IRONMAN has confirmed the addition of a new full-distance IRONMAN triathlon in northeastern Florida. The inaugural edition of the IRONMAN Jacksonville triathlon is scheduled to take place on Saturday, May 16, 2026, with a swim, bike, and run course that will take athletes through downtown Jacksonville passing into Duval and Nassau Counties.
Located in northeastern Florida, Jacksonville offers a blend of warm Florida weather and southern culture as a new early season IRONMAN event in North America.
“Jacksonville’s southern charm, welcoming community, and beautiful weather offer the perfect location to bring a new IRONMAN event early in the year,” said Todd Fitzgerald, Regional Director for IRONMAN.
“As one of the largest cities by land area in the contiguous United States, Jacksonville offers the ideal space to host an event this size. Its urban feel and miles of beautiful roads will provide athletes another unique racing experience in the Sunshine State. We’re proud to partner with Visit Jacksonville to bring this new race experience to life and look forward to welcoming athletes to discover everything that makes Jacksonville such an amazing race destination.”
Michael Corrigan, President and CEO of Visit Jacksonville, said “Securing an IRONMAN race, and the internationally recognized IRONMAN brand, for Jacksonville represents a significant milestone for our city.
“Hosting these elite athletes is a true testament to Jacksonville’s premier facilities and renowned hospitality. We are honored to welcome the athletes, along with their families and supporters, to Florida’s Championship City.”
Nestled along Florida’s northeast coast, Jacksonville is a city of diverse neighbourhoods, an arts and culture scene, food, and a wide variety of family-friendly attractions, parks, and nature preserves. At 841 square miles in size, Jacksonville is one of the largest cities by land in the United States and the most populous city in the State in Florida.
Jacksonville is home to three US naval facilities. Together with the nearby Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay in southern Georgia, Jacksonville is the third-largest naval complex in the country.
The sports scene is alive and well in northeast Florida. The NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars are part of Jacksonville’s sports scene, which includes everything from baseball, ice hockey, soccer, running events such as the Gate River Run, and numerous world-class golf courses. The year-round warm temperatures and comfortable climate allow for access to a range of outdoor activities, such as fishing, surfing, and paddling at the beach or hiking in the parks and biking the trails.
The 2026 IRONMAN Jacksonville triathlon will kick off with a fast 2.4-mile swim in St Johns River, the longest river in the State of Florida which flows through the city’s downtown area.
Once out of the water, athletes will transition to the flat and fast 112-mile two loop bike course that takes athletes throughout downtown Jacksonville, out Kings Rd, over the Trout River, and passes into neighbouring Nassau County before returning south for the second loop.
Athletes will return into town to transition on Gator Bowl Boulevard downtown, before kicking off the 26.2-mile three-loop run course that traverses downtown and Riverside Avenue passing through some of Jacksonville’s neighbourhoods. The run course continues down Jacksonville’s Riverwalk and crosses over the blue Main Street bridge before culminating at the finish line.
The 2026 IRONMAN Jacksonville triathlon will offer qualifying slots to the 2026 IRONMAN World Championship race in Kona, Hawaii.
