Choosing which one can be a challenge, so to help you out we\u2019ve scoured our archives and spoken to triathletes from all walks of life in search of the best triathlons in the world.<\/p>\n
The result? This list of 31 amazing multisport races for you to aim for. This list is far from exhaustive, and there may be some races that we\u2019ve missed that deserve inclusion, but what we can guarantee is that every one on this list is an absolute belter.<\/p>\n
So, read on and start planning your next season!<\/p>\n
31. Elbaman <\/strong><\/h2>\nLocation: <\/strong>Tuscan Archipelago, Italy<\/p>\nA swim in the turquoise Tyrrhenian Sea, a rolling bike in the Tuscan Archipelago and a marathon run through the Italian resort of Marina di Campo. Small wonder this event is sold-out months in advance. Welcome to Elbaman<\/a><\/strong>, Italy\u2019s most famous triathlon and greatest long-distance event, held since 2005.<\/p>\nIts setting is Elba, Italy\u2019s third-largest Island (after Sicily and Sardinia), which lies 20km southwest of the mainland town of Piombino in the province of Livorno. With a 7am start, the swim features two 1.9km laps in the warm 20\u00b0C-plus waters of Marina di Campo Bay, with athletes exiting onto the bay\u2019s golden sands and into T1 before three 60km loops around the island\u2019s western end.<\/p>\n
If the waters are almost always calm, the bike course makes a lumpy contrast; it has 2,500m of elevation gain and barely a flat section anywhere in its 180km. Mediterranean scrub, pine forests and views of the Corsican coast about 50km further west provide the eye candy, along with the gorgeous nineteenth-century fishing village of Marciana Marina on the north coast, which is traversed three times.<\/p>\n
The 42.1km run (three 14km laps) takes athletes north from Marina di Campo and then back to a coastline finish. This section is fast and flat, with plenty of support en route, but athletes face the rising September heat here, with temperatures hitting the mid- to upper 20s, and the three-loop format is mentally exhausting.<\/p>\n
Numbers are restricted to just 280 for the long-distance showpiece (a middle-distance attracts 430 racers and is held alongside the full Elbaman) to ensure clear road racing and a manageable mass swim start.<\/p>\n
While many pro elites are absent, the start list has a huge international flavour, with athletes from over 20 nations regularly racing.<\/p>\n
30. Embrunman<\/strong><\/h2>\nLocation: <\/strong>Hutes-Alpes, France\/Italy border<\/p>\nProof that St Croix doesn\u2019t have the exclusive right to call a bike climb \u2018The Beast\u2019 is Embrunman<\/a><\/strong>, a race that positively drips with French triathlon history and is infamous for its unforgiving climbs on both the bike and run courses.<\/p>\nThe inaugural Embrunman was held in Embrun, in the Hautes-Alpes near the France\/Italy border, on 19 August 1984. That event consisted of a 750m swim, 30km bike and 10km race walk, but already present in the bike section was the Cote de Chalvet climb, which is still tormenting triathletes today.<\/p>\n
Just a year later the race became the standard distance championships of France, with the rare race distances of 1.5km swim\/70km bike\/21km run attracting 280 athletes and some 20,000 spectators to the small south-eastern commune (pop. 6,000). The event would go long in 1986, with a format of 4km swim in the sheltered lake, a 131.5km bike and a hilly 42.1km run punctuated with ferocious climbs introduced by the organisers with the claim that it would be tougher than Ironman Hawaii.<\/p>\n
In 1990 the route was changed for a final time with the introduction of the ascent of the Col d\u2019Izoard on the bike course. The new 186km route came with increased difficulty, contributing to a total of 3,600m of climbing on the course: over 1,000m more than the infamous Ironman Lanzarote.<\/p>\n
Away from the long-distance event, in 1988 the organisers added an Olympic-distance triathlon to the schedule that would attract 520 competitors. The race hosted a quartet of ITU World Cup events throughout the nineties, drawing nearly 100,000 spectators to the 1991 edition, won by Mark Allen. Simon Lessing took the title a year later, and in 1993 a record 1,500 athletes would take on the various formats of the Embrunman, again in front of a crowd numbering 100,000 people.<\/p>\n
Like the Alpe d\u2019Huez Triathlon, the present incarnation of Embrunman is a multi-day affair, with a duathlon held over the weekend, and events for youth and beginner athletes. The event, however, will most likely remain infamous for its challenging slopes on the bike and run (not to mention the chance of extreme heat) that put it very near the top of the list of the world\u2019s toughest triathlons. In fact 220 named it the 10th toughest Iron-distance triathlon in the world<\/a><\/p>\n29. London Triathlon<\/strong><\/h2>\n ![\"""\"]( "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> Credit: Jack Taylor\/Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\nLocation: ExCeL, Docklands, London<\/strong><\/p>\nThe biggy. And by biggy we mean over 13,000 triathletes competing across super sprint, sprint, Olympic and Olympic Plus distances \u2013 plus a myriad of relay options \u2013 over two days at the ExCeL Centre in London\u2019s East End.<\/p>\n
So big, in fact, that the race has now superseded the Chicago Triathlon as the world\u2019s largest in terms of participation. And, with around a third of the annual influx of over 13,000 athletes being beginners to the sport, the London Triathlon<\/a><\/strong> has played host to thousands of debut triathlon races, becoming an important rite of passage for age-group athletes across the British Isles.<\/p>\nThe swim begins with a deep-water start in front of the ExCeL Centre, before proceeding with an out-and-back route in the occasionally choppy yet current-free waters of the Royal Victoria Dock.<\/p>\n
Then (if you can remember where to find your bike in the cavernous indoor transition area) the flat bike route takes place on closed roads with the sub-2:30hr athletes using a course that takes in Big Ben, Westminster and Embankment before returning to the ExCel via Canary Wharf. Fast, flat and perfect for a personal best, the multi-lap run route heads through the venue to Royal Albert Dock and returns to the indoor finish line gantry.<\/p>\n
With 13,500 athletes bringing their support crews, the route is lined with cheering spectators and intrigued locals. Celebrity spotting also adds another element of fun, with Baywatch star David Hasselhoff, racing driver Jenson Button and Virgin founder Richard Branson the recent pick of famous participants, alongside a host of reality television stars and retired pop performers.<\/p>\n
The event also offers the chance for spectators to see age-group athletes race on the same course as some of the world\u2019s top triathletes, like Daniela Ryf<\/a><\/strong>, Jodie Stimpson, Courtney Atkinson and Helen Jenkins, to name some recent winners.<\/p>\n- London Triathlon in pics<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
- Winter training tips for London Triathlon athletes<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
- London Triathlon race tips\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>
28. Hever Castle Triathlon, Kent, UK<\/strong><\/h2>\nLike the Slateman, the Hever Castle Triathlon<\/a><\/strong> has swiftly established itself as an essential fixture on the UK multisport circuit. And, like the Slateman\u2019s power stations and quarries, the location has plenty of quirks for athletes and supporters, from searching for the ghost of Anne Boleyn to spotting filming locations used in the fantasy classic The Princess Bride.<\/p>\nLaunched by former Marines helicopter pilot Brian Adcock, the Hever Castle Triathlon was established in 2009<\/a><\/strong>. Around 1,000 athletes headed to Kent in the south-east of England for that inaugural event, and the numbers have rapidly increased to 7,000 for 13 different race distances (including a 226km long-distance Bastion race held at Hever in July).<\/p>\nKey to that growth has been the focus on children\u2019s triathlon, with numbers almost doubling each year and overtaking the Chicago Triathlon as the world\u2019s largest children\u2019s triathlon. Kid-friendly touches include allowing parents into transition to help with wetsuit removal and changing, a completely off-road children\u2019s course and race distances starting with a manageable 100m swim before a 4km bike and a 1.3km run.<\/p>\n
The races themselves begin with an early morning open-water swim in the misty and murky 38-acre Hever Castle Lake. After T1, the bike leg is deceptively tough, with barely a flat section on the route that takes athletes on a circuit through the quiet roads of the High Weald of Kent and, quite cruelly, past some of the county\u2019s finest looking beer gardens.<\/p>\n
The largely off-road light trail run circumnavigates the estate and leafy castle grounds, before making the dash to the tree-lined finishing chute beside the lake and adjacent to the castle. A man dressed as Henry VIII and plenty of cake await participants at the finish, and the festival fun includes live bands, an archery event and, naturally, bouncy castles.<\/p>\n
- Hever Castle Triathlon gallery<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
- Race Tips: Hever Castle Triathlon<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>
27. Ironman Vitoria-Gasteiz<\/strong><\/h2>\nLocation:<\/strong> Vitoria Gasteiz, Northern Spain<\/p>\nSet amidst Spain\u2019s gorgeous wine country, Ironman Vitoria-Gasteiz<\/a><\/strong> celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2016 and regularly draws thousands of European triathletes to northern Spain for its full and half iron races. To explain why, it\u2019s over to British pro Iron athlete, Yvette Grice:<\/p>\n\u201cThe swim takes place in the clean and beautiful Ullibarri-Gamboa lake outside the town. The bike is rolling with a good road surface and with wonderful views of the Alava Plains. The run is where the race really comes to life with three laps starting and finishing in the Medieval quarter of Vitoria-Gasteiz.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt can get pretty hot on the run but the support from the enthusiastic crowd will spur you on. There\u2019s a very special feel to this race, the organisation and friendly atmosphere are top notch and all who enter are bound to have a great experience. I cannot rate this event highly enough.\u201d<\/p>\n
26. National Triathlon Relays<\/strong><\/h2>\nLocation: <\/strong>Holme Pierrepont, Nottingham, UK<\/p>\nA giant game of team tag, this is racing old-school style. Each team member does the swim, bike, run, and after each leg, each member has to tag the next before play ensues to the next sport. There\u2019s only one word that really sums it up \u2013 fun. You can be as competitive as you want, but the name of the game is pure pleasure.<\/p>\n
One by one, the four members of each team complete a 500m swim, before going onto the 15km bike. Only after all four are done with their individual rides can they embark on the first of their 5km runs, after which, the team with the fastest time is crowned national relays champion.<\/p>\n
The National Triathlon Relays<\/a><\/strong> founder Iain Hamilton was just 18 years old when he launched the event back in 1991 as part of a college project. Since then it\u2019s welcomed the likes of Tim Don, Richard Allen, Stuart Hayes, Chrissie Wellington<\/a><\/strong>, Spencer Smith and Jonny Brownlee.<\/p>\n25. Hamburg Wasser Triathlon<\/strong><\/h2>\n ![\"""\"]( "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> Duffy dives into the water as the starting gong sounds at WTCS Hamburg (Credit: Lukas Schulze\/Getty Images for Ironman)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\nLocation:<\/strong> Germany<\/p>\nFrom Cape Town to Mooloolaba in Australia and Cozumel in Mexico, the International Triathlon Union\u2019s World Series and the federation\u2019s second-tier collection of World Cup races have plenty of jaw-dropping canvases for athletes to perform against. While it may lack the aforementioned trio\u2019s mountains, golden sands or azure waters, the World Series regular race at Hamburg<\/a><\/strong> in northern Germany tops them all in the atmosphere stakes.<\/p>\nIn a nation that also boasts Challenge Roth (220,000 spectators), the World Triathlon race in Hamburg completes the golden duo with a reported 300,000 competitors crammed into the old town of Germany\u2019s second-biggest city.<\/p>\n
The race has been an ever-present entry on the World Series since 2009 and has long hosted World Cup, World Championship, Mixed Relay and Paratriathlon events, with the ITU worlds champions Alistair and Jonny Brownlee<\/a><\/strong>, Gwen Jorgensen and Javier Gomez<\/a><\/strong> all breaking the tape to a crescendo of Germanic noise in recent times.<\/p>\nWhile some major city races stick around the outskirts with only brief forays into any central areas, part of the Hamburg race\u2019s appeal is how it takes over the heart of the city. The swim is positioned in the man-made Inner Alster Lake within the city limits, with the swim\u2019s famous dark tunnel to be negotiated by both the elite athletes and 10,000 international age-group triathletes over the weekend.<\/p>\n
The bike course may be flat but it\u2019s one of the ITU\u2019s more technical routes, forcing athletes to weave around the streets of the old trading city and negotiate a number of switchbacks at the end of each of the multiple loops (the event offers both sprint and Olympic-distance races). The 5\/10km run concludes at the Hamburg City Hall for one of triathlon\u2019s most epic finales.<\/p>\n
24. Ironman 70.3\u00a0Puc\u00f3n<\/strong><\/h2>\nLocation:<\/strong> Chile<\/p>\nPuc\u00f3n in southern Chile has long been a South American mecca for adrenaline junkies, an international outdoor sports playground akin to Queenstown in New Zealand. Ample snowboarding, skiing, canoeing, horseriding and hiking opportunities give hoards of backpackers their athletic fix each year, with endurance sport addicts firmly added to the list in 2008 as the M-Dot juggernaut rolled in for the debut of Ironman 70.3 Puc\u00f3n<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\nWith a backdrop of the smouldering, snowcapped Villarrica volcano (one of South America\u2019s most restless), the race begins with a two-lap 1.9km swim in the calm waters of Lake Villarrica before athletes face a hilly two-lap 90km bike into the hills around the lake, along the highway leading to Argentina and up to the Palgu\u00edn hot springs.<\/p>\n
The half-marathon run leg takes competitors through Puc\u00f3n town on a crowd-pleasing three-lap tour, with a pair of tough ascents on each lap before a raucous finish-line experience.<\/p>\n
A strong contender for the most beautiful 70.3 race on the worldwide circuit, Puc\u00f3n has become a popular stop for athletes keen to start their race season every January, and the event regularly sells out months in advance. The tall Brazilian, Reinaldo Colucci, is the undisputed King of Puc\u00f3n, with four wins and a couple of second-place finishes in his six appearances at the race.<\/p>\n
23. Monster Triathlon<\/strong><\/h2>\nLocation:<\/strong> Scotland and England<\/p>\nAnyone that has a penchant for pain and suffering (we\u2019re guessing that\u2019s a lot of you) may well want to check out the Monster Triathlon<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\nThis is an event that takes ultra-triathlon to a whole new level. It starts with a 5km swim in Loch Ness. Once out of the water, entrants are then faced with five days and 1,000km of cycling as they cycle to Windsor, before running a cool 50km to Richmond, London.<\/p>\n
Unlike most events, the Monster Triathlon won\u2019t be timed, which is no surprise given its multi-day setup. To be honest, though, by the end you\u2019ll probably just be battling to finish rather than focusing on a specific time.<\/p>\n
The swim in Loch Ness takes place against a backdrop of dramatic scenery, while the bike route will take you through the iconic Glencoe Pass, past Loch Lomond, through the Scottish Borders, up and over the rolling Lancashire countryside, via the Shropshire Hills and the Chilterns.<\/p>\n
To finish, the ultra-marathon will see you hug the banks of the Thames.<\/p>\n
22. The Outlaw<\/strong><\/h2>\nLocation:<\/strong> Nottingham, UK<\/p>\nDrawing on the mythology of Robin Hood, Nottingham\u2019s Outlaw Triathlon<\/a><\/strong> has firmly established itself as an essential fixture on the UK\u2019s long-distance calendar since its launch in 2010, scooping plenty of awards along the way and selling out in a handful of days.<\/p>\nWith the sun rising over Holme Pierrepont, the race regularly starts under an orange sky with a 3.8km swim in the National Water Sports Centre lake. The bike leg takes in some pretty Nottinghamshire countryside before the run finds the 1,450 athletes cheered on by locals lining the River Trent path.<\/p>\n
While the pro field is small, the event has provided plenty of memorable victories, from Paul Hawkins leading for the duration in 2010 to local dentist Eugene Grant taking 2013\u2019s heat-wave edition. Perhaps the most impressive is Harry Wiltshire\u2019s surprise win in July 2012, where the British pro athlete, after failing to source any relay team members, led throughout to take the title despite, \u2018only putting my trainers on in T2 so I could jog back to the car.\u2019<\/p>\n
- The Outlaw race tips<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n
- Seven ways not to do the Outlaw<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>
21. Celtman<\/strong><\/h2>\n ![\"""\"]( "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> Athletes run over Beinn Eighe during the Celtman Extreme Triathlon in 2019 (Credit: Kai-Otto Melau\/Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\nLocation:<\/strong> Torridon Mountains, Scotland<\/p>\nIf the thought of completing an Iron-distance race isn\u2019t enough, the organisers of the long-course Celtman<\/a><\/strong> have thrown in a deeply cold 3.8km swim in the 400m Loch Shieldaig, an extended 202km bike course before a marathon run over two Munros. Plus the Scottish weather.<\/p>\nCalling it a Scottish Norseman wouldn\u2019t be wide of the mark. Centred around the remote Torridon mountains (a five-hour drive north of Glasgow and Edinburgh), the Celtman was first run in 2012. \u201cThe Norseman was a big influence \u2013 Dag Oliver and his team were the first people we spoke to as most of the Celtman team had either raced or supported in Norway,\u201d says Celtman organiser Paul McGreal. \u201cWe adopted many of the key features of Norseman \u2013 the ballot for entry, the need for a support crew, the small scale of the event and, of course, an extreme and testing route.\u201d<\/p>\n
The race would pick-up a British Triathlon Event of the Year award in its very first year, with the rare point-to-point course (\u201cIt\u2019s a journey right from the beginning,\u201d adds McGreal), 4,000m of total ascent and the UK\u2019s most extreme run course finding favour with voters.<\/p>\n
That run course is nearly all off-road, with McGreal filling in the grisly details. \u201cAfter an easy first half, the run courses feature a climb of over 1,000m to the first of the Munro hills. The exposed and spectacular ridge run to the second hill, which involves another 300m of climbing, is essentially over trackless and rocky terrain. Then the route follows an exceptionally steep descent down a rock-filled scree chute to the corrie of Loch Coire Mhic Fhearchair.\u201d<\/p>\n
- Celtman Extreme Scottish Triathlon in pictures\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>
20. Leeds Triathlon<\/strong><\/h2>\nLocation:<\/strong> Leeds, England<\/p>\nGiven its history, there\u2019s no question that Leeds Triathlon<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0has to be on this list. It\u2019s been the scene of many incredible World Triathlon races over the years and has been the local stomping ground for much of the Jonny and Alistair Brownlee<\/a><\/strong>\u2018s illustrious careers.<\/p>\nSuch is its status that there\u2019s always a large, supportive crowd lining the course to cheer you and thousands of other competitors on.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s also beginner friendly with multiple distances to choose from. Whichever you opt for, you\u2019ll get to enjoy a swim in Waterloo Lake and the tree-lined avenues of Roundhay Park.<\/p>\n
As the home of some of Britain\u2019s most successful triathletes, it\u2019s simply one you\u2019ve got to tick off at some point.<\/p>\n
19. Helvellyn Triathlon<\/strong><\/h2>\n ![\"""\"]( "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> Credit: Csansomphoto<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\nLocation: <\/strong>Ullswater, Cumbria, England<\/p>\nMartin Cain, who set a course record in 2011, is a man with a strong claim to be called the UK\u2019s hardest triathlete. This is what he thinks of Helvellyn Triathlon<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\u201cLooking for a challenge? Then the Helvellyn Triathlon is it. Despite the blisters, blood and the fact that I walk around like John Wayne for days afterwards, I\u2019ll keep going back for more. The swim is beautiful\u2026 but freezing; the bike is superb\u2026 as long as you enjoy 1:4 hills; and the run scenery is outstanding\u2026 if you can lift your head to look at it.\u201d<\/p>\n
A skull-crushingly cold swim, brutal climbs and hair-raising descents have forged the Helvellyn Triathlon\u2019s reputation as the UK\u2019s toughest multisport event.<\/p>\n
Since its inception in 2004, snowballing word of mouth has seen 600 of the UK\u2019s hardiest triathletes come to Cumbria each August\/September armed with the mandatory survival blanket, map, compass and whistle.<\/p>\n
In the stunning setting of England\u2019s Lake District, the course features a 1.6km swim in the bitter-cold waters of mountain-ringed Ullswater. The 61.2km bike route is legendary for The Struggle climb over the Kirkstone Pass at 44km.<\/p>\n
Rising 400m in 5km, it\u2019s an absolute brute, loaded with 20% ascents that will force even the most experienced athletes to push their steeds skyward. Then, far from offering a relaxing route home, the descent from Kirkstone Pass is highly technical, with exposed upper slopes, tights turns that need to be negotiated at speed and drystone walls lurking ominously at the side of the roads.<\/p>\n
TriHard Event\u2019s 14.5km run route continues piling on the punishment, sending athletes to within touching distance of the 949m summit of Helvellyn, the third-highest peak in England (only 22m less than the highest).<\/p>\n
\u201cAccept that you won\u2019t be able to run all the way to the top of Helvellyn. On the really steep sections it\u2019s both faster and more energy-efficient to power walk, with the final stretch up Swirral Edge a rock scramble,\u201d says 2013 winner Richard Anderson.<\/p>\n
The descent, again, is no picnic either and will test athletes\u2019 downhill running skills to the max. Cain labels it \u201chair-raising and brutal . . . and I almost always fall,\u201d and the race organisers recommend all athletes cut their toenails, because they won\u2019t have any left by the finish line.<\/p>\n
- Race tips: Helvellyn Triathlon<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
- Helvellyn Triathlon in pics<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>
18. The Brutal Triathlon<\/strong><\/h2>\nLocation: <\/strong>Snowdonia, Wales<\/p>\nIt\u2019s got one of the most forbidding names in triathlon, for good reason. Extremely cruel or harsh. Very bad or unpleasant. Harsh, burdensome, cruel, excruciating, grim, hard, rugged. The Merriam-Webster dictionary pulls no punches in its definition of \u2018Brutal\u2019 and its synonyms. And neither do The Brutal Triathlon<\/a><\/strong>\u2018s race organisers\u2026<\/p>\n
A swim in the turquoise Tyrrhenian Sea, a rolling bike in the Tuscan Archipelago and a marathon run through the Italian resort of Marina di Campo. Small wonder this event is sold-out months in advance. Welcome to Elbaman<\/a><\/strong>, Italy\u2019s most famous triathlon and greatest long-distance event, held since 2005.<\/p>\n Its setting is Elba, Italy\u2019s third-largest Island (after Sicily and Sardinia), which lies 20km southwest of the mainland town of Piombino in the province of Livorno. With a 7am start, the swim features two 1.9km laps in the warm 20\u00b0C-plus waters of Marina di Campo Bay, with athletes exiting onto the bay\u2019s golden sands and into T1 before three 60km loops around the island\u2019s western end.<\/p>\n If the waters are almost always calm, the bike course makes a lumpy contrast; it has 2,500m of elevation gain and barely a flat section anywhere in its 180km. Mediterranean scrub, pine forests and views of the Corsican coast about 50km further west provide the eye candy, along with the gorgeous nineteenth-century fishing village of Marciana Marina on the north coast, which is traversed three times.<\/p>\n The 42.1km run (three 14km laps) takes athletes north from Marina di Campo and then back to a coastline finish. This section is fast and flat, with plenty of support en route, but athletes face the rising September heat here, with temperatures hitting the mid- to upper 20s, and the three-loop format is mentally exhausting.<\/p>\n Numbers are restricted to just 280 for the long-distance showpiece (a middle-distance attracts 430 racers and is held alongside the full Elbaman) to ensure clear road racing and a manageable mass swim start.<\/p>\n While many pro elites are absent, the start list has a huge international flavour, with athletes from over 20 nations regularly racing.<\/p>\n Location: <\/strong>Hutes-Alpes, France\/Italy border<\/p>\n Proof that St Croix doesn\u2019t have the exclusive right to call a bike climb \u2018The Beast\u2019 is Embrunman<\/a><\/strong>, a race that positively drips with French triathlon history and is infamous for its unforgiving climbs on both the bike and run courses.<\/p>\n The inaugural Embrunman was held in Embrun, in the Hautes-Alpes near the France\/Italy border, on 19 August 1984. That event consisted of a 750m swim, 30km bike and 10km race walk, but already present in the bike section was the Cote de Chalvet climb, which is still tormenting triathletes today.<\/p>\n Just a year later the race became the standard distance championships of France, with the rare race distances of 1.5km swim\/70km bike\/21km run attracting 280 athletes and some 20,000 spectators to the small south-eastern commune (pop. 6,000). The event would go long in 1986, with a format of 4km swim in the sheltered lake, a 131.5km bike and a hilly 42.1km run punctuated with ferocious climbs introduced by the organisers with the claim that it would be tougher than Ironman Hawaii.<\/p>\n In 1990 the route was changed for a final time with the introduction of the ascent of the Col d\u2019Izoard on the bike course. The new 186km route came with increased difficulty, contributing to a total of 3,600m of climbing on the course: over 1,000m more than the infamous Ironman Lanzarote.<\/p>\n Away from the long-distance event, in 1988 the organisers added an Olympic-distance triathlon to the schedule that would attract 520 competitors. The race hosted a quartet of ITU World Cup events throughout the nineties, drawing nearly 100,000 spectators to the 1991 edition, won by Mark Allen. Simon Lessing took the title a year later, and in 1993 a record 1,500 athletes would take on the various formats of the Embrunman, again in front of a crowd numbering 100,000 people.<\/p>\n Like the Alpe d\u2019Huez Triathlon, the present incarnation of Embrunman is a multi-day affair, with a duathlon held over the weekend, and events for youth and beginner athletes. The event, however, will most likely remain infamous for its challenging slopes on the bike and run (not to mention the chance of extreme heat) that put it very near the top of the list of the world\u2019s toughest triathlons. In fact 220 named it the 10th toughest Iron-distance triathlon in the world<\/a><\/p>\n Location: ExCeL, Docklands, London<\/strong><\/p>\n The biggy. And by biggy we mean over 13,000 triathletes competing across super sprint, sprint, Olympic and Olympic Plus distances \u2013 plus a myriad of relay options \u2013 over two days at the ExCeL Centre in London\u2019s East End.<\/p>\n So big, in fact, that the race has now superseded the Chicago Triathlon as the world\u2019s largest in terms of participation. And, with around a third of the annual influx of over 13,000 athletes being beginners to the sport, the London Triathlon<\/a><\/strong> has played host to thousands of debut triathlon races, becoming an important rite of passage for age-group athletes across the British Isles.<\/p>\n The swim begins with a deep-water start in front of the ExCeL Centre, before proceeding with an out-and-back route in the occasionally choppy yet current-free waters of the Royal Victoria Dock.<\/p>\n Then (if you can remember where to find your bike in the cavernous indoor transition area) the flat bike route takes place on closed roads with the sub-2:30hr athletes using a course that takes in Big Ben, Westminster and Embankment before returning to the ExCel via Canary Wharf. Fast, flat and perfect for a personal best, the multi-lap run route heads through the venue to Royal Albert Dock and returns to the indoor finish line gantry.<\/p>\n With 13,500 athletes bringing their support crews, the route is lined with cheering spectators and intrigued locals. Celebrity spotting also adds another element of fun, with Baywatch star David Hasselhoff, racing driver Jenson Button and Virgin founder Richard Branson the recent pick of famous participants, alongside a host of reality television stars and retired pop performers.<\/p>\n The event also offers the chance for spectators to see age-group athletes race on the same course as some of the world\u2019s top triathletes, like Daniela Ryf<\/a><\/strong>, Jodie Stimpson, Courtney Atkinson and Helen Jenkins, to name some recent winners.<\/p>\n Like the Slateman, the Hever Castle Triathlon<\/a><\/strong> has swiftly established itself as an essential fixture on the UK multisport circuit. And, like the Slateman\u2019s power stations and quarries, the location has plenty of quirks for athletes and supporters, from searching for the ghost of Anne Boleyn to spotting filming locations used in the fantasy classic The Princess Bride.<\/p>\n Launched by former Marines helicopter pilot Brian Adcock, the Hever Castle Triathlon was established in 2009<\/a><\/strong>. Around 1,000 athletes headed to Kent in the south-east of England for that inaugural event, and the numbers have rapidly increased to 7,000 for 13 different race distances (including a 226km long-distance Bastion race held at Hever in July).<\/p>\n Key to that growth has been the focus on children\u2019s triathlon, with numbers almost doubling each year and overtaking the Chicago Triathlon as the world\u2019s largest children\u2019s triathlon. Kid-friendly touches include allowing parents into transition to help with wetsuit removal and changing, a completely off-road children\u2019s course and race distances starting with a manageable 100m swim before a 4km bike and a 1.3km run.<\/p>\n The races themselves begin with an early morning open-water swim in the misty and murky 38-acre Hever Castle Lake. After T1, the bike leg is deceptively tough, with barely a flat section on the route that takes athletes on a circuit through the quiet roads of the High Weald of Kent and, quite cruelly, past some of the county\u2019s finest looking beer gardens.<\/p>\n The largely off-road light trail run circumnavigates the estate and leafy castle grounds, before making the dash to the tree-lined finishing chute beside the lake and adjacent to the castle. A man dressed as Henry VIII and plenty of cake await participants at the finish, and the festival fun includes live bands, an archery event and, naturally, bouncy castles.<\/p>\n Location:<\/strong> Vitoria Gasteiz, Northern Spain<\/p>\n Set amidst Spain\u2019s gorgeous wine country, Ironman Vitoria-Gasteiz<\/a><\/strong> celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2016 and regularly draws thousands of European triathletes to northern Spain for its full and half iron races. To explain why, it\u2019s over to British pro Iron athlete, Yvette Grice:<\/p>\n \u201cThe swim takes place in the clean and beautiful Ullibarri-Gamboa lake outside the town. The bike is rolling with a good road surface and with wonderful views of the Alava Plains. The run is where the race really comes to life with three laps starting and finishing in the Medieval quarter of Vitoria-Gasteiz.<\/p>\n \u201cIt can get pretty hot on the run but the support from the enthusiastic crowd will spur you on. There\u2019s a very special feel to this race, the organisation and friendly atmosphere are top notch and all who enter are bound to have a great experience. I cannot rate this event highly enough.\u201d<\/p>\n Location: <\/strong>Holme Pierrepont, Nottingham, UK<\/p>\n A giant game of team tag, this is racing old-school style. Each team member does the swim, bike, run, and after each leg, each member has to tag the next before play ensues to the next sport. There\u2019s only one word that really sums it up \u2013 fun. You can be as competitive as you want, but the name of the game is pure pleasure.<\/p>\n One by one, the four members of each team complete a 500m swim, before going onto the 15km bike. Only after all four are done with their individual rides can they embark on the first of their 5km runs, after which, the team with the fastest time is crowned national relays champion.<\/p>\n The National Triathlon Relays<\/a><\/strong> founder Iain Hamilton was just 18 years old when he launched the event back in 1991 as part of a college project. Since then it\u2019s welcomed the likes of Tim Don, Richard Allen, Stuart Hayes, Chrissie Wellington<\/a><\/strong>, Spencer Smith and Jonny Brownlee.<\/p>\n Location:<\/strong> Germany<\/p>\n From Cape Town to Mooloolaba in Australia and Cozumel in Mexico, the International Triathlon Union\u2019s World Series and the federation\u2019s second-tier collection of World Cup races have plenty of jaw-dropping canvases for athletes to perform against. While it may lack the aforementioned trio\u2019s mountains, golden sands or azure waters, the World Series regular race at Hamburg<\/a><\/strong> in northern Germany tops them all in the atmosphere stakes.<\/p>\n In a nation that also boasts Challenge Roth (220,000 spectators), the World Triathlon race in Hamburg completes the golden duo with a reported 300,000 competitors crammed into the old town of Germany\u2019s second-biggest city.<\/p>\n The race has been an ever-present entry on the World Series since 2009 and has long hosted World Cup, World Championship, Mixed Relay and Paratriathlon events, with the ITU worlds champions Alistair and Jonny Brownlee<\/a><\/strong>, Gwen Jorgensen and Javier Gomez<\/a><\/strong> all breaking the tape to a crescendo of Germanic noise in recent times.<\/p>\n While some major city races stick around the outskirts with only brief forays into any central areas, part of the Hamburg race\u2019s appeal is how it takes over the heart of the city. The swim is positioned in the man-made Inner Alster Lake within the city limits, with the swim\u2019s famous dark tunnel to be negotiated by both the elite athletes and 10,000 international age-group triathletes over the weekend.<\/p>\n The bike course may be flat but it\u2019s one of the ITU\u2019s more technical routes, forcing athletes to weave around the streets of the old trading city and negotiate a number of switchbacks at the end of each of the multiple loops (the event offers both sprint and Olympic-distance races). The 5\/10km run concludes at the Hamburg City Hall for one of triathlon\u2019s most epic finales.<\/p>\n Location:<\/strong> Chile<\/p>\n Puc\u00f3n in southern Chile has long been a South American mecca for adrenaline junkies, an international outdoor sports playground akin to Queenstown in New Zealand. Ample snowboarding, skiing, canoeing, horseriding and hiking opportunities give hoards of backpackers their athletic fix each year, with endurance sport addicts firmly added to the list in 2008 as the M-Dot juggernaut rolled in for the debut of Ironman 70.3 Puc\u00f3n<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n With a backdrop of the smouldering, snowcapped Villarrica volcano (one of South America\u2019s most restless), the race begins with a two-lap 1.9km swim in the calm waters of Lake Villarrica before athletes face a hilly two-lap 90km bike into the hills around the lake, along the highway leading to Argentina and up to the Palgu\u00edn hot springs.<\/p>\n The half-marathon run leg takes competitors through Puc\u00f3n town on a crowd-pleasing three-lap tour, with a pair of tough ascents on each lap before a raucous finish-line experience.<\/p>\n A strong contender for the most beautiful 70.3 race on the worldwide circuit, Puc\u00f3n has become a popular stop for athletes keen to start their race season every January, and the event regularly sells out months in advance. The tall Brazilian, Reinaldo Colucci, is the undisputed King of Puc\u00f3n, with four wins and a couple of second-place finishes in his six appearances at the race.<\/p>\n Location:<\/strong> Scotland and England<\/p>\n Anyone that has a penchant for pain and suffering (we\u2019re guessing that\u2019s a lot of you) may well want to check out the Monster Triathlon<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n This is an event that takes ultra-triathlon to a whole new level. It starts with a 5km swim in Loch Ness. Once out of the water, entrants are then faced with five days and 1,000km of cycling as they cycle to Windsor, before running a cool 50km to Richmond, London.<\/p>\n Unlike most events, the Monster Triathlon won\u2019t be timed, which is no surprise given its multi-day setup. To be honest, though, by the end you\u2019ll probably just be battling to finish rather than focusing on a specific time.<\/p>\n The swim in Loch Ness takes place against a backdrop of dramatic scenery, while the bike route will take you through the iconic Glencoe Pass, past Loch Lomond, through the Scottish Borders, up and over the rolling Lancashire countryside, via the Shropshire Hills and the Chilterns.<\/p>\n To finish, the ultra-marathon will see you hug the banks of the Thames.<\/p>\n Location:<\/strong> Nottingham, UK<\/p>\n Drawing on the mythology of Robin Hood, Nottingham\u2019s Outlaw Triathlon<\/a><\/strong> has firmly established itself as an essential fixture on the UK\u2019s long-distance calendar since its launch in 2010, scooping plenty of awards along the way and selling out in a handful of days.<\/p>\n With the sun rising over Holme Pierrepont, the race regularly starts under an orange sky with a 3.8km swim in the National Water Sports Centre lake. The bike leg takes in some pretty Nottinghamshire countryside before the run finds the 1,450 athletes cheered on by locals lining the River Trent path.<\/p>\n While the pro field is small, the event has provided plenty of memorable victories, from Paul Hawkins leading for the duration in 2010 to local dentist Eugene Grant taking 2013\u2019s heat-wave edition. Perhaps the most impressive is Harry Wiltshire\u2019s surprise win in July 2012, where the British pro athlete, after failing to source any relay team members, led throughout to take the title despite, \u2018only putting my trainers on in T2 so I could jog back to the car.\u2019<\/p>\n Location:<\/strong> Torridon Mountains, Scotland<\/p>\n If the thought of completing an Iron-distance race isn\u2019t enough, the organisers of the long-course Celtman<\/a><\/strong> have thrown in a deeply cold 3.8km swim in the 400m Loch Shieldaig, an extended 202km bike course before a marathon run over two Munros. Plus the Scottish weather.<\/p>\n Calling it a Scottish Norseman wouldn\u2019t be wide of the mark. Centred around the remote Torridon mountains (a five-hour drive north of Glasgow and Edinburgh), the Celtman was first run in 2012. \u201cThe Norseman was a big influence \u2013 Dag Oliver and his team were the first people we spoke to as most of the Celtman team had either raced or supported in Norway,\u201d says Celtman organiser Paul McGreal. \u201cWe adopted many of the key features of Norseman \u2013 the ballot for entry, the need for a support crew, the small scale of the event and, of course, an extreme and testing route.\u201d<\/p>\n The race would pick-up a British Triathlon Event of the Year award in its very first year, with the rare point-to-point course (\u201cIt\u2019s a journey right from the beginning,\u201d adds McGreal), 4,000m of total ascent and the UK\u2019s most extreme run course finding favour with voters.<\/p>\n That run course is nearly all off-road, with McGreal filling in the grisly details. \u201cAfter an easy first half, the run courses feature a climb of over 1,000m to the first of the Munro hills. The exposed and spectacular ridge run to the second hill, which involves another 300m of climbing, is essentially over trackless and rocky terrain. Then the route follows an exceptionally steep descent down a rock-filled scree chute to the corrie of Loch Coire Mhic Fhearchair.\u201d<\/p>\n Location:<\/strong> Leeds, England<\/p>\n Given its history, there\u2019s no question that Leeds Triathlon<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0has to be on this list. It\u2019s been the scene of many incredible World Triathlon races over the years and has been the local stomping ground for much of the Jonny and Alistair Brownlee<\/a><\/strong>\u2018s illustrious careers.<\/p>\n Such is its status that there\u2019s always a large, supportive crowd lining the course to cheer you and thousands of other competitors on.<\/p>\n It\u2019s also beginner friendly with multiple distances to choose from. Whichever you opt for, you\u2019ll get to enjoy a swim in Waterloo Lake and the tree-lined avenues of Roundhay Park.<\/p>\n As the home of some of Britain\u2019s most successful triathletes, it\u2019s simply one you\u2019ve got to tick off at some point.<\/p>\n Location: <\/strong>Ullswater, Cumbria, England<\/p>\n Martin Cain, who set a course record in 2011, is a man with a strong claim to be called the UK\u2019s hardest triathlete. This is what he thinks of Helvellyn Triathlon<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n \u201cLooking for a challenge? Then the Helvellyn Triathlon is it. Despite the blisters, blood and the fact that I walk around like John Wayne for days afterwards, I\u2019ll keep going back for more. The swim is beautiful\u2026 but freezing; the bike is superb\u2026 as long as you enjoy 1:4 hills; and the run scenery is outstanding\u2026 if you can lift your head to look at it.\u201d<\/p>\n A skull-crushingly cold swim, brutal climbs and hair-raising descents have forged the Helvellyn Triathlon\u2019s reputation as the UK\u2019s toughest multisport event.<\/p>\n Since its inception in 2004, snowballing word of mouth has seen 600 of the UK\u2019s hardiest triathletes come to Cumbria each August\/September armed with the mandatory survival blanket, map, compass and whistle.<\/p>\n In the stunning setting of England\u2019s Lake District, the course features a 1.6km swim in the bitter-cold waters of mountain-ringed Ullswater. The 61.2km bike route is legendary for The Struggle climb over the Kirkstone Pass at 44km.<\/p>\n Rising 400m in 5km, it\u2019s an absolute brute, loaded with 20% ascents that will force even the most experienced athletes to push their steeds skyward. Then, far from offering a relaxing route home, the descent from Kirkstone Pass is highly technical, with exposed upper slopes, tights turns that need to be negotiated at speed and drystone walls lurking ominously at the side of the roads.<\/p>\n TriHard Event\u2019s 14.5km run route continues piling on the punishment, sending athletes to within touching distance of the 949m summit of Helvellyn, the third-highest peak in England (only 22m less than the highest).<\/p>\n \u201cAccept that you won\u2019t be able to run all the way to the top of Helvellyn. On the really steep sections it\u2019s both faster and more energy-efficient to power walk, with the final stretch up Swirral Edge a rock scramble,\u201d says 2013 winner Richard Anderson.<\/p>\n The descent, again, is no picnic either and will test athletes\u2019 downhill running skills to the max. Cain labels it \u201chair-raising and brutal . . . and I almost always fall,\u201d and the race organisers recommend all athletes cut their toenails, because they won\u2019t have any left by the finish line.<\/p>\n Location: <\/strong>Snowdonia, Wales<\/p>\n It\u2019s got one of the most forbidding names in triathlon, for good reason. Extremely cruel or harsh. Very bad or unpleasant. Harsh, burdensome, cruel, excruciating, grim, hard, rugged. The Merriam-Webster dictionary pulls no punches in its definition of \u2018Brutal\u2019 and its synonyms. And neither do The Brutal Triathlon<\/a><\/strong>\u2018s race organisers\u2026<\/p>\n30. Embrunman<\/strong><\/h2>\n
29. London Triathlon<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>28. Hever Castle Triathlon, Kent, UK<\/strong><\/h2>\n
27. Ironman Vitoria-Gasteiz<\/strong><\/h2>\n
26. National Triathlon Relays<\/strong><\/h2>\n
25. Hamburg Wasser Triathlon<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>24. Ironman 70.3\u00a0Puc\u00f3n<\/strong><\/h2>\n
23. Monster Triathlon<\/strong><\/h2>\n
22. The Outlaw<\/strong><\/h2>\n
21. Celtman<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"""\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/34\/2017\/01\/celtman-triathlon-scotland-0487a43.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C414"\" "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>20. Leeds Triathlon<\/strong><\/h2>\n
19. Helvellyn Triathlon<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>18. The Brutal Triathlon<\/strong><\/h2>\n