Overview
Race in Paradise at IRONMAN Cairns: a 3.8 km swim at Palm Cove, a 180 km bike ride along the Captain Cook Highway, and a run along the beautiful Cairns Esplanade.
Event summary Affectionately known as the ‘Race in Paradise’, the Cairns Airport IRONMAN Cairns is an event not to miss for athletes from across the world. Cairns, and Tropical North Queensland, is a truly spectacular destination, with it being the only race in the world where a world heritage-listed rainforest meets one of the natural wonders of the world, the Great Barrier Reef.
Race categories
226K
IRONMAN
- Schedule
Wednesday 9 June 2027
4:00pm - 5:00pm · Check-In - Quicksilver Reef Swim Green Island · Event Information, Cairns EsplanadeThursday 10 June 2027
5:45am · Check-In - Quicksilver Reef Swim Green Island · Reef Fleet Terminal, Cairns 6:15am · Board Quicksilver Charter Boat to Green Island · Quicksilver Terminal, Cairns 7:55am · Race Start - 3km Quicksilver Reef Swim Green Island · Green Island 8:00am · Race Start - 1.5km Quicksilver Reef Island Green Island · Green Island 9:00am - 5:00pm · Official IRONMAN Merchandise Store Open · Athlete Village, Cairns Esplanade 9:00am - 5:00pm · Cairns Sport & Lifestyle Expo · Athlete Village, Cairns Esplanade 9:00am - 5:00pm · Cairns Event Information Open · Cairns Esplanade 9:00am - 5:00pm · IRONKIDS Cairns Check In · Event Information, Cairns Esplanade 9:00am - 5:00pm · Athlete Check-In · Athlete Village, Cairns EsplanadeFriday 11 June 2027
6:00am - 7:15am · Check-In & New Entries - Far North Queensland Legacy Charity Fun Run · Event Information, Cairns Esplanade 7:35am · Race Start - Far North Queensland Legacy Charity Fun Run · Cairns Esplanade 8:00am - 10:00am · Women for Tri Breakfast · The Chambers 9:00am - 5:00pm · Official IRONMAN Merchandise Store Open · Athlete Village, Cairns Esplanade 9:00am - 5:00pm · Cairns Sport & Lifestyle Expo Open · Athlete Village, Cairns Esplanade 9:00am - 5:00pm · Cairns Event Information Open · Cairns Esplanade 9:00am - 5:00pm · IRONKIDS Cairns Check-In · Event Information, Cairns Esplanade 9:00am - 5:00pm · Athlete Check-In · Athlete Village, Cairns Esplanade 9:00am - 5:00pm · Massage Open - Bookings onsite · Cairns Esplanade 12:30pm - 1:00pm · Japanese Athletes Race Briefing with Sam Sakai · Athlete Village, Cairns Esplanade 2:00pm - 2:30pm · Race Q&A hosted by Pete Murray · Athlete Village, Cairns Esplanade 3:00pm - 3:45pm · Pro Briefing · The Atrium, Level Two at Crystalbrook Flynn 3:00pm - 5:00pm · Bike Transfers to Palm Cove · Transition 2, Fogarty Park CairnsSaturday 12 June 2027
6.45am - 7.45am · Check In & Bike Racking IRONKIDS Cairns (all age groups) · Esplanade Lagoon 8:00am - 11:00am · Bike Transfers to Palm Cove · Transition 2, Fogarty Park Cairns 8:00am - 2:00pm · Shuttle Service to Palm Cove depart Cairns every 30 minutes · Reef Fleet Terminal, Cairns 8:00am - 4:30pm · Palm Cove Event Information Open · Palm Cove 8:00am - 4:30pm · COMPULSORY Bike Racking - IRONMAN & 70.3 COMPETITORS · Transition 1, Palm Cove 8:00am - 4:30pm · COMPULSORY Transition Bike Bag Drop off - IRONMAN COMPETITORS · Transition 1, Palm Cove 8:00am - 4:30pm · Optional Transition Bike Bag Drop off - 70.3 COMPETITORS (Available Saturday & Sunday) · Transition 1, Palm Cove 8:00am - 5:00pm · Cairns Event Information Open · Cairns Esplanade 8:00am · Race Start - 10-13yrs IRONKIDS Cairns · Esplanade Lagoon 8:30am · Race Start - 7-9yrs IRONKIDS Cairns · Esplanade Lagoon 8:45am - 5:15pm · Shuttle Service to Cairns depart Palm Cove every 30 minutes · Palm Cove Surf Club Carpark 9:00am - 12:00pm · Athlete Check-In · Athlete Village, Cairns Esplanade 9:00am - 5:00pm · Official IRONMAN Merchandise Store Open · Athlete Village, Cairns Esplanade 9:00am - 5:00pm · Cairns Sport & Lifestyle Expo Open · Athlete Village, Cairns Esplanade 9:00am-5:00pm · Massage Open - Bookings onsite · Cairns Esplanade 10:00am - 4:00pm · COMPULSORY Transition Run Bag Drop off - IRONMAN & 70.3 COMPETITORS · Transition 2, Fogarty Park Cairns 10:00am · Transition Tour - T1 · Transition 1, Palm Cove 11:00am · Transition Tour - T2 · Transition 2, Fogarty Park Cairns 11:30am · Transition Tour - T1 · Transition 1, Palm Cove 1:30pm · Transition Tour - T2 · Transition 2, Fogarty Park Cairns 2:30pm · Transition Tour - T1 · Transition 1, Palm Cove 3:00pm · Transition Tour - T2 · Transition 2, Fogarty Park CairnsSunday 13 June 2027
4:00am - 4:30am · Shuttle Service to Palm Cove depart Cairns - 70.3 COMPETITORS ONLY · Reef Fleet Terminal, Cairns 4:30am - 5:10am · Shuttle Service to Palm Cove depart Cairns - IRONMAN COMPETITORS ONLY · Reef Fleet Terminal, Cairns 5:30am - 6:20am · Shuttle Service to Palm Cove depart Cairns - SPECTATORS · Reef Fleet Terminal, Cairns 5:00am - 6:35am · Cairns Airport IRONMAN 70.3 Cairns Transition 1 Open · Transition 1, Palm Cove 5:00am - 7.00am · Personal Needs and Street Gear Bag Drop off - IRONMAN COMPETITORS · Transition 1, Palm Cove 5:00am - 7.00am · Transition Bike Bag and Street Gear Bag Drop off - 70.3 COMPETITORS · Transition 1, Palm Cove 5:00am - 7.00am · Cairns Airport IRONMAN Cairns Transition 1 Open · Transition 1, Palm Cove 5:00am - 11:00am · Palm Cove Event Information Open · Palm Cove 6:35am · Race Start - Cairns Airport IRONMAN 70.3 Cairns · Palm Cove 7:30am - 11:00am · Shuttle Service return from Palm Cove to Cairns departing every 30 minutes · Palm Cove Surf Club Carpark 7:37am · Race Start - Cairns Airport IRONMAN Cairns Pro Male · Palm Cove 7:42am · Race Start - Cairns Airport IRONMAN Cairns Pro Female · Palm Cove 7:50am · Race Start - Cairns Airport IRONMAN Cairns Age Group Rolling Start · Palm Cove 9:00am - 11:30pm · Cairns Event Information Open · Event Information, Cairns Esplanade 9:00am - 12:40am (Monday) · Massage Open - No bookings required · Cairns Esplanade 10:00am (approx) - 4:00pm · Cairns Airport IRONMAN 70.3 Cairns Street Gear Bag & Transition Bike Bags Collection · Lagoon Car Park, Cairns 10:00am - 5:00pm · Official IRONMAN Merchandise Store Open · Athlete Village, Cairns Esplanade 10:00am - 5:00pm · Cairns Sport &…- Route
Swim
Ocean
Bike
Rolling
Run
Flat
Typical race-day conditions
Air 18–29 °C · Water 23 °CSwim course
- 3.8km The 3.8km ROKA Swim course is situated at the stunning location of Palm Cove. The course is 2 laps with Swim Start off Williams Esplanade and Swim Exit further North towards transition. This year, the course has been pulled closer to the shore to lessen the effects of any potential winds and make for a smoother swim. We have also added more buoys to help with you sighting while out on the course. IRONMAN athletes will start their swim by heading out and turning right at the first white turning buoy, from here on out, all other buoys will be on your left-hand side. Pink coloured buoys will mark where you need to turn, and red and orange buoys will be used for sighting and to keep you on course. Athletes will start their second lap when turning at the 3rd pink buoy. On their second approach to the 3rd pink buoy, athletes will continue to swim to towards the white exit buoy before…Bike course
- 180km Your 180km Zoot bike course will see you exit T1 at Palm Cove begin to head north onto the Captain Cook Highway towards Port Douglas. Along the way you will venture up to the iconic Rex Lookout soaking up breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean and seaside rainforest that Tropical North Queensland and IRONMAN Cairns are famous for. As you arrive in Craiglie, you will take a left into Trezise Road and Spring Creek Road riding through the beautiful properties typical of the Douglas Shire Region. You will make a U-turn back towards the Captain Cook Highway where they will continue to Beor Street to be cheered on by the locals at the Northern Turn with music playing to pump you up as they head back south. The unique, undulating, and winding course will take athletes back to Palm Cove where you will start your second lap at the southern turnaround. After completing your second lap…Run course
. Facilities and Services Toilets, Accessible Toilets, Bike pumps, Bike Mechanics, Water, Vaseline, Sunscreen, First Aid, period products.
Update history
3 Oct 2026
Time changed: 13 June at 0:00 → 13 June at 4:00
IRONMAN Cairns
Sun, 13 Jun 2027