Compiled and fact-checked by Tommo, Verus founder · Last verified August 2026 · Spot an error?
Triathlon · Olympic
Grafham Triathlon 2026
- Race day
- Saturday, 26 September 2026
- Location
- Grafham, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, UK
- Distance
- 49.5 km total
1.5km swim 38km bike 10km run
Grafham Triathlon: 26 September 2026 — the reservoir swim and dam-wall run at Grafham Water, a split-time calculator, and real Verus athletes racing it.
16 days to go
Key Race Metrics & Overview
- Date
- Saturday, 26 September 2026
- Venue
- Grafham Water Visitor Centre, Marlow Park, Grafham, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE28 0BH
- Distance
- Olympic — 49.5km total
- Start Time
- 8:00am (Sprint); 8:15am (Standard)
- Draft-Legal Bike
- No — non-drafting
- Cut-Off
- Not published for this event — check the official site.
Also this weekend
The same day also offers a Sprint distance (750m/17km/5km), a Standard Aquabike (swim and bike only, no run), and a 2-3 person Standard Relay.
Sprint
A single lap of each leg, with the bike turning at Perry rather than St Neots.
Standard Aquabike
Same swim/bike as the Standard triathlon, no run — for swim/bike-only athletes.
Leg 1 of 3
Swim — 1.5km
Two laps of 750m each in Grafham Water reservoir.
- Venue
- Grafham Water reservoir
- Elevation gain
- No official figure published — see notes above
- Surface
- Reservoir — still water.
Wetsuit: Determined on the morning of the race by a British Triathlon Technical Official, per BTF rule 4.2 — water temperature isn't published in advance. Zone3 wetsuit hire is available on-site either way.
Leg 2 of 3
Bike — 38km
A flat, out-and-back bike route through nearby villages, turning at St Neots for the Standard distance — a touch shorter than the World Triathlon standard 40km bike leg, worth knowing if pacing off a generic Olympic-distance plan.
- Venue
- Roads around Grafham, Cambridgeshire
- Elevation gain
- No official figure published — see notes above
- Surface
- Road.
Non-drafting
Leg 3 of 3
Run — 10km
Two 5km laps of the reservoir footpath, crossing the dam wall.
- Venue
- Grafham Water reservoir footpath
- Elevation gain
- No official figure published — see notes above
- Surface
- Footpath.
Wetsuit outlook
Will you need a wetsuit at Grafham Triathlon?
Water temperature at reservoir in September has typically been 15.2°C, ranging from 13.7°C to 16.7°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
- Wetsuit mandatory4 of 16
- Optional (recommended)12 of 16
What the organiser says
Determined on the morning of the race by a British Triathlon Technical Official, per BTF rule 4.2 — water temperature isn't published in advance. Zone3 wetsuit hire is available on-site either way.
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 Grafham Water Visitor Centre.
Grafham Triathlon Split Calculator
Grafham Triathlon Split-Time Calculator
Enter your own swim, bike and run pace to project a real finish time.
Projected Finish Time
2:45:00
Racing a different distance? Try the generic split calculator or the swim pace calculator.
Where Grafham Triathlon starts and finishes
Grafham Triathlon starts at Grafham Water Visitor Centre, Marlow Park, Grafham, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE28 0BH and finishes at Grafham Water reservoir. 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
Sprint £83.74; Standard £104.94; Standard Aquabike £94.34; Standard Relay £127.20 per team — confirm current pricing on the official ATW site, since these tiers can shift closer to race day.
Ballot policy
No ballot — entry is direct via Active Training World (ATW).
Age requirement
Not published for this event — check the official site.
Charity Places
Alzheimer's Research UK is the named charity partner — contact them directly for current fundraising terms.
Race Day Info & Checklist
On the day
- Organized by Active Training World (ATW) at Grafham Water, a well-known Cambridgeshire reservoir venue.
- The bike course includes around 384ft of ascent on the Sprint distance and 33ft on the run, per the organizer.
- Zone3 wetsuit hire is available on-site for the reservoir swim.
- Race pack: 2 race numbers, a timing chip on the left ankle, and 2 numbered labels for your helmet and bike — you also need to write your race number on the back of your hand.
- Two mandatory full-stop junctions on the bike course (around the 9km mark, and around 12km for the Sprint at Perry village) — failing to stop risks a penalty and possible disqualification.
- Registration is at the café, opening 6:30am and closing 8:00am.
- Only portable toilets on site — no changing facilities. Headphones are banned on every leg, and littering carries a penalty.
- Aquabike finishers have their time stop on entering T2, then walk or run unofficially to the main finish for their medal. Relay teams pass the timing chip as their baton, with the handover point decided on the day by the BTF Technical Official rather than fixed in advance.
Checklist
- Wetsuit (own or hired via Zone3) for the reservoir swim, since it isn't mandatory but many athletes choose to wear one
- 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 Grafham Water Visitor Centre, Marlow Park, Grafham, Huntingdon PE28 0BH
Transport, Spectating & Where to Stay
Transport
Huntingdon and St Neots railway stations are both in the wider area — exact distance to the venue was not confirmed in sources checked.
Not published in detail for this event — check the official site closer to race day.
The bike course runs on open roads around Grafham and nearby villages rather than a fully closed circuit — check the official site for specifics.
Spectator guide
Grafham Water Visitor Centre covers the swim start/exit, transition and finish, making it the natural spectator hub. The dam-wall crossing on the run is another notable viewing point.
Not published in detail for this event.
Where to stay
Huntingdon
+ The closest town of any size to Grafham Water, with a reasonable range of accommodation.
– Still a short drive from the venue itself.
St Neots
+ A similar distance away, with its own range of accommodation.
– Requires a drive to the venue on race morning.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Grafham Triathlon?
Saturday 26 September 2026 — Sprint starts 8:00am, Standard starts 8:15am.
What distances does the Grafham Triathlon offer?
Sprint (750m/17km/5km) and Standard (1.5km/38km/10km), plus a Standard Aquabike and a Standard Relay.
Do I need a wetsuit for the Grafham Triathlon?
It depends on the water temperature on the day — a British Triathlon official decides mandatory-or-not per BTF rule 4.2. Zone3 hire is available on-site either way.
How much does the Grafham Triathlon cost?
Sprint £83.74, Standard £104.94, Standard Aquabike £94.34, Standard Relay £127.20 per team.
Who organizes the Grafham Triathlon?
Active Training World (ATW), at Grafham Water Visitor Centre.
What charity does the Grafham Triathlon support?
Alzheimer's Research UK.
When were Grafham Triathlon results published?
No results yet — they'll be added here once the race has actually happened, or check the official results source directly.