Compiled and fact-checked by Tommo, Verus founder · Last verified August 2026 · Spot an error?
Triathlon · Middle Distance (70.3)
Cotswold Classic 2027
- Race day
- Sunday, 11 July 2027
- Location
- Cirencester, Gloucestershire, UK
- Distance
- 112.9 km total
1.9km swim 90km bike 21km run
Cotswold Classic: 11 July 2027 — the pancake-flat Cotswold Water Park middle-distance course, a split-time calculator, and real Verus athletes racing it.
304 days to go
Key Race Metrics & Overview
- Date
- Sunday, 11 July 2027
- Venue
- Cotswold Water Park, Lake 32 / Waterland Outdoor Pursuits, Spratsgate Lane, Cirencester GL7 6DF
- Distance
- Middle Distance (70.3) — 112.9km total
- Start Time
- Around 6:30am, per the most recent (2026) edition — confirm on the official site for the exact next-edition time.
- Draft-Legal Bike
- No — non-drafting
- Cut-Off
- Not published for this event — check the official site.
Also this weekend
The same event also offers a Bike/Run duathlon option and an Aquabike (swim and bike only), plus a 2-3 person Relay across the middle distance.
Aquabike
Same swim/bike as the full event, no run.
Leg 1 of 3
Swim — 1.9km
A lake swim at Cotswold Water Park.
- Venue
- Lake 32, Cotswold Water Park
- Elevation gain
- No official figure published — see notes above
- Surface
- Lake — still water.
Wetsuit: Not published with a fixed temperature threshold — per the organiser's own race information, treat as wetsuit-optional in practice, and confirm on the day.
Leg 2 of 3
Bike — 90km
A standard 70.3-equivalent bike leg heading west through Kemble, Malmesbury and Minety — described by the organizer as virtually pancake flat.
- Venue
- Roads through Kemble, Malmesbury and Minety, Gloucestershire
- Elevation gain
- No official figure published — see notes above
- Surface
- Road.
Non-drafting
Leg 3 of 3
Run — 21km
A mixed-surface run over tarmac, hardpack, lakeside paths and village routes — also described as virtually pancake flat.
- Venue
- Cotswold Water Park and surrounding villages
- Elevation gain
- No official figure published — see notes above
- Surface
- Tarmac, hardpack and lakeside path.
Wetsuit outlook
Will you need a wetsuit at Cotswold Classic?
Water temperature at inland lake in July has typically been 15.3°C, ranging from 14.5°C to 17.5°C in eight of every ten years. Against British Triathlon's thresholds for this race's 1900m swim, that means:
Wetsuit mandatory
Below 16°C a wetsuit is compulsory for a 1900m swim under rule 4.2(a).
What would have happened in each of the last 16 years
- Wetsuit mandatory11 of 16
- Optional (recommended)5 of 16
What the organiser says
Not published with a fixed temperature threshold — per the organiser's own race information, treat as wetsuit-optional in practice, and confirm on the day.
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 Lake 32 / Waterland Outdoor Pursuits, Cotswold Water Park.
Cotswold Classic Split Calculator
Cotswold Classic Split-Time Calculator
Enter your own swim, bike and run pace to project a real finish time.
Projected Finish Time
5:37:30
Racing a different distance? Try the generic split calculator or the swim pace calculator.
Where Cotswold Classic starts and finishes
Cotswold Classic starts at Cotswold Water Park, Lake 32 / Waterland Outdoor Pursuits, Spratsgate Lane, Cirencester GL7 6DF and finishes at Lake 32, Cotswold Water Park. We haven't been able to place those on a map accurately enough to show one — a pin in the wrong place is worse than no pin.
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 was tiered: £180 (first 150 entries), £195 (next 150), £210 (final tier, closed 21 June 2026). Aquabike £145-£155, Bike/Run £155, Relay £260 — plus a 4% booking fee and a British Triathlon Race Pass (£2 under-24 / £8 standard) if you're not already a member.
Ballot policy
No ballot — entry is direct via 113 Events, tiered by how early you book.
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 113 Events at Cotswold Water Park, officially branded "Cotswold Classic V2.0."
- Both the bike and run legs are described by the organizer as virtually pancake flat — a genuine option for a fast middle-distance time.
- A British Triathlon membership or single-use Race Pass is required.
- Parking is £5 per day, cash only (exact change requested) — you can pre-buy Sunday's pass on the Saturday to save time; the car park opens 4:30am.
- Bike aid station has 750ml bottles of High5 Carbo drink and water plus High5 AquaGel; run aid stations all have cupped water and High5 gels, with the second of three stations on each lap adding cola, bananas, jelly babies, crisps, pretzels and cake.
- Non-drafting event under British Triathlon Federation rules — no earphones (bone-conducting included) except hearing-assistance devices; littering is an instant disqualification, no exceptions.
Checklist
- Wetsuit (rule not confirmed — check the official site) for the Lake 32 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 Cotswold Water Park, Spratsgate Lane, Cirencester GL7 6DF
Transport, Spectating & Where to Stay
Transport
Kemble railway station is the nearest to Cotswold Water Park — exact distance to the venue was not confirmed in sources checked.
Parking is £5 per day, cash only, opening 4:30am.
The bike course runs on open roads through Kemble, Malmesbury and Minety rather than a fully closed circuit — check the official site for specifics.
Spectator guide
Cotswold Water Park covers the swim, transition and finish, making it the natural spectator hub.
Not published in detail for this event.
Where to stay
Cirencester
+ The nearest town of any size to Cotswold Water Park, with a reasonable range of accommodation.
– Still a short drive from the venue itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Cotswold Classic?
The next confirmed date is Sunday 11 July 2027, though this should be verified directly on the official 113 Events site before booking.
Is the Cotswold Classic flat?
Yes — both the bike and run legs are described by the organizer as virtually pancake flat.
What distance is the Cotswold Classic?
A standard middle/70.3-equivalent distance: 1.9km swim, 90km bike, 21km run.
How much does the Cotswold Classic cost?
2026 pricing was tiered from £180 up to £210 depending on how early you booked, plus a 4% booking fee and a British Triathlon Race Pass if needed.
Who organizes the Cotswold Classic?
113 Events, at Cotswold Water Park near Cirencester.
When were Cotswold Classic results published?
No results yet — they'll be added here once the race has actually happened, or check the official results source directly.