Andy Devaney
Dorney Lake will once again echo with the sound of cheers, splashes, and whirring wheels as the Superhero Tri, powered by Marvel, flies back into Windsor on Saturday, August 16, 2025.
This isn’t just another triathlon. It’s the UK’s largest mass participation sports event for people with disabilities — and it’s got more heart than a championship Sunday at Augusta, minus the whispering commentators.
This year’s Superhero Tri welcomes a glittering cast of real-life sporting titans fresh off the podiums in Paris. Paralympic champions Will Bayley, Laura Sugar, and James Ball won’t be sitting back with their medals – they’ll be front and centre at the start line, standing (or pedalling, paddling, and pushing) alongside over 5,000 ‘everyday superheroes’ ready to conquer the course.
Now in its eighth year, the event is the brainchild of Paralympian Sophia Warner, who built this from the ground up with a clear mission: give the 16.1 million people in the UK living with disabilities a sports day that doesn’t sideline a single soul.
“The Superhero Tri removes all barriers to participation and gives everyone with a disability the thrill of a mass-participation sports event,” says Warner. “Competing alongside their families and friends, the community spirit shines through as people come together to cover the course.”
From the sprightly Sprint Superhero Tri (Swim 150m, Bike 3km, Push/Run 1km) to the full-on Full Superhero Tri (Swim 750m, Bike 20km, Push/Run 5km), participants can go solo or team up with ‘Sidekicks’ to tow, push, or pull their way through. And forget the Lycra – capes, masks, and anything remotely Marvel are practically mandatory. In fact, the more theatrical the better.
Absolutely anything goes when it comes to kit. Surfboard-mounted wheelchairs? Check. Trikes with furry dice and sidecars? You bet. The only rule is: use whatever helps you finish, and take all the time you need. And if your golden retriever sidekick wants in on the costume game, they’re more than welcome.
To add a bit of extra sparkle to proceedings, participants can even train with Thor and Spider-Man as part of the Marvel Avengers Training Zone. Yes, that Spider-Man. No web-slinging required – just a solid sense of adventure.
The force behind the magic? Disney, of course. “Every year it’s fantastic to see all the superheroes have so much fun in a fully inclusive environment at Superhero Tri,” says Deborah Armstrong, Senior Vice President, Disney Advertising EMEA.
“Our storytelling and much-loved characters continue to be a force for good, inspiring people to unleash their inner superhero and experience the power of sport.”
And if all that wasn’t enough to put a lump in your throat the size of a discus, Superhero Tri staple Clare Balding CBE will return to honour seven standouts with the coveted Golden Cape – a glittering salute to extraordinary courage, community spirit, and sheer bloody-mindedness.
Star power comes thick and fast this year, with 30 teams captained by disability sport legends and advocates. Among the 20 newcomers are household names like Maisie Summers-Newton MBE, Dave Ellis, Callie-Ann Warrington, Claire Cashmore, and social media stars Hannah and Becky Cheetham.
They’ll be joined by 10 returning captains, including Alex Brooker, Briony May Williams, and Jordan Jarrett-Bryan – all familiar faces with a flair for celebration.
“Our Celebrity Team Captains bring excitement and inspiration to the day,” says Sophia Warner. “This year we have 20 para-athletes who medalled at Paris 2024 joining us. Most of them were in the crowd at London 2012 and 12 years on achieved their dream. Superhero Tri is my legacy for everyday superheroes who I know will be inspired by seeing their Paralympian heroes in action.”
Behind the scenes, the engine room of support includes Disney, DHL, Everyone Active, Invacare, Pfizer, Salutem, Staysure, Swim England and the Superhero Sport Foundation.
It’s thanks to them that this extraordinary day exists — not as an exception, but as an essential part of the British sporting summer.
So, whether you’re planning to suit up as Iron Man or simply cheer from the sidelines, the Superhero Tri is calling. And if you’re not moved by the sight of a thousand capes fluttering in the breeze as people cross the finish line, check your pulse.
Find out more and enter here: superheroseries.co.uk/superhero-tri-2025
