The scenery on the bike ride in Nice is breathtaking. And running back and forth along the Mediterranean isn't bad either!

IM South Africa. Challenge Wanaka. Plenty of chioces

Agree on Nice. Plus the food is awesome.

Lake Placid

Canadaman, Norseman, pretty much any of the extreme ones will have gorgeous landscapes.

I liked the course in Chattanooga at Worlds last year. Never did regular 70.3 or 140.6 over there, not sure how different the course is, but I liked it...

I haven't raced it yet, but I'm doing IM Norway at the end of June. Based on pics and videos of the race last year, it's a pretty scenic area. That wouldn't be that far for you from the UK.

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Ironman Canada - Penticton edition. (insert sad face emoji)

I would say whistler is pretty darn scenic lol

I've raced 14 IMs at 12 different venues. Here are the most scenic swim venues I've done:

1) Ironman Cozumel
2) Ironman Florida
3) Ironman Switzerland and Ironman South Africa (tie)
Bonus for St Croix 70.3.


Of the races I've done, the following had the most scenic bike courses in order:

1) Ironman Norway (2019 goes to 2 lap course so they will see less)
2) Ironman Switzerland
3) Ironman South Africa
Note: I think Lanzarote would be right up there as well but I haven't done it.

For the run, I would go with:

1) Ironman Switzerland (with the new course through town)
2) Ironman Regensburg (sadly this is gone)
3) Ironman South Africa

For the finishline experience, my favorites were:

1) Ironman Louisville
2) Ironman Kalmar (Sweden)
3) Ironman Couer d"Alene (another one bites the dust!)

IM Austria.

Austria, Nice and Whistler are my top 3 of races still ongoing.

Livigno extreme.

A lifetime of choices for your racing pleasures:

IM France in Nice -- the blue water & skies, the views, the mountains, the food, and more. Post race vacation on the beach, in the restaurants, in Monaco, and beyond. Awesome.

IM South Africa -- the beaches on different sides of the bike course, rolling hills, quaint town. No disappointments in this race selection.Post race vacation on a nearby safari. Drive the Garden Road to Cape Town. Arguably the prettiest setting for a city in the world. Explore the Cape of Good Hope to the south, the wineries to the north, and two great oceans on either side. Visit Robbins Island and the townships for a reality check of how great freedom is to experience.

IM Mont Tremblant -- beautiful setting for swim, bike, and run. Hills. Great accommodations. Visit Montreal post race. Great food, scenery, and entertainment and more.

IM New Zealand -- beautiful setting for swim, bike, and run. Visit both main islands post race. Packed with more variation of natural beauty in a smaller country than just about anywhere. My wife said about the views: "They just keep coming...".

IM Norway -- Safe swim course. Great bike with continual rollers on closed course highway. Superior fan support. Run along the waterfront. Head up north to Bergan to launch multiple visits into the fiords and beyond.

Go before you miss out on these and others. You already missed IM Coeur d' Alene and the original Ironman OZ. Catch the CDA 70.3 or any other Ironman in OZ for great settings in or nearby great vacation destinations.

The people are great everywhere. And good to great food can be found in any of these areas too.


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X2 on Lake Placid

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"You can never win or lose if you don't run the race." - Richard Butler

Have to make it X3 on Lake Placid.

Cairns, Australia

+0.75 - full half point to the bike ride being by far the most scenic ride in a race I've done, 0.25 given to the run course. it is beautiful, but it is 4 out and backs, meaning you see the same things like 8 times, include the far corner everyone pees in and smells really badly. Turn that into 2 loops and you have a full point.

+0.5 on Placid. Perhaps it's because I lived in NYC and made my way up there several times, perhaps it is because I now live in the west where we have real mountains but while placid is quite nice, sure ain't the most scenic I've seen. Before Placid, I would recommend South Africa & Boulder. Tremblant is on even keel with Placid as far as scenery goes but Tremblant holds the edge for having Poutine at the end.

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808 > NYC > PDX > YVR
2024 Races: Taupo