The Blenheim Palace Triathlon, the only triathlon to take place in the grounds of a UNESCO World Heritage site, is set for a record year to mark its milestone celebrations, with limited places remaining.
Taking place over the weekend of 1-2 June 2024, 2024 marks the 20th anniversary of the iconic triathlon which has already sold out of two of the most popular distances with entries remaining strong across the rest of the weekend.
2023’s event saw nearly 5,000 people sign up to take part alongside household names including BBC Radio 2 presenter Jo Whiley.
Entries for 2024’s Saturday’s Sprint and Sprint Team Relay events are now sold out, meaning that the only remaining way to compete on the Saturday is through the Super Sprint or the Weekend Warrior challenge.
The Super Sprint distance comprises of a 400m swim, 13.3km bike, and 2.9k run and is one of the highlights of the Blenheim Palace Triathlon which prides itself as the go-to event for many people starting out in the sport. In 2023, over 70 per cent of participants competed in a triathlon for the first time.
Whilst its Weekend Warrior option is also developing a committed following among triathletes keen to push themselves further than the traditional distance offered at UK events.
More and more people are now returning each year to take part in the Weekend Warrior, which challenges participants to complete as many back-to-back triathlons as they can over the duration of the weekend.
The current Weekend Warrior record is 11 sprint triathlons across the two days, which adds up to 8,250 swimming, 217.8km cycling, and 59.4km running.
Participants hoping to take part in the Sprint distance (750m swim, 19.8km bike, and 5.4k run) still have the opportunity to compete at the iconic site on Sunday 2 June, with places remaining for the distance, alongside the Sprint Team Relay or Super Sprint.
Andy Taylor, Race Director for the Blenheim Palace Triathlon, said: “Last year we saw nearly 5,000 people enter for the event, and we are hoping for a bumper turn out this year.
Entries are certainly representative, even in this early stage, of an increase and growth in sign ups for the event and we are delighted to see the triathlon’s popularity develop.
“In this, the 20th anniversary of the Blenheim Palace Triathlon, it’s important that we reflect on the inclusivity of the event and the triathlon’s ability to maintain its values.
Last year the event was represented by all walks of life, with 40% of triathlon first-timers, celebrities, visually impaired runners with guides and many more, demonstrating the amount of work that goes into ensuring this event is accessible and open to a variety of abilities.”