SUNDAY, May 5 more than 3,000 athletes will push their bodies to the limit.
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The 2019 Ironman Australia and 70.3 events will kick off in Port Macquarie from 6.15am at Westport Park when the swimmers hit the water for the main event.
For Ironman athletes, it will be a long day traversing a challenging 226km swim-bike-run course taking local and visiting competitors on a picturesque trek south along Port Macquarie's coastline to Camden Haven and back.
The finish line on Town Green will be welcome sight for some with the winner expected to cross the line not long after 3pm. As for the rest, the cheer squad on the sidelines will dig in for the evening and wait for the final runner to cross the line some time around midnight.
The Port News will be bringing you rolling coverage of the best race action and sidelines antics at portnews.com.au from 6am Sunday morning.
Ironman course, best vantage points
To use the interactive map click on the show details arrow and the zoom tool below.
Swim
3.8km swim - A rolling swim start one lap course in the Hastings River between mainland and Pelican Island. A unique feature to this year's course is the crossing of a weir, approximately 1.7km (outbound) and 2.5km (inbound) into the swim course.
Bike
180km - two lap course heading south from Port Macquarie taking in amazing coastal scenery on Pacific and Ocean Drives to Camden Haven and return.
Run
42.2km run - four lap course first heading east to pass along the iconic rock wall before heading north to Settlement Point and finishing on the Town Green precinct of Port Macquarie.
Key times to watch
- 6.22am: Rolling race start - IRONMAN 70.3 Port Macquarie, Westport Park boat ramp, Hastings River
- 7.10am: Pro male race start - IRONMAN Australia, Westport Park boat ramp, Hastings River
- 7.11am: Pro female start - IRONMAN Australia, Westport Park boat ramp, Hastings River
- 7.15am: Age Group rolling start - IRONMAN Australia, Westport Park boat ramp, Hastings River
- 10.28am: First IRONMAN 70.3 finisher, IRONMAN finish line, Town Green
- Approx 3.32pm: First pro male finisher and presentations, IRONMAN finish line, Town Green
- Approx 4.43pm: First pro female finisher and presentations, IRONMAN finish line, Town Green
- 12.35am: Last finisher expected (17 hours) - IRONMAN Australia, IRONMAN finish line, Town Green
Weather forecast
Gusty south-westerly winds bringing through cooler temperatures around 23 degrees on Saturday, May 4.
Cloudy with chance of showers with 10mm to 20mm of rain and periods of heavier showers.
Sunday, May 5 will be windy with showers continuing with a low pressure system offshore.
There will be showers, some or most stages of the morning, but drier throughout the remainder of the afternoon and evening.
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