Compiled and fact-checked by Tommo, Verus founder · Last verified August 2026 · Spot an error?
Triathlon · Sprint
Ilkley Triathlon 2026
- Race day
- Sunday, 20 September 2026
- Location
- Ilkley, West Yorkshire
- Distance
- 19.8 km total
0.5km swim 14.5km bike 4.8km run
Ilkley Triathlon 2026: a 500m indoor pool swim, a three-lap bike and a 4.8km run in the Yorkshire countryside — date, distances, entry price and why it sells out in hours.
10 days to go
Key Race Metrics & Overview
- Date
- Sunday, 20 September 2026
- Venue
- Ilkley Pool and Lido, Ilkley, West Yorkshire
- Distance
- Sprint — 19.8km total
- Start Time
- Not published for 2026 — wave times are confirmed in the athlete information.
- Draft-Legal Bike
- No — non-drafting
- Cut-Off
- Not published in the sources checked — confirm with the organiser.
Also this weekend
A sprint-distance race with a junior category for athletes under 20 on 31 December of the race year, plus relay teams. Capacity is 400 individual entries and 20 relay teams.
Leg 1 of 3
Swim — 0.5km
A 500m pool swim in the extra-wide lanes of the indoor pool at Ilkley Pool and Lido. Worth being clear about: it is the indoor pool, not the outdoor lido the venue is better known for. A pool swim removes the single biggest barrier to a first triathlon, which is a large part of why this race is so oversubscribed.
- Venue
- Ilkley Pool — the indoor pool, not the lido
- Elevation gain
- No official figure published — see notes above
- Surface
- Indoor pool — extra-wide lanes.
Wetsuit: No wetsuit — this is a heated indoor pool swim.
Leg 2 of 3
Bike — 14.5km
Three laps of a 4.8km circuit through the countryside around Ilkley, beneath the moor. Short, lapped and easy to pace.
- Venue
- A 4.8km circuit in the Yorkshire countryside around Ilkley
- Elevation gain
- No official figure published — see notes above
- Surface
- Road — rural circuit.
Non-drafting
Leg 3 of 3
Run — 4.8km
A single 4.8km lap of the same circuit used for the bike, finishing back at the pool.
- Venue
- One lap of the same circuit
- Elevation gain
- No official figure published — see notes above
- Surface
- Road — rural circuit.
Transitions
A single transition at Ilkley Pool and Lido serves both T1 from the pool and T2 for the run.
Ilkley Triathlon Split Calculator
Ilkley Triathlon Split-Time Calculator
Enter your own swim, bike and run pace to project a real finish time.
Projected Finish Time
1:09:24
Racing a different distance? Try the generic split calculator or the swim pace calculator.
Where Ilkley 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
Entry is £42 for individual seniors, £21 for individual juniors and £42 for relay teams. Entries opened at 08:00 on Friday 1 May, capped at 400 individuals plus 20 relay teams — in recent years it has sold out within hours, so treat the opening time as the thing to plan around.
Ballot policy
No ballot — first come, first served, and it goes within hours of opening.
Age requirement
Juniors are those under 20 on 31 December of the race year, entered at a reduced price.
Charity Places
No formal charity-place scheme is published.
Race Day Info & Checklist
On the day
- The swim is in the indoor pool, not the outdoor lido — a common source of confusion at this venue.
- Capacity is 400 individuals plus 20 relay teams, and it has sold out within hours in recent years.
- The bike is three laps and the run one lap of the same 4.8km countryside circuit.
- A junior category runs for athletes under 20, at half the senior entry fee.
- Run by Leeds and Bradford Triathlon Club with Ilkley Cycling Club — a club event rather than a commercial one.
- Race pack: two race numbers, a bike security sticker, a helmet sticker, a timing chip and a swim cap — plus your race number written on your arm for pool identification. The chip costs £15 to replace if lost.
- The pool swim is genuinely a pool: 1-minute interval starts, clockwise lane swimming, tumble turns allowed but backstroke banned. A marshal places a card or float when you have two lengths left — you must WALK, not run, to the exit, or face a penalty.
- The bike circuit is NOT closed to traffic — two named corners (the bottom of Curly Hill, and the Middleton Ave/Denton Rd junction) are automatic disqualification if you cross the centre line there, and a 20mph zone touches the course at one junction.
- No parking at the Lido itself — free event parking is at West Holmes Field instead, with the gate locked 15 minutes after prize-giving.
- A free post-race massage is offered (donation to Yorkshire Air Ambulance), alongside a charity raffle and on-course photographers with free downloads.
Checklist
- No wetsuit needed — this is a heated indoor pool swim
- An honest estimate of your 500m swim time, since pool triathlons seed waves by it
- Bike, helmet and shoes racked at the pool per the race-morning schedule
- Trisuit or a plan for changing quickly out of a pool swim
- A calendar reminder for the entry opening time, which matters more than anything else on this list
Transport, Spectating & Where to Stay
Transport
Ilkley has its own station, on the Wharfedale line from Leeds and Bradford, a short walk from the pool.
There is no parking at the Lido/pool itself — free event parking is at West Holmes Field, with the gate locked 15 minutes after prize-giving. A wet-weather fallback is nearby streets, some of which now have parking meters.
The bike and run use a rural circuit outside the town — check the athlete information for any managed sections.
Spectator guide
The pool and lido site covers the swim, transition and the finish, and the lapped circuit means supporters see athletes four times without moving.
Ilkley is compact and the circuit is short — one of the easiest triathlons in the country to watch.
Where to stay
Ilkley
+ At the venue, on the station, and a genuinely pleasant Wharfedale town to spend a night in.
– A small town with limited rooms on race weekend.
Otley / Burley in Wharfedale
+ A short drive down the valley, quieter and often better value.
– Not walkable to the pool.
Leeds or Bradford
+ The widest choice, with a direct train to Ilkley on the Wharfedale line.
– An early train or drive on race morning.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Ilkley Triathlon 2026?
Sunday 20 September 2026, at Ilkley Pool and Lido.
What are the Ilkley Triathlon distances?
A 500m indoor pool swim, a 14.5km bike (three laps of a 4.8km circuit) and a 4.8km run (one lap of the same circuit).
Is the Ilkley Triathlon swim in the lido?
No — it is in the indoor pool, which has extra-wide lanes, not the outdoor lido the venue is better known for.
How much does the Ilkley Triathlon cost?
£42 for individual seniors, £21 for juniors under 20 on 31 December of the race year, and £42 for a relay team.
Does the Ilkley Triathlon sell out?
Yes, within hours in recent years. Capacity is 400 individuals plus 20 relay teams, and entries have opened at 08:00 on 1 May.
Is the Ilkley Triathlon good for a first triathlon?
It is one of the better options in the north. A heated indoor pool swim removes the biggest barrier for most first-timers, the bike and run are short and lapped, and it is a club event rather than a commercial one.
Do you need a wetsuit for the Ilkley Triathlon?
No. The swim is in a heated indoor pool.
When were Ilkley Triathlon results published?
Results only exist once the race has been run. Check back here, or the official results page, after it takes place.
Is the Ilkley Triathlon bike course closed to traffic?
No — it's open to normal road traffic. Two named corners (the bottom of Curly Hill, and the Middleton Ave/Denton Rd junction) carry an automatic disqualification if you cross the centre line there.