Busselton Ironman – a world-class spectator event

In the 15 years since that first race, the Busselton Ironman has grown to become a key feature on the South-West town’s busy sporting calendar — and this year’s event will take place on Sunday, 2 December.

Busselton Ironman beloved by competitors and spectators alike

There are good reasons Busselton is such a perfect location to host an ironman race – with its superhuman swimming, cycling and running requirements.

The north-facing Geographe Bay is shielded from the pounding surf of the Indian Ocean by the slim peninsula of Cape Naturaliste, which acts like a dam wall – producing the lagoon-like calmer waters so conducive to open water swimming (not to mention skiing, boating and competitive sailing).

The land there is also relatively flat, which is perfect for the incredibly demanding running and cycling legs of the race.

the ironman events in the world, is the one where participants are most likely to achieve a coveted personal best.

Its geography has ensured Busselton is amongst the most popular ironman events with competitors, who come from 41 different countries, including Singapore, Japan, Great Britain and the United States, to race there.

The 2018 Busselton Ironman and Half Ironman events

There’s a rolling race start from 5.20 a.m. from the starting point, near The Goose Restaurant on Geographe Bay Road. Those competing in the Half Ironman go first, then the pro male athletes, pro female athletes and the rest of the field, according to age group.

An ironman race is made up of three parts:

• A 3.8 km swim
• A 180 km cycle, and
• a 42.2 km run.

That means competitors run a full marathon, immediately after having swam and cycled far beyond anything most people would contemplate. Amazingly, the first competitors in the Half Ironman will cross the finish line (in the foreshore carpark to the west of Equinox) around 9.20 a.m. Those taking part in the full event will start to cross the finish line about 1.20pm. There’s a full rundown of the day’s schedule, here.

The best viewing spots for the 2018 Busselton Ironman

The best spot to view the swimming leg of the race is to stand along the near-shore sections of the two-kilometre-long Busselton Jetty. This is the best “poolside” viewing platform, although the beach is also great.

During this part of the race the water resembles a giant washing machine, with all the churning of the arms & legs in the water at the sounding of the starter’s horn. The swimmers stay close to the shore, swimming in a circuit, so there’s plenty of action to see.

their way along the picturesque foreshore and the turquoise waters of the bay, all the way out to the cool and welcome shade of the rare and endangered Tuart Forrest on the outskirts of the city. These shady trees make for a pleasant, cool, viewing experience, on what could be a hot day.

To pick your spot to view the Busselton Ironman competitors, check out this interactive map of the course.

Ironman for Kids

Not all the action takes place on Sunday. On Saturday, 1 December, there’s an Ironman Kids race on the Busselton foreshore from 8.30 a.m.

Kids aged seven to 13 can take part in the event, which is designed to spark their interest in healthy exercise and competition.

The littlest kids swim 100 metres, ride 2.25 km and run 1 km. The biggest kids swim 200 m, cycle 4.5 km and run 2 km.

You can find out more about Ironman Kids here.

If you’re headed to the South-West for the Busselton Ironman 2018, Private Properties has some spectacular holiday homes located close to the event. View our portfolio to discover the inspirational properties available.