The answer to why Lanzarote is perfect for competitive endurance events is quite simply the fact that it has perfect weather throughout the year. Rain is an almost non-existent event throughout the months of winter, and the summer maintains a perfect heat.

The famous Ironman triathlon is perhaps the best known international sporting event to take place on the island of Lanzarote. The event attracts hundreds of athletes with their supporters to compete in the three-sport endurance race that usually takes place during May. This year, once the higher temperatures of the mid-summer days have subsided a little, two more big sporting events take place on the island during the early Autumn.

During mid September the Green Cup Triathlon is a sure-fire way to excitement as the competitors battle out a 23 kilometre off-road cycling section, after a 1 kilometre swim lapping the harbour and ending with a 10 kilometre run across the beach and road.

Towards the end of September there is usually a very popular open water swimming race. The crossing of the El Rio is an annual swim across the stretch of sea that separates the small island of Graciosa from the Lanzarote mainland. The swim starts usually at 13:00 from Playa de Bajo Risco and entry somewhere around the 10 Euro mark depending on the number of entrants. Swimmers need to be at least 18 years old and be able to complete the swim of around 1.6 kilometres.