Thousands of athletes are taking part in the gruelling Ironman event in Tenby on Sunday
08:26, 21 Sep 2025Updated 08:26, 21 Sep 2025
Ironman is taking place in Tenby this weekend (Image: Huw Fairclough)
A sewage alert has been issued at one of Wales’ most famous beaches as thousands take to the water to swim. Around 2,700 athletes are taking part in Ironman Wales in Tenby, Pembrokeshire.
The event, which sees competitors take part in a 140.6-mile triathlon, begins with a 2.4 mile beach at the iconic North Beach. This portion of the race has created some of the most famous scenes from Ironman as thousands of athletes line up on the stunning beach while the sun rises over Pembrokeshire.
However, ahead of the race on Sunday, a sewage alert has been issued for the location.
Surfers Against Sewage, one of country’s leading marine conservation charities, regularly warns people of sewage discharges at popular spots.
Its Safer Seas & Rivers Service says “storm sewage has been discharged from a sewer overflow in this location within the past 48 hours”. For the biggest stories in Wales first, sign up to our daily newsletter here
The alert continues: “The North Beach is an east-facing 800m wide stretch of sand curving round to Tenby Harbour to the south.
“This beach is backed by limestone cliffs and is overlooked by a promenade and the town of Tenby.
“Within the Tenby catchment there are a number of sewer and surface water outfalls that discharge around the town.
“The main pumping stations are in Tenby Harbour and at the Salterns.”
There are multiple sewage alerts in force for Tenby(Image: Surfers Against Sewage)
It comes after heavy rainfall led to the Met Office issuing a yellow weather warning for much of Wales on Saturday.
Natural Resources Wales have also warned that 37 areas in Wales are at risk of flooding after the heavy rain.
Surfers Against Sewage has also issued sewage alerts for the nearby Castle Beach, South Beach, and Penally.
The Tenby course is renowned for being one of the toughest on the Ironman circuit but is also incredibly beautiful due to Pembrokeshire’s hilly landscape and has earned the destination the nickname “Iron Town”.
Once out of the water from the swim at North Beach athletes will head out on a 112-mile bike ride which will take them through the scenic countryside of Pembrokeshire Coast National Park including past the numerous castles and landmarks – which even acted as a backdrop to the Harry Potter films.
The event will then finish off with a 26.2-mile run course which takes participants through the medieval town centre and back to the picturesque beachfront.
Get daily breaking news updates on your phone by joining our WhatsApp community here. We occasionally treat members to special offers, promotions and ads from us and our partners. See our Privacy Notice.