two separate transitions: T1 at Main Beach, T2 inland at Depot Park. Plan bag drops the day before.
- Mandatory bike check-in Saturday; helmet must be CPSC-certified and buckled before mounting line.
- No drafting on bike — 12m draft zone, 25s to pass. Headphones banned course-wide.
- Morning marine layer can drop visibility and chill the swim start; bring throwaway warm layer for transition.
Based on 3 sources
The information shown here is based on the most recent listing we could find, and may change. Always confirm details on the event's official site before registering.