A British triathlete claimed victory in the women’s competition at Malaga’s first Ironman 70.3 after athletes battled heavy rain, strong winds and thunderstorms during Sunday’s gruelling race. Mia Hunt completed the half-distance triathlon in four hours, 37 minutes and 25 seconds on October 18, finishing ahead of Finland’s Venla Koivula and fellow Brit Laura Bardsley.
The event brought thousands of competitors through Malaga province, with the cycling course passing through several Axarquia towns and bringing traffic restrictions to coastal communities.
British athlete wins in difficult conditions
Hunt finished 66 seconds ahead of Koivula, who recorded a time of 4:38:31. Bardsley took third place in 4:39:17. However, the women’s competition was an age-group race rather than a professional women’s event. The men’s professional race saw French athlete Felix Forissier take the inaugural title in 3:40:46, beating Switzerland’s Ben Faeh by just six seconds. Malaga’s Sonsoles Panadero was the highest-placed Spanish woman, finishing fifth in 4:41:57.
Axarquia cyclists faced drenched roads
The race began and ended at Malaga Port, with competitors completing a 1.9-kilometre swim, a 90-kilometre cycle and a 21.1-kilometre run. Cyclists headed east along the coast, with the route passing through Rincon de la Victoria and other Axarquia communities before returning towards the provincial capital. Weather conditions made the bike leg particularly challenging, with rain, wind and thunderstorms affecting athletes during the race. The combination of wet roads and poor weather added another test to an already demanding endurance event. Around 2,375 athletes started the competition, according to published race results, with 2,213 completing the course.
Road closures affected local residents
Rincon de la Victoria was among the areas affected by the event, with sections of the former N-340 closed to traffic between approximately 9am and 3pm on Sunday. The restrictions covered key coastal avenues, including Avenida de Malaga, Avenida del Mediterraneo, Avenida de la Torre and Avenida de la Axarquia.
Malaga’s inaugural IRONMAN 70.3 replaced the former Marbella event in the international triathlon calendar, bringing a major endurance race back to the eastern Costa del Sol despite a weekend of unsettled weather.