Motiv Sports: 7,000 participants turnout for 21st edition of Blenheim Palace Triathlon
Blenheim Palace hosted British and English Sprint Championships and 2026 European Triathlon qualifiers for the first time ever
Over £130,000 raised for more than 60 charities across the weekend at the UK’s most picturesque triathlon event
Oxfordshire, UK | The UK’s most picturesque triathlon returned for its 21st year, welcoming thousands of swimmers, cyclists and runners to the iconic grounds of Blenheim Palace across 7-8 June.
Blenheim Palace Triathlon, the only triathlon in the world which takes place in the grounds of a UNESCO World Heritage site, boasts jaw dropping scenery and is seen as one of the best triathlons for newcomers to the sport.
It saw celebrity triathletes like Jo Whiley, James Warnock and Mary McCarthy complete the course and the event raised over £130,000 for more than 60 charities. 509 running clubs took part in the Oxfordshire event, including Women in Tri UK, Muslim Triathlon Network and Kensal Tri.
In addition to the usual race distances – Super Sprint, Sprint, Relay and Weekend Warrior – this year’s Blenheim Palace Triathlon formed a key part of three prestigious qualifiers and national championships in 2025, aimed at elite participants.
The Blenheim Palace Triathlon Sprint race, which took place on Sunday morning, was selected as the British and English Sprint Distance Championships and GB Age-Group Team Qualifier for the 2026 Europe Triathlon Sprint Distance Championships. Donald Brooks (01:03:29) was the overall male national champion while Christine Durbin (01:11:15) was named the overall female national champion.
The Weekend Warrior, which allowed people to complete as many back-to-back triathlons as they could across the weekend, was the choice for many experienced athletes. The highest number of triathlon’s completed by one person was eight.
There was another first for the event as it hosted its first ever duathlon. Saturday’s Blenheim Palace Duathlon saw participants compete across two iterations of the duathlon, the Half (5km run, 22km bike, 5km run) or the Full (10km run, 44km bike, 5k run).
The full list of results can be viewed here: https://results.sporthive.com/events/7330232572674401536
The foundation of Olympic triathlete champions, Alistair and Jonathan Brownlee, delivered an inaugural free duathlon for young people. The Brownlee Foundation’s bike and run activity encourages active lifestyles and shows children the benefits of exercise.
Andy Taylor, Race Director of the Blenheim Palace Triathlon: “Congratulations to everyone who participated in another wonderful weekend at the stunning grounds of Blenheim Palace.
“The effort put in by all triathletes, staff, partners and volunteers during our event has been utterly inspiring. We are also delighted at the superb amount of money raised for charity, and it is inspiring to hear about all the individual fundraising successes.
“No matter your age or ability, there is a place for everyone at the Blenheim Palace Triathlon. We cannot wait to see you all again next year.”
Motiv Sports UK will also host the Oxford Half later this year, which takes place on 12 October, taking in the historic sights of the city, which has already sold out in record time.
To sign up for the 2026 Blenheim Palace Triathlon, and to secure the lowest price, visit: https://www.blenheimtriathlon.com/
Photo credit: New Reach PR
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