Compiled and fact-checked by Tommo, Verus founder · Last verified August 2026 · Spot an error?
Triathlon · Olympic
The Bedford Triathlon 2027
- Race day
- Sunday, 15 August 2027
- Location
- Bedford, UK
- Distance
- 51.5 km total
1.5km swim 40km bike 10km run
The Bedford Triathlon: 15 August 2027 — the Great Ouse and Embankment course, a split-time calculator, and real Verus athletes racing it.
339 days to go
Key Race Metrics & Overview
- Date
- Sunday, 15 August 2027
- Venue
- Russell Park / The Embankment, Bedford MK40 3PF
- Distance
- Olympic — 51.5km total
- Start Time
- 7:30am, per the most recent (2026) edition — confirm for the next edition.
- Draft-Legal Bike
- No — non-drafting
- Cut-Off
- There's no course cut-off as such, but transition itself has one: per the 2026 competitor information, you must be out of transition by 7:10am for the Olympic distance or 7:45am for the Sprint.
Also this weekend
The same event also offers a Sprint distance (750m/27km/5km), plus Aquabike (swim and bike only, no run) options for both the Olympic and Sprint distances, and a team relay for both.
Sprint
This event's own Sprint distance, offered alongside the Olympic distance.
Olympic Aquabike
Same swim/bike as the Olympic triathlon, no run.
Leg 1 of 3
Swim — 1.5km
A river swim on the Great Ouse — open water, though this isn't explicitly confirmed as such on the pages checked.
- Venue
- The Great Ouse, Bedford
- Elevation gain
- No official figure published — see notes above
- Surface
- River.
Wetsuit: Per the 2026 competitor information: mandatory below 15.9°C for everyone; forbidden above 22°C for under-60s, or above 24.6°C for over-60s.
Leg 2 of 3
Bike — 40km
40km bike leg around Bedford.
- Venue
- Roads around Bedford
- Elevation gain
- No official figure published — see notes above
- Surface
- Road.
Non-drafting
Leg 3 of 3
Run — 10km
10km run finishing back at The Embankment.
- Venue
- Bedford, along the Embankment
- Elevation gain
- No official figure published — see notes above
- Surface
- Road/path.
Wetsuit outlook
Will you need a wetsuit at The Bedford Triathlon?
Water temperature at river in August has typically been 18°C, ranging from 16.4°C to 20.2°C in eight of every ten years. Against British Triathlon's thresholds for this race's 1500m swim, that means:
Wetsuit optional — and recommended
Between 14°C and 22°C the choice is yours. Rule 4.2(b) recommends a wetsuit for all novices and age-groupers up to 22°C.
What would have happened in each of the last 16 years
- Optional (recommended)16 of 16
What the organiser says
Per the 2026 competitor information: mandatory below 15.9°C for everyone; forbidden above 22°C for under-60s, or above 24.6°C for over-60s.
Estimated from air-temperature history — no direct measurement of this water exists, and small, shallow venues tend to run a degree or two warmer than shown. The official temperature is taken an hour before the start, and only that reading decides the rule on the day.
Transitions
Transition is at Russell Park / The Embankment.
The Bedford Triathlon Split Calculator
The Bedford Triathlon Split-Time Calculator
Enter your own swim, bike and run pace to project a real finish time.
Projected Finish Time
2:49:00
Racing a different distance? Try the generic split calculator or the swim pace calculator.
Where The Bedford Triathlon starts and finishes
These are the start and finish points, not the route. Verus doesn't hold course files for this race, and drawing a line between two pins would be a guess you might end up training on. The official course map is the one to use: view it on the organiser's site .
Entry & Ballot
Direct entry summary
2026 pricing (all categories sold out for that edition): Olympic Individual £85, Olympic Relay £100/team, Olympic Aquabike £75; Sprint Individual £70, Sprint Relay £85/team, Sprint Aquabike £60 — plus a mandatory British Triathlon RacePass (£2 under-24 / £8 for 25+) on top. Confirm current pricing for the next edition.
Ballot policy
No ballot — entry is direct via Bedford Harriers AC until it sells out, as it has for 2026.
Age requirement
Not published for this event — check the official site.
Charity Places
No dedicated charity-place scheme was found published for this event.
Race Day Info & Checklist
On the day
- Organized by Bedford Harriers AC at Russell Park / The Embankment.
- Not the same event as 'The Bedford Classic,' a separate triathlon held at Priory Country Park — the two are easily confused given the shared city name.
- A mandatory British Triathlon RacePass applies on top of the entry fee.
- Race pack (2026): two race numbers, a bike number label, a helmet number label, a timing chip (left ankle), a wristband carrying both your race number and swim-wave number, and a small towel or "flannel" (max 12"x12") to mark your transition space — official boxes/large towels are no longer allowed under a newer BTF rule. Swim hats are only given to first-timers.
- A practice swim runs 7:00-7:10am, with wave starts of 15-20 swimmers grouped by predicted time and less than a minute between waves.
- Two mandatory stop-and-foot-down junctions on the bike course (in the village of Cardington, and again 7.5 miles in) — missing one is a disqualification. Stopping for a red light at a pelican crossing earns a 30-second time deduction if you report it to the race director.
- The 2.5km run loop uses a wristband lap-check system — you collect one wristband per lap completed, at the end of each lap.
- Finisher medals are optional/opt-in as part of the event's environmental policy — buy one for £5 on the day or pre-order, rather than getting one automatically.
- A dedicated transition area and tethering support are available for blind or partially-sighted and wheelchair athletes.
Checklist
- Wetsuit (rule not confirmed — check with the organizer) for the Great Ouse swim
- Bike checked and race-ready, including a working helmet
- Race number and any timing chip fitted per your race pack instructions
- A plan to reach Russell Park / The Embankment, Bedford MK40 3PF
Transport, Spectating & Where to Stay
Transport
Bedford railway station serves the town — exact distance to The Embankment was not confirmed in sources checked.
The official event car park at Longholme Meadow is free, about a 10-minute walk to Race HQ. A separate pay-and-display car park with a height barrier nearby is NOT event parking — you'll be charged if you use it.
The bike course runs on open roads around Bedford rather than a fully closed circuit — check the official site for specifics.
Spectator guide
The Embankment covers the swim, transition and finish, making it the natural spectator hub.
Not published in detail for this event.
Where to stay
Bedford town centre
+ Closest to The Embankment, with a reasonable range of accommodation.
– Smaller choice than a major city.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is The Bedford Triathlon?
The most recent edition ran Sunday 16 August 2026 and sold out. The next date isn't officially announced yet — based on the race's recurring mid-August pattern, expect it around August 2027.
What distances does The Bedford Triathlon offer?
Olympic (1.5km/40km/10km) and Sprint (750m/27km/5km), plus Aquabike and team relay options for both.
Is The Bedford Triathlon the same as The Bedford Classic?
No — The Bedford Classic is a separate triathlon held at Priory Country Park. This entry covers The Bedford Triathlon, organized by Bedford Harriers AC at Russell Park/The Embankment.
Who organizes The Bedford Triathlon?
Bedford Harriers AC.
Do I need a British Triathlon RacePass for The Bedford Triathlon?
Yes — a mandatory RacePass (£2 under-24 / £8 for 25+) applies on top of the entry fee.
When were The Bedford Triathlon results published?
Results only exist once the race has been run. Check back here, or the official results page, after it takes place.
Do you need a wetsuit at The Bedford Triathlon?
Per the 2026 competitor information: mandatory below 15.9°C for everyone, forbidden above 22°C (under-60s) or 24.6°C (60+).
Do you get a medal at The Bedford Triathlon?
Not automatically — as part of the event's environmental policy, finisher medals are optional and cost £5, bought on the day or pre-ordered.