Sport is no small matter for Wales. From Tenby-hosted Ironman and the annual Newport Marathon through to watching the horse racing at Chepstow and international rugby at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, Wales has a sporting event for competitors and audiences alike.
Wales has no shortage of off-the-beaten track sporting events. If you fancy yourself a swimmer, get out of the pool and into a peat bog at the famous Rude Health World Bogsnorkelling Championships. Sign up for the Wales Swimrun, which sees competitors run 26km of the Pembrokeshire Coast Path before finishing with a 7km swim. Take on a horse with the Man vs Horse race – you may be one of only two runners who have ever beaten all the horses in the race’s 40-year history – but if racing horses isn’t enough for you, Race the Train in Tywyn.
For more conventional Welsh sporting events, there’s the multi-terrain Craft Snowman Triathlon (known as the toughest in the UK). Participants are put through their paces around the seaside village of Tenby at the annual Ironman Wales event, whilst the Newport Wales Marathon sees distance runners take on one of the flattest courses in Europe. Fans of half marathons can enjoy the ever-popular Swansea Half Marathon or Cardiff Half Marathon.
Arguably one of the best-known Welsh sporting phenomena is the popular Three Peaks Challenge, but there are plenty of other fell and trail races to take on. Cader Idris Mountain Race is one of the toughest in the country, whilst the Snowdonia Trail Marathon combines tough climbs with scenic views for a striking event. If a marathon distance isn’t enough for you, take on an ultra during the gruelling Ultra-Trail Snowdonia.
Treat the family to a day at the landmark Welsh Grand National, or experience a day’s racing at Bangor-on-Dee Racecourse or the newer Ffos Las Racecourse. Cheer on participants of the World Triathlon Para Series before heading along to support diverse sporting events like deaf football and wheelchair rugby at the Para Sport Festival. Don’t forget to take in international rugby matches like those of the Six Nations championship or Welsh Rugby Union.
Find details about upcoming Welsh sporting events for competitors and spectators alike listed on wales.org. If you’re running a sports event in Wales that you can’t see listed, get in contact and we’ll add it to our schedule.