Weymouth & Portland is about to become one of the busiest stretches of coastline in the country, as a run of major sporting events lands on the town’s doorstep between now and the autumn. From elite Olympic sailing and a full distance triathlon to the Musto iQFOiL World Championships, the resort’s beaches, harbourside and open water will host thousands of competitors and spectators over the coming months.
It’s not just a spectator sport, either. With two safe, sheltered bays, miles of coast path and the cliffs of Portland on the doorstep, Weymouth & Portland are two of the best places in the country to get out and get active, whether that’s kitesurfing and paddleboarding on the water, climbing on Portland’s limestone, or walking and cycling the coastal trails.
Summer highlights include:
- Coastal Combat Festival (1 August) – MMA, boxing, Muay Thai and submission grappling on Weymouth Beach, alongside live music.
- iQFOiL World Championships (September, 7th to 12th) – up to 250 of the world’s best Olympic windsurfers descend on the Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy, including double Olympic medallist Emma Wilson.
- Ironman 70.3 Weymouth (20 September) – a 1.9km swim, 90km bike and 21.1km run along the Dorset coastline for one of the region’s biggest triathlons.
- Hangers Heroes’ Fleet & Feet Trail (September, exact date tbc) – a 10k, half marathon or full marathon trail route through the countryside above Weymouth, open to walkers, runners and cannicross.
- Weymouth Beach Motocross (10-11 October) – motocross racing returns to the sand for a weekend of adrenaline-fuelled action.
Away from the events calendar, the town’s natural assets make it a year round base for sport and activity. Weymouth Bay is a favourite for windsurfing and kitesurfing thanks to its reliable breezes, while paddleboarders and open water swimmers make the most of its sheltered waters. Portland’s cliffs draw climbers from across the country, and the South West Coast Path and Rodwell Trail offer miles of walking and cycling routes with views across the Jurassic Coast.
Graham Perry, Chair of the Board at We Are Weymouth, said: “This is shaping up to be one of the biggest sporting summers Weymouth & Portland has ever seen (since the 2012 Olympics!). We’ve got everything from grassroots beach rugby to a World Championship Volleyball and a full Ironman on our doorstep, and that’s before you count the people out sailing, swimming and cycling here every single day.
“Events like these matter to the town far beyond the sport itself. They fill our hotels, restaurants and cafes, and they put Weymouth & Portland in front of a national and international audience as one of the best places in the country to watch sport, or to get out and take part in it yourself.”
