Compiled and fact-checked by Tommo, Verus founder · Last verified August 2026 · Spot an error?
Triathlon · Middle Distance (70.3)
Cowman Triathlon 2026
- Race day
- Sunday, 20 September 2026
- Location
- Emberton, Buckinghamshire, UK
- Distance
- 113 km total
1.9km swim 90km bike 21.1km run
Cowman Triathlon: 20 September 2026 — the Buckinghamshire middle-distance course, a split-time calculator, and real Verus athletes racing it.
10 days to go
Key Race Metrics & Overview
- Date
- Sunday, 20 September 2026
- Venue
- Emberton Country Park, Olney Road, Emberton, Olney MK46 5FJ
- Distance
- Middle Distance (70.3) — 113km total
- Start Time
- 6:30am (postponed from an original 2 August 2026 date due to blue-green algae at the venue).
- Draft-Legal Bike
- No — non-drafting
- Cut-Off
- Swim cut-off 9:40am, bike cut-off 11:40am, run cut-off 3:00pm — roughly 8.5 hours in total from the 6:30am start.
Also this weekend
Calfman (Standard: 1.5km/40km/10km, 7:45am) and Stampede (Sprint: 750m/20km/5km, 9:00am) both run the same day at the same venue, alongside Aquabike, Aquathlon and Bike-Run combo options.
Calfman (Standard)
Starts 7:45am, same day and venue as Cowman.
Stampede (Sprint)
Starts 9:00am, same day and venue as Cowman.
Leg 1 of 3
Swim — 1.9km
A lake swim at Emberton Country Park. Independent reviews have noted weed and algae issues at this venue historically — the 2026 race date itself was moved for exactly this reason.
- Venue
- Emberton Country Park lake
- Elevation gain
- No official figure published — see notes above
- Surface
- Lake — still water.
Wetsuit: Mandatory below 15.9°C; optional 15.9-22.0°C; optional for over-60s only 22.1-24.6°C; not permitted above 24.6°C.
Leg 2 of 3
Bike — 90km
Rolling Buckinghamshire countryside on public roads — described by most independent reviewers as undulating. The route has changed year to year (e.g. from two large loops to four smaller loops in 2022 due to roadworks), so treat the exact lap structure as subject to change. No elevation figure is published.
- Venue
- Buckinghamshire countryside
- Elevation gain
- No official figure published — see notes above
- Surface
- Public road.
Non-drafting
Leg 3 of 3
Run — 21.1km
A single 20km lap through park paths, farm tracks and pavement — described by reviewers as undulating and uneven in places, with a mix of terrain across the course. No elevation figure is published.
- Venue
- Emberton Country Park
- Elevation gain
- No official figure published — see notes above
- Surface
- Mixed paths, tracks and pavement.
Wetsuit outlook
Will you need a wetsuit at Cowman Triathlon?
Water temperature at inland lake in September has typically been 15.5°C, ranging from 14.4°C to 16.9°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 mandatory10 of 16
- Optional (recommended)6 of 16
What the organiser says
Mandatory below 15.9°C; optional 15.9-22.0°C; optional for over-60s only 22.1-24.6°C; not permitted above 24.6°C.
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
Bike racking opens at 5:30am on race morning; transition closes 15 minutes before each wave's start.
Cowman Triathlon Split Calculator
Cowman Triathlon Split-Time Calculator
Enter your own swim, bike and run pace to project a real finish time.
Projected Finish Time
5:38:03
Racing a different distance? Try the generic split calculator or the swim pace calculator.
Where Cowman Triathlon starts and finishes
Cowman Triathlon starts at Emberton Country Park, Olney Road, Emberton, Olney MK46 5FJ and finishes at Emberton Country Park lake. 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
Entry ranges £68.00-£141.50 depending on distance and format. First come, first served; registration closes Wednesday 16 September 2026, with late/on-the-day registration available. A British Triathlon membership or single-use Race Pass is required.
Ballot policy
No ballot — entry is first come, first served.
Age requirement
Cowman (Middle) is 18+; Calfman (Standard) is 17+; Stampede (Sprint) is 15+ with parental consent for open-road cycling.
Charity Places
Tearfund runs a dedicated fundraising page for this race; no specific minimum-fundraising fee or target was found published.
Race Day Info & Checklist
On the day
- Chip timing and live results are provided, with a finisher's medal and official photography.
- Independent reviewers describe modest aid-station provision — a specific brand wasn't confirmed.
- No headphones are permitted on course, per standard British Triathlon rules.
Checklist
- Wetsuit, goggles and swim cap for the Emberton Country Park lake swim
- Bike, helmet (mandatory) and bike shoes, racked from 5:30am
- Run shoes and your own nutrition, given modest on-course aid-station provision
- Your British Triathlon membership or single-use Race Pass for registration
- Overnight camping gear if staying at the park itself
- A meeting point agreed with family/friends near Emberton Country Park for afterwards
Transport, Spectating & Where to Stay
Transport
No specific race-day train guidance is published — this is a rural venue best reached by car.
Ample parking is available within Emberton Country Park; overnight camping is also available.
The bike leg runs on open, not closed, public roads.
Spectator guide
No dedicated spectator guide is published; spectators pay on arrival (athletes get free park entry), with the run course offering good crowd visibility.
No official guidance is published on moving between viewing points.
Where to stay
Olney
+ The closest town to Emberton Country Park.
– Limited hotel choice for a small Buckinghamshire town.
Milton Keynes
+ A short drive away, with a much wider range of hotels and rail links.
– Not walkable — you'll need transport on race morning.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Cowman Triathlon 2026?
Sunday 20 September 2026, starting at 6:30am — postponed from an original August date due to blue-green algae at the venue.
Is the Cowman Triathlon course hilly?
It's described by most independent reviewers as undulating, on both the bike and run legs, rather than flat.
What other distances run at the Cowman weekend?
Calfman (Standard distance) and Stampede (Sprint distance) both run the same day at Emberton Country Park, alongside Aquabike, Aquathlon and combo options.
What is the Cowman Triathlon cut-off time?
Swim cut-off 9:40am, bike cut-off 11:40am, run cut-off 3:00pm — roughly 8.5 hours from the 6:30am start.
What is the minimum age for the Cowman Triathlon?
18 for Cowman (Middle distance); the same-weekend Calfman and Stampede events have lower minimum ages (17 and 15 respectively).
Which charity does the Cowman Triathlon support?
Tearfund runs a dedicated fundraising page for this race.
How do I get to the Cowman Triathlon?
Emberton Country Park is best reached by car — ample parking and overnight camping are both available on site.
When were Cowman Triathlon results published?
Nothing to show yet: results only appear here after the 2026 edition is run. The official results source will also have them.