The inaugural IRONMAN 70.3 Versailles triathlon in France has reportedly sold out in less than three hours of general registration opening.
The rapid uptake marks the fastest sell-out globally for the 2026 season and is the quickest ever IRONMAN 70.3 sell-out recorded in Europe.
The event, which is organised by The IRONMAN Group and will take place on July 12, 2026, is expecting more than 2,500 athletes to line up in the historic French city. IRONMAN added that approximately 40% of the field is travelling from abroad, underlining France’s position as an international destination for endurance sport.
Thibault Vellard, Regional Director of the South-West & Middle East at The IRONMAN Group, said “We are delighted and proud of the enthusiasm generated by this new event. Filling the race in such a short time remains anecdotal but confirms that the destination meets expectations. Looking forward to July 12.”
The race course is set within the grounds of the Palace of Versailles. Athletes will undertake a 1.9km swim through the ‘Pièce d’eau des Suisses’ (The Pond of the Swiss), followed by a 90km cycle through the villages of the Chevreuse Valley. The half-marathon run segment will take competitors alongside the Potager du Roi (King’s Kitchen Garden).
Demand for IRONMAN racing in Europe appears to be at a high point, with nearly 19,000 athletes reported to be on the registration web page on the day of opening. The Versailles sell-out follows a similar trend seen last week when IRONMAN 70.3 Málaga reached capacity in four days.
For the 2026 season, IRONMAN announced five new races in Europe – Alghero, Leipzig, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Málaga, and Versailles – all of which have already sold out.
The addition of the Versailles event further expands the French calendar, which currently includes IRONMAN 70.3 Aix-en-Provence, IRONMAN Tours Métropole Loire Valley, IRONMAN France Nice, IRONMAN 70.3 Les Sables d’Olonne-Vendée, and the return of the full-distance IRONMAN Vichy. France is also set to host the 2026 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in Nice.
