Reading Triathlon, Aquathlon & Aquabike 2027

The Reading Triathlon returns to Hi5 Open Water Swim Centre on Sunday 12 September 2027, starting at 08:00. It's run by Tri2O Triathlon Club, and it carries a bit of local weight: it claims to be the first triathlon ever held in the UK, first staged at Kirtons Farm Water Sports Centre back in 1983. Tri2O now runs the race from that same original venue, and they describe it as a race run by triathletes for triathletes.

The course takes you through three distinct legs. It starts with an open water swim at Hi5, followed by a cycle through the lanes of Burghfield, Mortimer, Silchester, Stratfield Saye and Grazeley, and finishes with a run around a lakeside trail. There are seven race options to choose from, ranging from a Super Sprint up to a Standard Distance Triathlon, alongside aquathlon and aquabike formats, so you can pick the distance that fits your training.

Sustainability is a big part of how they run it. There are no T-shirts handed out to avoid sizing waste, participants bring their own swim hat, and plastic cups have been removed from the water station in favour of a collapsible cup. It's a small-scale approach that adds up across the field.

Entries are £70, and the whole thing kicks off at 08:00 on Sunday 12 September at Hi5 Open Water Swim Centre, Pingewood, Reading, RG30 3UN.