Unmissable 2024 Sporting Events in Pembrokeshire with Activity Wales Events

Activity Wales Events are experts on sporting events. With their races being held worldwide in some seven countries including Spain, Belgium and New Zealand; their events are a must for athletes across the globe. Whether you’re a pro athlete or a newbie to swimming, cycling and running; here is a run-down of all their unmissable 2024 sporting events in Pembrokeshire.

Challenge Wales | Fishguard | Sunday 9th June 2024

Part of the Challenge Family Championships, this middle-distance triathlon kicks off a summer season of exciting multi-sports brought to the West Wales landscape by the Pembrokeshire-based team. 

Up to 500 athletes don their wetsuits and dive into the blue seas of Fishguard Harbour, protected by the long breakwater, for a 1.2-mile swim before swapping their swim hats for helmets to take on a 56-mile cycle on closed roads. The cycle route is a scenic one, following a course from Fishguard to the attractive holiday destination of St Davids, best known for being the smallest city in the UK. 

Challenge Wales culminates with a 13.1-mile run consisting of 4 laps along the seafront and up the adjoining hillside, so it requires some stamina! But it’s all worth it, for the atmosphere at the finish line is electric as this coastline buzzes with encouraging supporters, a DJ spinning tunes on stage and a red carpet finish you’ll never forget. Picture glorious sunshine and a party atmosphere complete with eateries, stallholders and massage on the finish line. What an end to a race!

Fishguard Sprint Triathlon | Fishguard | Sunday 9th June 2024

Enjoy that same epic finish as those who take on Challenge Wales, but with less work! Fishguard Sprint Triathlon is ideal for first-timers and those fairly new to the idea of triathlon, so don’t fret if you’re a little nervous or if you’re a regular triathlete who has been out of the game for a little while; the Activity Wales Events team have your back with this slick operation. 

This one is known to be a fast and fun course with a 750-metre swim, a 13-mile cycle and a 3-mile run. That means only 1 lap for the swim, whereas you’ll do two if you sign up for Challenge Wales, and the cycle takes you just past Mathry rather than all the way to St Davids. You’ll still have to tackle that hill in the run leg but only for one lap. Sounds doable right? It’s worthwhile when you know you’re in for an epic welcome crossing the finish line. 

Long Course Weekend | Tenby | Friday 21st to Sunday 23rd June 2024

If you thought Challenge Wales brought the party, Long Course Wales takes it supersonic. This three-day multi-sport event takes sporting events to a whole other level with an out-of-this-world festival atmosphere that takes over Tenby for an entire weekend. 

Long Course Weekend (aka LCW) encompasses the separate disciplines of triathlon in a completely reimagined way making it accessible for those who love triathlon, as well as those who really don’t. Each discipline, the swim/bike/run elements, take place on different days and there’s no pressure to sign up for all three – unless that’s your thing, of course. Each day offers a different course with several distances available to enter; Friday is Swim Day, Saturday is Bike Day and Sunday is Run Day. The best bit? No awkward transitions between each discipline – you get to go home for a shower and a kip in between!

You can enter each sport individually with varying distances available or throw your hat in the ring to participate in all three full distances by entering Full LCW. You’ll receive an additional fourth medal, perfect motivation to get you across the finish line on three consecutive days. If you’re aged between 14 and 17, you can sign up for the Junior LCW where you’ll also receive that coveted fourth medal. As a Full or Junior LCW athlete, you’ll then take part in the closing ceremony of this televised sporting event in Pembrokeshire where you’ll parade down the red carpet to receive your medal with swathes of adoring supporters cheering from the sidelines. 

2024 sees the thirteenth year of Long Course Weekend Wales take place and it has come a long way since its humble beginnings in 2010. Expect a pop-up athlete village in place from Thursday 20th to Sunday 23rd of June with a wealth of brilliant things going on. Browse a range of stallholders, sample delicious snacks and meals from fantastic street food vendors, enjoy live music and of course – clap and cheer for those athletes at the start line and finish line! The atmosphere is bouncing the whole weekend so this is one not to be missed.

LCKinder | Tenby | Friday 21st June 2024

Heralded as one of the best children’s sporting events in Pembrokeshire and even the UK, LCKinder cements an unforgettable moment in the mind of every child who participates. Suitable for all children aged 4 to 11, this is a popular splash and dash race along the waterfront of Tenby North Beach.

The kids are set off in waves determined by their age; those 4 and 5 take on a 200-metre race whilst 6 to 11-year-olds take part in a 400-metre race. Each and every child gets a t-shirt to wear during the event and receives a medal upon reaching the finish line. 

The Wales Swim | Tenby | Friday 21st June 2024

Long Course Weekend for adults kickstarts with a bang courtesy of The Wales Swim and you have to act fast to enter this one as it’s been known to sell out quickly. 2,500 athletes participate in this mass-start open-water swim, some tackling the 1.2-mile distance and others taking on the 2.4-mile route. 

Throngs of spectators fill out every viewpoint along the famous zig-zags and promenades that lie behind the beach to soak up the scenes as Long Course Weekend begins each year. This annual Pembrokeshire event is a favourite for everyone, with music blasting and fireworks shooting to the skies as the start countdown reaches zero. 

The Wales Sportive | Tenby | Saturday 22nd June 2024

Set your alarms bright and early for The Wales Sportive as the first of the 3,000 cyclists takes to the roads as early as 7am. For passionate cyclists of any level, this is one to add to the bucket list for there are three distances to choose from and all take place on closed roads in one of the most picturesque parts of Wales. 

The staggered start times see those participating in the 112-mile route head off first, out onto a course that flows to Pembroke, along the coast at Freshwater West, past Carew Castle and on to Templeton where the feed station is practically a party of its own. After whizzing through Tavernspite, these two-wheeled competitors have the challenge of the undulating Welsh landscape with the hills in Wisemans Bridge and Saundersfoot before they can reach the finish line back at the heart of the athlete village in Tenby. 

The Wales Sportive also offers shorter distances; the 70-miler and the 40-miler with plenty of spectator spots along the way to cheer on your loved ones taking part if you’re not one of the ones who have decided to enter. 

With their signature style, Activity Wales Events put on a display to get you feeling pumped with pyrotechnics at the start line and their iconic red carpet finish where the crowds go wild. 

The Wales Marathon | Tenby | Sunday 23rd June 2024

Sunday is run day and it’s always a fun day! The Wales Marathon is known to have a challenging route but that just makes the beautiful shiny medal at the end even more worth it. Thousands of participants enjoy a 26.2-mile run on fully closed roads pounding the pavements through the coastal villages of Freshwater East and Manorbier, passing by one of the best castles in Wales at Pembroke. 

For those who take part, the finish line is where it gets emotional. Not only will you feel the overwhelming relief of completing the course, but you get the opportunity to have your loved ones join you at the start of the red carpet so you can run down that finish chute together. Bring your kids, your dogs and your babes in arms to experience that finish line moment as one. It’s a few seconds that you will cherish for a lifetime, guaranteed. Known as the “Run with a Loved Ones” channel, this opportunity is something that Activity Wales Events offers at many of their events and it has grown to be one of their best-loved event moments. 

The Wales Half Marathon | Pembroke | Sunday 23rd June 2024

Taking place the very same day as The Wales Marathon, half-marathon runners join those taking part in the full distance from a start line in Pembroke and follow the same course along closed roads to that epic finish line in Tenby. Those who have taken part in previous years will agree that the start line here is just as energetic as the one in Tenby; with a Samba Band parade providing the beats to get you feeling motivated for the next 13.1 miles on the road. 

The Wales 10k | Manorbier | Sunday 23rd June 2024

As with The Wales Half Marathon, if you sign up for The Wales 10k you’ll join the full marathon runners on their journey back to Tenby but with this event, you’ll start from the beachside location of Manorbier. 

Bouncing melodies from the music speakers and pulsing rhythms from a Samba Band performance provide the entertainment as you countdown to that moment when you cross under the archway to begin your 10k route. Then it’s up to you to set the pace that will get you back to Tenby for that unforgettable finish down the red carpet as your name is being read out on the tannoy with a word of congratulations! 

The Wales 5k | Tenby | Sunday 23rd June 2024

If you fancy joining in the fun for a medal and bragging rights but aren’t able to or don’t want to put in the energy for some of the longer distances during the Long Course Weekend, The Wales 5k is the one for you. You’ll still be able to say you completed one of the best sporting events in Pembrokeshire and you’ll have your very own piece of bling to hang around your neck.

The Wales SwimRun | Amroth | Saturday 13th July 2024

 Forget the bike, you’re not going to need it for The Wales SwimRun. This sports event is something a little bit different, and that’s exactly what makes it so popular. It’s one of Wales’ newest sporting events so participant numbers are smaller, but it’s intended to stay that way.

The Wales SwimRun is a team sport so pick your best buddy for there are 100 team places available year on year, though if your mates aren’t on your wavelength then you can sign up as an individual and let the Activity Wales Events team pair you up with another like-minded soul. 

There are two distances available; a full distance encompassing a 7k swim with a 26k run and a sprint distance made up of a 4.7k swim and a 14k run. Whichever one you choose, as a twosome you will make your way along the breathtaking but rugged Pembrokeshire coastline from Freshwater East to Amroth. You’ll run across the scenic Coast Path and dive into the sea to swim around the headlands until you reach the endpoint on the Amroth seafront. A much-deserved pint at The New Inn is how many choose to celebrate!

Saundersfoot Triathlon | Saundersfoot | Friday 20th September 2023

Bringing the entire Activity Wales Events summer season to a close is Saundersfoot Triathlon and it is the perfect way to conclude your calendar of sports events in Pembrokeshire. 

Open to all aged 14 and above, Saundersfoot Triathlon is a sprint distance race consisting of a 750-metre swim, a 20k cycle and a short 5k run. Cross the golden sands to swim in the wonderful waves of Saundersfoot Beach with a mass gathering of spectators cheering on from the harbourside, before taking on a pretty and picturesque ride through the wooded valleys of this South Pembrokeshire region. The run leg takes you through the old railway tunnels (a relic from the old coal mining history) and back to the famous red-carpet finish located at the harbour. 

Taking place the same weekend as Ironman Wales, you are promised hordes of onlookers providing the much-needed support to spur you on. Some 1,000 athletes take part; a brilliant blend of newcomers, budding triathletes and pro athletes looking to have a little fun before the season ends. The pubs and restaurants along the Saundersfoot seafront provide plenty of places to toast your victory after you’ve crossed the finish line and collected your medal.

The team at Activity Wales Events run sporting events across Wales and the wider world, check out their full itinerary of events via their website: http://www.activitywalesevents.com/