Triathlon
11 of the best triathlons in the UK
Looking to start your multi-discipline journey or just after a new tri challenge? These UK-based races are the perfect place to start, whether you’re a first-timer or an old hand.
The combination of swimming, cycling and running in one go has never been more popular in the UK. Sport England statistics show that roughly 245,000 people in England took part in a triathlon in 2018 – a 21 percent growth in the last two years.
And with all these new competitors, events have sprung up around the country to meet the demand – British Triathlon figures show that there was an average of 30 per week to choose from last year.
From long, punishing routes in the likes of cold and craggy Snowdonia, to slightly shorter, more relaxing jaunts through the quaint villages of the Cotswolds, to iconic city races crowded with spectators, participants, and even elite triathletes, there's heaps of variety.
Since my triathlon debut in 2014, I can safely say no two events are the same. They all challenge you in different ways. It's about taking on the challenge, learning from it and coming back even stronger next time.
So which do you go for? Here's a round-up of some of the best events the UK has to offer, suitable for first-timers right the way through to seasoned IRONMAN athletes...
01
Royal Windsor Triathlon
The Royal Windsor Triathlon has been running since 1991
© Emma Pallant / Royal Windsor Triathlon
Location: Windsor, Berkshire
Distance: Sprint (750m swim, 20km bike, 5km run); Olympic (1,500m swim, 40km bike, 10km run)
Level of difficulty: 2/5
Best for: Ticking one of Britain's most iconic triathlons off your list
What: The UK’s longest-running triathlon has been inviting competitors to swim, ride and run in and around Windsor since 1991. The waters of the River Thames are the location for the out-and-back swim leg, notorious for its early start (the first wave kicks off at 6.00am!). After a 400m transition, the bike leg then takes competitors on a ride past the majestic Windsor Castle and out into the surrounding countryside.
The race is concluded with a three-lap or two-lap run (depending on your event distance) in Windsor Great Park and along the iconic Long Walk, which, each year, is doused with enthusiastic spectators.
A classic race, in an iconic setting, with a buzzing jam-packed field, it's a bucket-list race for all British triathletes. The course can get busy, though, and the transition zones are big, so take a brightly coloured towel or something similar so you can easily find your bike!
02
Croyde Ocean Triathlon
The Croyde Ocean Tri starts on the beach, with a run onto the swim course
© Howaboutdave Photography
Location: Croyde Bay, Devon
Distance: 1,500m swim, 38km bike, 12km off-road run
Best for: Those wanting to take their triathlon racing into a more rugged and challenging setting
Level of difficulty: 3/5
What: This Olympic-length event prides itself on being visually stunning and absolutely savage. After a 1.5km point-to-point swim in the Atlantic Ocean (where competitors can expect to be battered by waves), there's a steep run uphill to the first transition.
From here, the out-and-back cycle through the North Devon countryside comes packed with almost 600m of elevation, before a slightly-longer-than-usual off-road run that encounters the hills around Putsborough, Saunton and Croyde Bay, before descending onto Croyde surfing beach for the final stretch to the finish. The run course is technical, with plenty of lumps and bumps, and a big climb up to Saunton Sands, which you certainly feel after the hilly ride. Experience is definitely helpful at this one.
03
Slateman Triathlon
The undulating roads of Snowdonia will leave your legs burning on the bike
© Slateman Triathlon
Location: Llanberis, Snowdonia
Distance: Sprint (400m swim, 20km bike, 6km run); Standard (1,000m swim, 51km bike, 11km run); Savage (1,400m swim, 71km bike, 17km run); Legend (1,900m swim, 91km bike, 21km run)
Best for: An excuse for a weekend away in the breathtakingly beautiful surroundings of Snowdonia
Level of difficulty: 5/5
What: The leg-sapping Slateman triathlon celebrates its 10th anniversary next year, and will, as ever, see triathletes of all levels testing their mettle over a variety of courses in the rolling hills of northwest Wales. Each take in an amazing lake swim, an undulating ride through Snowdonia's exquisite National Park and a challenging trail run through the Llanberis' slate quarry trails.
For those wanting to take things up a gear (or just make a weekend of it), the Savage combines the Sprint on the Saturday, followed by the Standard on the Sunday. Alternatively, opt for the Legend, which includes an extra-long out-and-back circuit featuring the brutal climbs of Pen y Pass and then Llyn Gwynant back to the top of the Pen y Pass (244m ascent in a little over 6km).
And once the legs are nice and warmed up, the Legend's circular run packs in a whopping 561m of ascent on loose slate trails and there's not a flat bit of ground in sight. Thankfully, you'll find a Red Bull aid station up in the Quarries, to help you refuel.
FYI: the notorious Pen y Pass climb also features in the Sprint and the Standard Slateman bike courses, so make you pack in plenty of hill training beforehand.
04
IRONMAN UK Bolton
Open on Saturdays, swimmers can practise at the Flash before race day
© Getty for IRONMAN
Location: Bolton, Lancashire
Distance: Full IRONMAN (3.86km swim, 180km cycle, 42km run)
Best for: Taking on your first full IRONMAN
Level of difficulty: 4/5
What: IRONMAN Bolton is one of two official IRONMAN races hosted in the UK (the second being Pembrokeshire-based IRONMAN Wales). Where the Wales event is sea-based, IRONMAN Bolton sees competitors completing two anti-clockwise laps of the glassy Pennington Flash lake – and offers competitors the chance to take a short break on land before the second lap – making it slightly less daunting for those new to the distance.
Be warned, though: the bike leg is not so gentle. Revised for 2019 (so the course is now in reverse), it has a total of 2,489m of elevation (previously 2,030m), taking competitors out to Bolton town centre and then on an undulating route towards Helmshore and Blackburn and into the moorlands.
The ride returns to Queen's Park – where runners can refuel at a Red Bull aid station – before beginning their marathon, comprised of four anti-clockwise laps in and around Queen's Park and Bolton town centre.
05
Snowman Triathlon
The routes are the envy of any triathlon in the UK
© Dave Johnson / Flickr
Location: Plas y Brenin, Wales
Distance: Legend (1,900m swim, 91km bike, 21km run); Savage (1,400m swim, 100km bike, 15km run); Standard (1,000m swim, 70km bike, 10km run); Sprint (400m swim, 30km bike, 5km run)
Best for: Those looking to really push themselves, regardless of race distance
Level of difficulty: 5/5
What: Heralded as the toughest multi-terrain triathlon in the UK, the Snowman is one of the most intense but rewarding races on the triathlon calendar.
If you're looking to really test your limits, the Snowman Legend 71.6 Triathlon and Snowman Standard Triathlon, that take place on the Sunday, are some of the toughest tri events taking place in the UK. The second in Always Aim High Events' series of triathlons taking place in North Wales, this one is easily the toughest of the bunch.
Set in Snowdonia National Park, as you may expect, the course is exceptionally hilly (even concluding with a mountain summit), with conditions likely to be wet, cold and windy. And this no more noticeable than during the swim in Llyn Mymbyr. Competitors can expect water temperatures of around 14-18°C, depending on the conditions leading up to the event, while the route is made even tougher by being an anti-clockwise loop, against a choppy tide. (Legend swimmers effectively lap this course twice with a slightly shorter first lap.)
After a chilly transition (it's worth putting on a jacket for this), Legend and Standard competitors are set a challenging ride through Snowdonia National Park, taking in a number of gruelling climbs, including Cat 3 climb Pen y Pass (245m ascent over 4.9km). Legend competitors can expect to face a gruelling 1681m of elevation here over the punishing 91km course.
Thankfully, the Sprint course offers a shorter – and much flatter – out-and back-route, with a small loop before returning to Plas-y-Brenin.
The run route for the Legend and Standard races concludes with a punishing climb up Moel Siabod – an 872m peak with a 33.3 percent incline. The Sprint route is also a challenging, technical course, finishing with a leg-burning 800m uphill climb.
06
Outlaw Half Holkham
Participants race against the backdrop of the 18th century Holkham Hall
© Outlaw Series
Location: Holkham Hall, Norfolk
Distance: 1.93km swim, 90km bike, 21km run
Best for: Taking on your first 70.3 in a spectacular location
Level of difficulty: 3/5
What: If you’ve completed a few Olympic-distance events and are looking to make the jump to a 70.3, this Norfolk-based race is a great introduction to the distance.
Set at the idyllic Holkham Hall, the triathlon starts with an easy out-and-back swim in the estate’s lake – with no turns, it's really easy to navigate but can be quite murky, particularly at the beginning and end of the swim. A short first transfer then leads you onto a single-loop ride through the Norfolk countryside, where you'll pass the Queen's Sandringham Estate and might even spot the Queen's horses! The course has a few ups and downs but no spectacular climbs. The final leg returns to the stately home’s grounds for an undulating three-lap course, comprising a 7km loop – 3.5km of which is uphill.
The course is challenging in places, but is consistently praised for its friendliness, superb organisation, and mass of supportive local spectators – a great introduction to 70.3
07
Challenge London
Pass iconic landmarks while competing in the world's biggest triathlon
© London Triathlon
Location: Docklands, London
Best for: A big atmosphere
Level of difficulty: 1/5
Distance: Super sprint (400m swim, 10km ride, 2.5km run); Sprint (750m, 20km ride, 5km run); Olympic (1,500m, 40km ride, 10km run); Olympic Plus (1,500m swim, 80km ride, 10km run)
What: London doesn’t do anything by halves, and its summer triathlon is no different – this is the largest triathlon in the world, in terms of participation.
Set in and around the Docklands area, the race begins with a dip in Royal Victoria Dock before taking you on a circuit of the Docklands (one lap for the Super Sprint; two laps for the Sprint; four laps for the Olympic), or, if you're taking part in either of the Olympic distances on the Sunday, a two-lap course out to Embankment turning at Big Ben. Both the Saturday and Sunday races conclude with a run beside Royal Albert Dock, finishing up on the red carpet inside the ExCel Centre – also home to the race's large transition areas.
With 62 waves of competitors – released every 10 minutes – and around 30,000 spectators, the buzz of this iconic city race is like no other.
While the course is flat and fast, due to the size of the transition zones – and their placement inside ExCel (you have to negotiate a set of steps upon leaving the dock at T1) – nabbing a fast time can be difficult, so manage your expectations!
08
AJ Bell World Tri Series Leeds
Race alongside the pros at the AJ Bell World Triathlon
© Bob Peters / Flickr
Location: Leeds, Yorkshire
Distance: Go Tri (200m swim, 10km ride, 2.5km run); Sprint (750m swim, 18.9km ride, 7.5km run); Standard (1,500m swim, 36.2km ride, 10km run)
Best for: Meeting your tri heroes – and feeling like a pro!
Level of difficulty: 2/5
What: Take on the same course as the world’s best (including local lads the Brownlee brothers) as more than 70,000 spectators line the streets to cheer you on.
The course with participants taking on a circular route around Roundhay Park's open-water swimming lake, Waterloo Lake. After a 400m uphill transition, the bike leg is a hilly out-and-back route to Headingley (completed twice by Olympic-distance competitors), which returns to the park for the final transition. The run then takes competitors on an undulating course out towards the city centre, where Olympic-distance runners will complete an extra loop around the Headrow, with both finishing up across the same iconic blue carpet as the elites in Millennium Square.
With tight turns and steep climbs on the bike, a long 400m transition uphill as you exit the water to T1, and a hilly run to finish off, first-timers may find it a little hectic in places. That said, the Go Tri event on the Saturday – although still quite hilly – is much shorter and also takes place on closed roads within Roundhay Park, making for a more relaxing first-time experience.
09
#51Fiver Cotswold
At just under 20°C, the water's not too cold for an early-season tri
© Charles Whitton Photography
Location: Cotswolds Water Park, Wiltshire
Distance: 1500m swim, 40km bike, 10km run
Best for: The PB hunters or first-timers
Level of difficulty: 1/5
What: An early season (for triathlons, anyway) race, the #51Fiver Cotswold generally takes place in May. Despite this, the water is generally not far off 20°C – ideal for a single, straightforward lap of Cotswold Water Park's Lake 32.
From here, the two-lap bike course, through the quaint villages of the Cotswolds, is fast and flat (with only one climb of note), and benefits from good road surfaces and long straights. The final stretch of the tri – three laps around lake 31 and 32 on a mixture of tarmac, grass and compact dirt tracks – is also super flat, but can get narrow and congested at points.
While it doesn't have the buzz of some of the larger-participation triathlons, the course is as straightforward as you'll find, making for a great stress-free experience for first-time competitors. You'll also get a medal and sweets on crossing the line, and there's a good atmosphere for a smaller event.
10
Helvellyn Triathlon
At 28 miles competitors meet 'The Struggle' – a 2.8-mile climb of 400m
© Helvellyn Triathlon
Location: Jenkins Field, Cumbria
Distance: 1.6km swim, 61km bike, 14.5km fell run
Best for: Testing your limits
Level of difficulty: 5/5
What: The Helvellyn Triathlon is well-known as being one of the toughest triathlons in the UK – and for good reason. Set in the rolling peaks and troughs of Cumbria, the ride and run legs, in particular, are killers.
The event starts with a one-mile swim in England’s second-largest lake – Ullswater – getting competitors warmed up nicely for what follows. The open-road ride has more than 1,000m of elevation (including a Cat 2 and Cat 3 climb), the most notable being the 2.5-mile ascent to the top of the Kirkstone Pass from Ambleside that culminates in a stretch of road known as ‘The Struggle’.
Six miles later and competitors return with burning legs to transition for the real test in this leg-sapping event – a nine-mile fell up and down the 950m Helvellyn mountain, England’s third highest peak. The run course is highly technical, taking competitors over loose rock and very narrow paths, with scrambling required to climb up to the summit. Fell running experience is a must for this one – as is a bucket load of mental grit.
11
Superfeet Sandman Triathlon
It has sold out for the fifth consecutive year with 1100 athletes competing
© Robin Dearden / Flickr
Location: Newborough Forest, Anglesey
Distance: Legend (1,900m swim, 93km bike, 20km run); Savage (1,400m swim, 85km bike, 15km run); Classic (1,000m swim, 60km bike, 10km run); Sprint (400m swim, 25km bike, 5km run)
Best for: Stunning coastal scenery
Level of difficulty: 4/5
What: The last in the Always Aim High Series, this coastal triathlon takes in views of Snowdonia, the Llyn Peninsula and the picturesque Anglesey coast. It starts and ends on Llanddwyn Beach, with a challenging coastal swim to kick-off and a challenging beach run to finish you off!
The open-water swim takes place in the occasionally choppy waters of the Irish Sea. After a short run into the water, participants have a short swim out to the first buoy before continuing parallel to the beach. A swift turn around a second buoy brings them back towards the beach, and the amazing landscape of Snowdonia (but with racing to do, there's not a lot of time to admire the views).
After a run through the sand dunes to reach the transition area in the beach's car park, competitors are taken on a steady uphill ride out of the forest on a closed road onto a circular route through the villages and towns of Angelsey. The second half has some nice long, flat sections and a short downhill to get some speed up too, before returning back to T2 and the supporting crowds.
The events conclude with an undulating trail around Newborough Forest (you'll find a Red Bull aid station on your run out onto the trails) before finishing along the beach's dunes. (It's worth saving your legs a bit on the ride to avoid cramping with the line in sight.)
