The World Triathlon Corporation asked the approximately quarter million triathletes who participated in the 40 Ironman and 96 Ironman 70.3 events last year to rate their experiences. According to the WTC, 55,000 men and women responded to post-race surveys which asked them to rate their overall satisfaction in several categories on a point scale of 1 to 5. Based on the scores of the survey, the WTC announced top 10 Ironman and top 10 Ironman 70.3 global events in several categories including: Best Overall Event, Best Swim, Best Bike, Best Run, Best Venue Experience and Best Post Race Celebration.
The Ironman and Ironman 70.3 World Championship events, with exclusive fields winnowed by strict qualification standards, were not included.
While these lists serve a promotional purpose, it is interesting to see how participants rate their Ironman experience, albeit in a controlled fashion in which any potential criticisms are not part of the media release.
Selected answers regarding the top 10 events in the categories do not list the names of the respondents. We chose one quote per category which we felt was the most insightful.
IRONMAN Events
Overall Satisfaction
1. Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain IRONMAN New Zealand
2. IRONMAN France
3. Subaru IRONMAN Canada
4. Standard Bank IRONMAN South Africa
5. IRONMAN Lake Placid
6. Little Debbie IRONMAN Chattanooga
7. IRONMAN Vichy
8. IRONMAN Louisville
9. IRONMAN Wisconsin
10. IRONMAN Coeur d’Alene
The best quote: “Swimming in the Mediterranean, cycling in the Alps, running along the seafront. It was an incredible, unforgettable day." – IRONMAN France.
Best Overall Swim
1. IRONMAN Australia
2. IRONMAN Wales
3. IRONMAN Coeur d’Alene
4. Little Debbie IRONMAN Chattanooga
5. SunSmart IRONMAN Western Australia
T6. Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain IRONMAN New Zealand
T6. Sun Smart IRONMAN Western Australia
8. IRONMAN Barcelona
9. IRONMAN Louisville
10. IRONMAN Boulder
The best quote: “This was the best swim I have ever had (comfort, ease of sighting, quickest time!) and was so blown away by all of the volunteers helping in the water. I felt so much safer than in any other race and felt that they helped keep us all on course. Thank you." – IRONMAN Boulder.
Best Overall Bike
1. IRONMAN Lake Placid
2. IRONMAN Wales
3. IRONMAN France
4. Subaru IRONMAN Canada
5. IRONMAN Austria
T6. Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain IRONMAN New Zealand
T6. IRONMAN Louisville
T8. Subaru IRONMAN Mont-Tremblant
T8. IRONMAN Arizona
T10. IRONMAN UK
T10. IRONMAN Florida
Best quote: “The bike course was challenging and interesting. I appreciated the varied terrain, which kept it from being boring. The hills were challenging and the downhill fun. I liked that there were two lanes available for racers on the Keene decent. The bike course aid stations were appropriately spaced and the volunteers were fantastic throughout." – IRONMAN Lake Placid
Best Overall Run
T1. Standard Bank IRONMAN South African Championship
T1. Subaru IRONMAN Mont Tremblant
T1. IRONMAN Wisconsin
4. Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain IRONMAN New Zealand
5. IRONMAN Louisville
6. IRONMAN Lake Placid
7. IRONMAN Florida
8. Subaru IRONMAN Canada
9. IRONMAN Vichy
10. IRONMAN Wales
Best quote: “Exceptional run course. This was my fifth IRONMAN, and this run course was great, and the finish line was the coolest I've been through personally. I loved that it was a two-loop instead of three or four loops. Volunteers were awesome, road conditions were great, and it wasn't too hard to see the road when it started to get a bit dark." – IRONMAN Louisville.
Best Race Venue Experience
1. Subaru IRONMAN Mont-Tremblant
2. Standard Bank IRONMAN African Championship
3. IRONMAN Lake Placid
4. Little Debbie IRONMAN Chattanooga
5. IRONMAN Wales
6. IRONMAN Coeur d’Alene
7. IRONMAN Australia
8. IRONMAN France
9. IRONMAN Arizona
10. IRONMAN Wisconsin
“I just love the Tremblant experience. We stayed right in the village and I love that everything was so easily accessible. But the thing I love the most is the last half mile of the run. I LOVE running into the village and then into the chute. Think I love the chute more than the actual finish!” – IRONMAN Mont- Tremblant
Best Post-race Celebration
1. Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain IRONMAN New Zealand
2. Little Debbie IRONMAN Chattanooga
3. Standard Bank IRONMAN African Championship
4. IRONMAN Australia
5. Subaru IRONMAN Mont-Tremblant
6. IRONMAN Maastricht
7. IRONMAN Sweden
8. IRONMAN Malaysia
9. IRONMAN Wisconsin
10. IRONMAN Wales
Best quote: “I felt like a rockstar.” – IRONMAN Chattanooga.
IRONMAN 70.3 Events
Overall Satisfaction
1. Strandräuber IRONMAN 70.3 Ruegen
2. IRONMAN 70.3 Vichy
T3. Wonderful Indonesia IRONMAN 70.3 Bintan
T3. IRONMAN 70.3 Rio de Janeiro
5. SiS IRONMAN 70.3 Otepaa
6. Sinox IRONMAN 70.3 Taiwan
7. SunSmart IRONMAN 70.3 Busselton
8. IRONMAN 70.3 St. Polten
9. IRONMAN 70.3 Korea-Gurye
10. Enea IRONMAN 70.3 Gdynia
Best quote: “It attracted a big crowd and made it nice to compete with so many people. The choice of Otepää was sublime: lake was clean, beach nice, bike in beautiful rolling hills. Run course was fantastic. Finish area was very nicely organized with food and massage.” – SiS IRONMAN 70.3 Otepaa.
Best Overall Swim
1. Subaru IRONMAN 70.3 Canada
2. Strandräuber IRONMAN 70.3 Ruegen
3. IRONMAN 70.3 Dublin
4. IRONMAN 70.3 UK Exmoor
5. IRONMAN 70.3 Hawaii
6. IRONMAN 70.3 Coeur d'Alene
7. IRONMAN 70.3 Weymouth
8. IRONMAN 70.3 Eagleman
9. SunSmart IRONMAN 70.3 Busselton
10. IRONMAN 70.3 Augusta
Best quote: "You can't argue with a downstream swim. I've been bragging about my swim split for months.” – IRONMAN 70.3 Augusta.
Best Overall Bike
1. Strandräuber IRONMAN 70.3 Ruegen
2. Subaru IRONMAN 70.3 Canada
T3. Sunbelt Bakery IRONMAN 70.3 Chattanooga
T3. IRONMAN 70.3 Haugesund, Norway
5. IRONMAN 70.3 St. Polten
6. IRONMAN 70.3 Muncie
T7. IRONMAN 70.3 Hawaii
T7. IRONMAN 70.3 Dubai:
9. IRONMAN 70.3 Coeur d'Alene:
10. Club La Santa IRONMAN 70.3 Lanzarote:
Best quote: "This was definitely my favorite bike course of any half-distance race I've done. Stunning views, great road services, rolling terrain that kept it interesting but never grueling, just an awesome bike course. And thank you for putting mats over the railroad tracks!" – Sunbelt Bakery IRONMAN 70.3 Chattanooga.
Best Overall Run
1. IRONMAN 70.3 Muncie
2. IRONMAN 70.3 Haugesund, Norway
3. IRONMAN 70.3 Ohio
T4. Sunbelt Bakery IRONMAN 70.3 Chattanooga
T4. Subaru IRONMAN 70.3 Victoria
6. IRONMAN 70.3 Cairns
T7. Subaru IRONMAN 70.3 Canada
T7. IRONMAN 70.3 Santa Cruz
9. IRONMAN 70.3 Bahrain
10. Enea IRONMAN 70.3 Gdynia
Best quote: “Really liked the run course overall. Knew it was mostly downhill for the first three parts of the loop, so wasn't surprised that the last leg had some climbs, but all in all, interesting, relatively shaded and well supported." – IRONMAN 70.3 Ohio.
Best Race Venue Experience
1. Sunbelt Bakery IRONMAN 70.3 Chattanooga
2. IRONMAN 70.3 Palmas
3. IRONMAN 70.3 St. George
4. IRONMAN 70.3 Rio de Janeiro
5. IRONMAN 70.3 Coeur d'Alene
6. IRONMAN 70.3 UK Exmoor
7. Strandräuber IRONMAN 70.3 Ruegen
8. IRONMAN 70.3 Muncie
9. Subaru IRONMAN 70.3 Canada
10. Club La Santa IRONMAN 70.3 Lanzarote:
Best quote: “The unique challenge of Exmoor, the clean water, and brutal bike/run courses. The remoteness is an additional challenge, but somehow adds to that experience that we all expect. A fantastic day out and one to check off the bucket list!" – IRONMAN 70.3 UK Exmoor.
Best Post-Race Celebration
1. IRONMAN 70.3 Geelong
2. IRONMAN 70.3 Muncie
3. IRONMAN 70.3 Haugesund, Norway
4. Strandräuber IRONMAN 70.3 Ruegen
5. SiS IRONMAN 70.3 Otepaa
6. Standard Bank IRONMAN 70.3 South Africa
7. IRONMAN 70.3 Dubai
8. IRONMAN 70.3 Vietnam
9. Sinox IRONMAN 70.3 Taiwan
10. IRONMAN 70.3 Buffalo Springs Lake
Best quote: “This event has a unique grassroots, small-town feel. The finish atmosphere is like a family.” – IRONMAN 70.3 Buffalo Springs Lake.
