I’m contemplating my final long distance tri (I know, never say never) and for those who have done both, which event would you choose and why?
Make it a last season of long distance and do both.
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Sorry I haven’t done both. Lanza is on the list for the future though…
Wales however is a great event - sea swim so you never know what you’re going to get. Challenging bike, 2 loops - first is the western loop which is rolling then the northern loop twice, with the amazing crowd at Saudersfoot. The crowds through Tenby on the marathon are what makes it though.
I’d do it again at any chance. Unfortunately clashes with my wife’s birthday though
Done Lanza this year which was epic with the wind but the swim is good, amazing bike course & plenty of support on the run. Biggest problem is it’s very early in the season if the weather at home is crap.
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Both great races both tough for different reasons Lanza is usually hot and windy support on the run is very good, and if you have a holiday out there too then that’s. Even better.
Wales is a really tough run, weather can go either way torrential rain and wind or warm late summer day. Support is again brilliant, accommodation can be hard to find so get in early if that’s the one.
Neither race will disappoint
Best of luck
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The other consideration is the tattoo.
Do you want the Lanzarote monkey thing from the Timsnfanya lava fields (or whatever that is) or the Welsh dragon to go with the M-Dot ?
Ha ha. No tattoo for me. Just never appealed. Looks like it’s evenly split so far.
It’s a little devil iirc.
Haven’t done Lanza, was considering it but honestly, it would be hard to think of a better supported race than Wales and that Lanza run looks boring as batshit. Both locales can provide a great family holiday but your weather is obviously more assured at Lanza.
I like Wales because the whole of Tenby is ‘race central’ and the buzz is amazing but it’s also small enough to get out away from it easily.
I haven’t done Wales, but liked Lanza for pretty much the same reasons you give 
. Whole Island gets behind the race, you get support in patches all round the bike course. Run course is a bit boring, but well supported and plenty of place for supporters to get a drink and watch the race. Great holiday location for the family, so easy to get everyone onboard 
Logistically I found it very easy, taxis are geared up for carrying bike boxes and if you stay in PDC its only about 10-14E depending on which side of PDC you are on.
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I have done both!
Wales was 2017 and was the WORST weather of any edition. torrential rain and winds gusting up to 50/60 mph made for a miserable and hard day out. But was still amazing. We were lucky with the swim though, that was near perfect conditions.
Lanza is so much more predictable. It should be dry, hot and windy. The Bike course is anything but boring and the run course is better than expected and there is always something to take a look at or distract you.
To me Lanza nicks it. It’s the whole destination race thing. Yes you can have a holiday in Tenby but cowering from the rain for a week in a caravan is no fun. Lanza just has that little something special. Swimming in the clear warm waters, Riding up Volcano’s, through lava fields and along huge plunging cliffs its just got a more epic feel than a soggy hill over and over in wales.
But the Tenbys run is Epic, It’s just a huge painful party. I would really love to go back and support the race as everyone looked like they were having so much fun.
As people have said training for Lanza is tough, getting the long bikes in during the UK Spring can be challenging, But then August is often pretty sketchy weather wise!
It is so close, and they both have their advantages, Wales is special as you are part of something, Lanza because it just feels EPIC. You won’t be disappointed with either.
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I guess it’s individual preference inint. I’ve raced Wales and echo everything above. Not done Lanza, but it holds absolutely zero interest to me. I’ve been there on a family holiday when i was younger and I can’t say i’d ever pay money to go back there. Just doesn’t do it for me.
I did 2017 and 2018 Wales. (and a DNF in 2015). One of the reasons I went back last year was because the weather simply couldn’t have been worse than the year before.
Saturday last year at wales was wet in the morning but the rest of the weekend was lovely. Not been to Lanza but done 2 separate training camps in Gran Canaria and wouldn’t rush back (would go back to mallorca more readily).
I reckon we, as a family, would be more likely to blow some money on a family week a CLS, than doing IM Lanza.
i could see us heading to Scandi for a race though.
I’ve been to Lanza for a lounging holiday and wouldn’t go back.
It’s a very small island, with little to do.
If desolate volcanic expanses are your thing, then you’ll love it.
I’ve been to North Wales many, many times in a caravan, cottages and lodges. A lot of those times rained - there’s loads to do in the wet, so long as you have the right gear.
I’ll be doing Tenby once I’ve knocked 10hrs on the head (so probably never!)
Really interesting. It seems it’s 50/50 and both races sound superb. I’ve just completed the Long Course Weekend and although it was brutal, Tenby as a small town, totally embraced it. I’ve heard that Ironman is like the Long Course Weekend x10. Lanza seems to be one of those epic races where the box needs to be ticked and I had my mind made up, until I did the Long Course Weekend. I will only do the one Ironman. FatPom, was it a mechanical or weather or illness that stopped you from finishing in 2015? I know one year there were really rough seas and a lot of people were rescued. Rough seas would seal my fate.
Back injury, made it to the exit of lap 1 of the swim and couldn’t stand up. Twos and blues in an ambulance to hospital. two surgeries and 6mths later got back on the horse.
I’ve also done LCW x3 and agree about IM wales being x10. LCW is brilliant but i won’t be back until the close the roads. just too many riders of differing speeds/ability in traffic for me to go back.
It was closed roads this year FatPom. Also allowed TT bikes because of this.
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I think that is actually the appealing thing to me about Lanza, sure as a holiday on its own, it is pretty appalling but the desolate lava fields add to the epic feeling on the bike, It feels like you vs the island.
Wales never gave me that feeling, it’s just a tough bike course. Most of it in a Welsh hedgerow Bubble, It’s probably as hard as Lanza on a good day and in 2017 much much harder, but it’s just something you endure, Lanza felt more of a battle…at least it did, I am still a bit unsold on the new course.
Excellent news, that would see me return next year. TT bikes were always allowed, used mine every time.
TT bikes are banned next year. They only allowed them this year as folk has signed up before the new course. TT bikes were also punted to the back this year.