blenheim palace triathlon faqs
General Information
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The Blenheim Palace Triathlon has 4 distance options:
The Super Sprint race consists of a 400m swim, 13.2km bike ride, and a 2.9km run.
The Sprint race consists of a 750m swim, 19.8km bike ride, and a 5.4km run.
The Sprint Relay consists of two or three people completing the sprint distance course. If you are not comfortable competing in a full triathlon, this is a good option as each participant will complete one leg of the race to make up an entire triathlon; for example, one person carries out the swim, another the cycle, and finally the third person completes the run. In the case of a team of two, one participant will do two legs.
Weekend Warrior, race as many triathlons back to back as you can over this 2-day festival. The course & distance will be the same as the Sprint competition.
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The minimum age for competitors is 16, as long as you are 17 on or before 31st December 2025.
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The premium sprint will allow you to compete in the first wave of the day.
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Your entry fee covers the staging of the event and third-party insurance.
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The BTF day license is a licence for racing and covers your public liability insurance for the day.
If you’re not already a British Triathlon member you need a day membership to comply with British Triathlon Competition Rules which require all competitors be a member of the sport for the day. There will be an option during registration for you to input your BTF membership details or purchase a day licence.
Day Membership includes:
British Triathlon membership on race day
Race license to compete in the sport on the day of the race
Individual public liability insurance cover up to £15 million on the day of the race
For further information on race licenses please contact the BTF directly at: www.britishtriathlon.org.
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To ensure you race with friends, family, and work colleagues you need to choose the same race category. You will also need to request the same gender race (male, female or mixed) and enter a Tri-Squad name during the registration process (this must be typed in the same exact way for everyone). We’ll try our best to ensure you and your Tri-Squad are in the same wave, but this is not guaranteed.
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Start times and waves will be published in the Race Day Guide. Wave allocations will be emailed to each participant up to two weeks prior to the event.
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Once wave allocations have been made it is not possible to change your start time. Please email us at ‘hello@blenheimtriathlon.com’
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For event-specific accommodation information please visit the Blenheim Palace website.
You cannot camp or park overnight in the Palace ground and will be asked to leave by security should you attempt to do so.
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Address: Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, Oxfordshire OX20 1UL
Blenheim Palace is situated in Woodstock, 8 miles north-west of Oxford on the A44 Evesham Road and approximately a one-hour drive from the outskirts of both London and Birmingham.
BY CAR:
Blenheim Palace is located eight miles north-west of Oxford, on the A44 Evesham Road. The Palace is signposted from junction nine of the M40. If you are using satellite navigation, please use the postcode OX20 1UL. There are car parking facilities and car parking is free for participants.
BY TRAIN:
The nearest British Rail Mainline station is Oxford Parkway. The S7 runs every 30 minutes from Oxford Parkway Station to Blenheim.
BY BUS:
Stagecoach Bus S3 and S7 run from Oxford City Centre to Woodstock, four times an hour, 7 days a week. Both start from Oxford Railway Station and pick up in Magdalen Street. Buses stop outside the main entrance, from there, it's a 10-minute stroll through the park to Blenheim Palace. For bus times and journey planner visit: https://www.stagecoachbus.com/
BY BICYCLE: If you live close enough and are able to, please consider travelling by bike. Plan your cycle journey with CycleStreets.net.
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In order to set up in transition and be ready for your race we recommend that you arrive 90 minutes before the start of your wave. You then need to be at Swim Assembly point 20 minutes before your wave is due to take place, this is to ensure you have partaken in our safety briefing and have received your swim cap.
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The bib number is used for the cycle and run elements of your challenge. The number goes on your back for the cycle and on the front for the run. This can be attached with safety pins, however, it is recommended to use a race belt. You simply attach your number to the race belt and then put the clip around your midriff. It can then be moved to show the number on your back for the bike and on the front for the run.
The bike number stickers are placed on the front of the bike and the top of your helmet which serves two purposes.
- To ensure you are taking the correct bike out of transition
- You can be identified on our official photos which you may wish to purchase
Your wristband needs to be worn to get you in and out of transition. Without this you cannot gain access to this area .
You will also be given a reusable timing chip that must be worn on your left ankle. These must be returned post-event in the buckets at the finish line, there will be staff on hand to assist you in removing your timing chip. Any unreturned chips will be charged to the participant at £25 per chip. For team relay participants, the timing chip acts as a baton and must be passed between relay members throughout the race.
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Wetsuits are compulsory for this triathlon for the safety of our participants. Your wetsuit will keep you warm and improve your swimming speed; a wetsuit provides you with extra buoyancy and the higher you are the faster you swim.
Your wetsuit must be a neoprene and we recommend a full body wetsuit, it can be a short or surf wetsuit, however these are less useful for open water swimming.
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Nudity is not allowed in the transition area therefore, you should ensure you wear whatever you feel comfortable in for the run and the cycle. We recommend that you wear a tri-suit, but it is not compulsory. A regular sports kit is fine over a swimsuit.
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Unfortunately, we do not allow participants to race with headphones in. The safety of our participants is paramount and through wearing headphones you will be less likely to hear other competitors or marshals, which could become a hazard on route. By not wearing headphones you will also be able to enjoy the experience more and soak up the encouragement from spectators. If you are seen to be wearing headphones on race day you will be kindly asked to remove them and if caught with them during the race you will be disqualified. Furthermore, no mobile phones or MP3 players are allowed to be used in transition or while you are racing.
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We conduct numerous tests right up to the race day itself to ensure that the water is safe to swim in.
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Backstroke is not allowed, as this can be confused with our distress signal. We recommend that you try to swim front crawl but breaststroke is also permitted.
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Tri bars (and handlebars) must be plugged and they must be secure. There is no requirement for them to be shorter than the brake levers unlike in the elite races.
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Your helmet will pass the safety inspection as long as it has no cracks in it, has no damage to it and bears a CE & EU safety mark inside it. The strap must also be in good working order.
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Drafting is against the rules for all but the Elite Competitors. You must not take shelter cycling behind or cycle beside another competitor during the race. You can be disqualified from the race for drafting. The draft zone is a rectangle measuring ten (10) metres long by two (2) metres wide. The centre of the leading 2 metre edge is measured from the back edge of the back wheel.
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For more detailed triathlon rules and regulations please click here or contact the British Triathlon Federation www.britishtriathlon.org
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There will be no water stations offered on the route. Water will be available once you cross the finish line.
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Spectator tickets are now available at this link.
You can use discount Code BPTRI20 to get 20% off tickets. Please note this is valid until 17th May. Discount only applies to Park and Gardens tickets.
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All spectators coming to watch the Blenheim Palace Triathlon will need to purchase a spectator ticket through the Palace in advance of the event. Spectator tickets are now available at this link.
You can use discount Code BPTRI20 to get 20% off tickets. Please note this is valid until 17th May. Discount only applies to Park and Gardens tickets.
Participants with Disabilities
All Motiv Sports events aim to be inclusive, offering people of all abilities the opportunity to take part.
Please read the information below about taking part if you have a disability and/or require assistance on event day.
Unfortunately, The Blenheim Palace Triathlon is not suitable for wheelchair athletes due to the narrow paths on the run route, steep terrain to access the water and small transition entrance/exits in the Palace courtyard. The Palace itself is wheelchair accessible and we welcome spectators out to support along the route.
Disabled participants who need assistance:
If you are a visually impaired triathlete or your disability and/or medical conditions mean that you require a guide/assistant, then please contact us at hello@blenheimtriathlon.com detailing your request and reasons for it.
Please contact our Customer Service Team, hello@blenheimtriathlon.com with a description of your disability. We will assess this and establish if it is possible to compete and what we require to make this feasible.
We strongly advise that each participant and their guide should be appropriately identified and linked together in a safe way on event day. Guide dogs are permitted on the event site, however, they are not permitted on the Blenheim Palace Triathlon race route.
Registration
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‘Let’s Do This' is our partner registration platform to take on the Blenheim Palace Triathlon entries for 2024.
When you enter the Blenheim Palace Triathlon, your entry information and payment are processed by 'Let’s Do This' and passed securely to Motiv Sports. Your bank statement will show 'Let’s Do This' against your event entry, and you will receive a booking confirmation email from 'Let’s Do This'. Once you are entered, all event communication will come from Motiv Sports and the Blenheim Palace Triathlon team.
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You can check if you've registered for any of our events at this link, which will take you to our booking partner Let's Do This. Our event portfolio includes Etape Caledonia, Hackney Half, Blenheim Palace Triathlon, London 10K, London Duathlon, and Oxford Half.
When you completed your registration and purchased your entry you should have received a confirmation email from us containing all the details of your event booking including your booking reference. If you can't access your Let’s Do This account or don't remember your details, please email support@letsdothis.com.
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Editing your registration details, including predicted finish time, and race pack delivery address is easy, you can go to your dashboard via this link. Once you are in, click on “edit”.
You will not be able to amend details after the deadlines. Please keep an eye out for emails ( we suggest checking your spam folder and adding us to your contact list) months prior to the event as we will advise on key dates.
If you need assistance you can reach out to us at ‘hello@blenheimtriathlon.com’ and/or Let's DO This at support@letsdothis.com and they will be able to update your information.
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Each race category has a specific number of places and if this is full it will display ‘Sold Out’. Alternatively, if you cannot find the desired race category on the entry form please contact our customer service team who will be able to assist you; hello@blenheimtriathlon.com
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Yes, you are able to do this. Please email hello@blenheimtriathlon.com with your request and we will assist you further. Please note: you will only be able to transfer into challenges with available places.
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The entry fee to the Blenheim Palace Triathlon is non-refundable.
We do offer options for your entry for a fee if you can no longer participate. You can choose to defer to the following year or transfer your entry to a friend by following the instructions below:
Transfer your place to a friend or family member.
Manage your booking here and enter your booking reference
From your dashboard, click 'Manage' next to your name
Select the 'Transfer' option, followed by 'Transfer to a friend'
Input their name and email address
Click 'Send transfer link'
Upon registration, your friend will be required to pay a £25 transfer fee.
Please note that your entry will only be cancelled once your friend has entered the event and taken your place. There are a limited number of transfer to a friend places for each event. We reserve the right to close this option at any time. We recommend you submit your transfer to a friend invitation at your earliest convenience. Their entry is not guaranteed until they are fully registered.
Defer your entry to 2026.
Manage your booking here and enter your booking reference
From your dashboard, click 'Manage' next to your name
Select the 'Defer your entry' option
Follow the prompts and review the deferral policy to defer your entry to the following year
Upon registration to the 2026 event, you will be required to pay a fee of 50% of the 2026 ticket price. Registrations for the 2026 event will be sent out two weeks after the 2025 event.
Please note there are a limited number of deferrals for each event. We reserve the right to close this option at any time. We recommend you submit your deferral at your earliest convenience. Your entry is not guaranteed until you are fully registered for the 2026 event.
For further information on this please read the full entry Terms & Conditions here and the deferral policy here.
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Yes, you can use your own place to fundraise for a charity of your choice! All you need to do is pick a charity important to you, open a Just Giving page and start fundraising!
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Our charity partners for Blenheim Palace Triathlon are yet to be confirmed, however you can use your own place to fundraise for a charity of your choice!
We recommend setting up a JustGiving page to assist with marketing and securing your funds.
Charity Participants
Additional Information
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If you’d like to volunteer and be #partofthecrew please contact: volunteers@limelightsports.com
We couldn’t do our events without our incredible volunteers. Working at the Blenheim Palace Triathlon is an incredible opportunity and an amazing weekend of sport.
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If you feel unwell whilst taking part, please stop as soon as you can and seek help. There will be marshals and stewards on the route who will be able to assist and contact the medical team.
See your GP if you have a problem or worry that might make it a risk for you to take part in the event. If you have any known medical conditions (such as diabetes, asthma, allergy to penicillin, etc) inform us prior to the event by entering it in the box provided on the online application.
In addition, please write all medical details on the back of your event number. Whether you have a medical condition or not, if you feel unwell on the event day – don’t take part. If you have flu, a feverish cold or a tummy bug, do not train until you have fully recovered. Then start gently and build up gradually. Do not attempt to catch up on lost mileage after illness or injury – this may cause further damage or illness.
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Please contact the event organisers via email, hello@blenheimtriathlon.com, with a full description of the missing item and we will do our best to reunite you with the item.
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Marathon Photos are our official photographer for the event. Please go directly to their website to retrieve your photos and further information.
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Provisional results will be available via the tracking link on our website and if you have inputted a British mobile number, they will be texted to you. They will also be emailed to you post event.
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This year, all timing chips are reusable and must be returned. Any unreturned chips will be charged to the participant at £25 per chip. If you have accidentally taken yours home, please email hello@blenheimtriathlon.com for details on how to return it.
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Your age group is based upon the date of birth that you entered. Note that your age group is determined by your age at 31 December of the race year and not your age on race day (in accordance with BTF rules).
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Please note that we don’t operate a reserve/cancellation list as we already take into account the usual drop-out rate prior to the event.
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There may be several reasons for this. Firstly, please ensure that you are entered correctly into the event by following the instructions outlined above. Secondly, emails can often get directed straight into junk/spam folders or get rejected by email servers altogether. Please ensure that you check those filters and additionally add ‘hello@blenheimtriathlon.com’ to your safe senders list.
If you have unsubscribed from our mailing list and would like to resubscribe, please click here
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