Preview: Huge Weekend of Triathlon in Youghal

It’s only one day to go until Ireland’s largest triathlon weekend starts in Cork as IRONMAN Ireland returns.

In addition to the much anticipated second edition of IRONMAN Ireland Cork, the inaugural IRONMAN 70.3 Ireland Cork is also on the schedule, a sell-out competition in its first year.

Saturday’s IRONMAN 70.3

The middle-distance IRONMAN 70.3 Ireland, Cork will take centre stage on Saturday 13 August, as the first athletes enter the water at 06:00 from Front Strand Beach. Completing a 1.9km single-lap swim in the Celtic Sea, athletes will swap their swim caps for helmets to embark on the second leg of the triathlon event with a scenic 90km bike course.

Cycling around East Ferry, through Youghal’s buzzing town centre, and up the infamously gruelling climb at Windmill Hill, athletes will finish the race with a 21.1km run, or half marathon, culminating on the IRONMAN 70.3 red carpet in Youghal’s Market Square. 

IRONMAN 70.3 Ireland, Cork is set to welcome 22% first time IRONMAN athletes out of its 2,100 registrants, with competitors from ages 18 to 72 taking on the endurance event. The event will offer 45 qualifying slots for the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in Lahti, Finland on 26-27 August 2023, giving the top male and female age group athletes the chance to race on a global stage. And, as an age group only race this year, the event will give amateur competitors the chance to be crowned the first ever IRONMAN 70.3 Ireland, Cork champion for 2022.

THE IRONMAN

Rounding off the festival weekend is IRONMAN Ireland, Cork, the pinnacle full-distance event taking place on Sunday 14 August with over 2,400 athletes hoping to earn their IRONMAN finisher status and IRONMAN Ireland, Cork medal. 2022 will be the first IRONMAN Ireland, Cork race to host all three triathlon disciplines following a cancellation to the swim due to poor weather conditions in 2019.

Welcoming a professional women’s field in 2022, the event will kick off at 06:00 with the pro female athletes before male and female age group athletes start their day of triathlon racing at 06:10.

Known for its scenic views and vibrant culture, the race commences with a 3.8km single-lap swim from Front Strand Beach, past Youghal Lighthouse and into Green Park where athletes transition to the 180.2km bike leg of the course. Heading deep into the rolling Irish countryside, athletes will take on a combination of flat and undulating roads with magnificent Emerald Isle views before battling it out at Windmill Hill – not once, but twice – before getting ready to embark on the 42.2km run or full marathon.

The professional women’s field will see some of the top female triathletes from Germany, Australia, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Japan, Netherlands, and Portugal fighting for the 2022 IRONMAN Ireland, Cork Champion title. Topping the start list is 2021 IRONMAN Hamburg winner Laura Zimmermann (DEU) and IRONMAN Hamburg runner-up Renee Kiley (AUS), who will be battling it out yet again for first place.

Representing Ireland in the professional women’s field is multiple time National Champ Hilary Hughes. Hilary placed 13th at IRONMAN 70.3 Elsinore this past June, and has since gone on to win her third consecutive middle distance national title at TriTyrone last month.

Fiona Moriarty, will undertake her first IRONMAN race on home soil since making her pro debut in Florida in November 2020.

Also racing the full-distance event this year is multiple Irish National Champ Chris Mintern, who placed 4th at 2019 IRONMAN 70.3 Dun Laoghaire in the professional male field. As IRONMAN Ireland, Cork will not host a professional male field in 2022, Mintern will be racing as an age group athlete – forgoing his ability to take home a winning title or qualify for the IRONMAN World Championship event.

Mintern commented: 

“I can’t pass up the opportunity to race at home, especially given the chaos and cancellations of the past few years. I took part in my first triathlon in Youghal back in 2007, and now I’m hoping to race down the red carpet in Youghal for my full-distance IRONMAN debut on 14 August.”

Mark Bryant’s Journey to the Start Line

With no shortage of outstanding professional and age group athletes gearing up to race this weekend, one athlete’s journey to the starting line has earned particular attention. Mark Bryant, who runs the podcast Terminal to Triathlon, was given a prognosis of six months to live after being diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in 2015. Making it his mission to educate, empower, and raise money for cancer patients, Bryant has undertaken a remarkable healing journey – which has seen him complete his first triathlon in 2018 and look toward his first full-distance IRONMAN finish in Youghal this Sunday.

On deciding to race in Ireland, Bryant said: 

“When I was in my hospital bed in September 2015 having my stem cell transplant, I drew a mind map. One of my goals was to complete an IRONMAN, which has always been a lifelong dream. I won my school triathlon against the sixth formers when I was just 13 years old and was crowned the IRONMAN of Ellesmere College. It was one of my proudest moments.”

“My ultimate goal is to make Terminal to Triathlon my career, so I can continue to document and share my passion for health, healing, and impossible goals. I know fear is a big energy to ride, and my intention has always been to ride it, release it, and come out the other side even stronger.”

Kona Slots Up for Grabs

The full-distance IRONMAN Ireland, Cork will offer 45 qualifying slots to the 2022 IRONMAN World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii on 6-8 October 2022.

2022 is the first year of a new three-year contract signed by IRONMAN and Cork County Council, promising the event weekend will return to Youghal until at least 2024. With an estimated €6.5m boost to the economy for the inaugural IRONMAN Ireland, Cork event in 2019, this year’s event is set to welcome over 10,000 athletes, spectators, staff, and volunteers to stay, shop, and dine in Cork County.

John Wallnutt, IRONMAN Ireland Race Director, said: 

“We’re extremely excited to be back in Youghal and East Cork for the first time since 2019, and to finally host a full festival weekend of sport with the introduction of IRONKIDS and IRONMAN 70.3 Ireland, Cork. We’d like to thank Cork County Council for their continued support, the hundreds of staff, suppliers, and volunteers that work tirelessly behind the scenes, and the local residents and businesses that make the athlete experience truly second-to-none.”

For more information on IRONMAN 70.3 Ireland, Cork see the IRONMAN website here.

For more information on IRONMAN Ireland, Cork, please visit the IRONMAN website here.