The fastest triathlon races to do this year

Windsor Triathlon athletes run down the historic Long Walk, a 3-mile avenue from Windsor Castle to the Copper Horse Statue

In our second of five ‘best races to do this year’ series (check out the best mountain triathlons, the best open-water, best off-road and best multisport races), here we pick out the world’s fastest triathlons, the one’s that will have you flying from beginning to end!

Progression in triathlon is often judged by moving up the distances, moving from sprint to Olympic and middle-distance before a full-blown 226km Iron-distance event.

But there’s much reward to be found in returning to a race – whether that’s a super sprint or Ironman – and stomping over your previous personal best.

This PB-busting can involve besting your previous splits at a race, or beating a distance-specific time in any of triathlon’s distances.

The beauty of tri’s regimented distances and largely non-drafting nature means that you can smash a PB on a different course to the one in which you set your best, so beating your Olympic-distance time at the classic Windsor Triathlon (11 June) or at the logistical marvel that is the London Triathlon (5-6 August) is a valid victory.

Olympic-distance triathlons: 9 of the UK’s fastest

The best triathlon courses to set a new PB

Take a look at London and Blenheim (3-4 June) for sprint-distance events, flat Olympic-distance regulars such as Windsor, the SWYD Trithlon (4 June) in Barry Island and UK Ultimate Weekend (4 June) in Shropshire, or the Outlaw Half (21 May) and Full (30 July) if you want to slam the power down in longer-distance racing.

And further afield? Bag a slot at Challenge Roth (25 June) and race in front of 200,000 raucous Germans, or go Scandi and hit Ironman Kalmar (19 August) in Sweden, where Alistair Brownlee smashed the British Ironman record in 2022, or Ironman Copenhagen (20 August). Or both!

The best triathlon kit to beat a PB

This record-breaking process will make you a better triathlete for your future events as well, seeing you (re)learn elements such as nippy transition skills, honing your aerodynamic profile, and mastering the swim, bike and run pacing strategy.

Plus, it gives you an excuse to buy a new air-cheating tri-suit, deep-rim wheels, tri-bars and those carbon-soled running shoes you always wanted.

Additionally, after a few disrupted seasons where genuine racing has been replaced by chasing avatars, it’s also plenty of fun hunting real human athletes on real outdoor courses in front of real-life spectators. Before a well-earned recovery drink away from your front room!

3 of the fastest triathlons in the UK

Outlaw Half/Full, 21 May/30 July 2023
outlawtriathlon.com

Slam the power down at the super-flat-and-fast Outlaw Half (21 May) or Full (30 July), which both take place at the National Water Sports Centre, Nottingham. (Credit: Toby Butler Photography)

SWYD Triathlon, 4 June 2023
allornothingevents.com

The SWYD Triathlon, Barry Island, is a great course for Olympic-distance racers of all levels. (Credit: All Or Nothing Events)

Windsor Triathlon, 11 June 2023
royalwindsortriathlon.co.uk

The iconic Windsor Triathlon is a brilliant Olympic-distance course – just watch out for that hill up to the castle! (Credit: Colin Baldwin)

Top image credit: Royal Windsor Triathlon

About

Matt is a regular contributor to 220 Triathlon, having joined the magazine in 2008. He’s raced everything from super-sprint to Ironman, duathlons and off-road triathlons, and can regularly be seen on the roads and trails around Bristol. Matt is the author of Triathlon! from Aurum Press and is now the editor of Cycling Plus magazine.