Base2Race Harbourman Triathlon
Wicklow Town, Ireland · June · Independent (Wicklow Triathlon Club, Triathlon Ireland sanctioned)
Why people love it
- 1,500 m (0.93 mi) swim in clear water outside the harbour walls
- Start, finish and run in a coastal town about 60 km (37 mi) from Dublin
- Host of the Irish standard-distance championships, with about 500 racers
- Rolling 40 km (24.9 mi) out and back bike through Wicklow countryside
Watch out for
- Olympic only, with no sprint, so it suits experienced athletes more than first-timers
- Hilly bike and steep harbour steps on the old run route
- Swim cut to 1,200 m (0.75 mi) in 2025 because of morning conditions
- Sea water around 13 to 16 °C (55 to 61 °F) in late June, an estimate
- Only official reports and news exist; no racer race reports
Race
How racers feel about it, how well it is run, and how it treats a first timer. Counts for 30% of the overall score.
Toughness: Tough
- Racer satisfactionLoved3.6
About 500 racers sold out the 2026 national championship and official reports are upbeat, but no racer has written a first-hand account. · Low confidence
- OrganizationWell run3.5
Long-running club race hosting national championships; conditions forced a shorter swim in 2025. No racer has described the day itself. · Low confidence
- First timer friendlyDoable2.9
Olympic distance only, with an open-water harbour swim and a hilly bike. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- PR potentialAverage3.1
Hilly, rolling bike; about average winning times. · Low confidence
Swim
Wetsuit odds, water temperature, calm, and the experience of the start. Counts for 16% of the overall score.
- Wetsuit legalAlmost always4.8
Triathlon Ireland follows World Triathlon, which bans wetsuits only above 24.6 °C (76.3 °F); June sea water is far colder. · Medium confidence
- Water temperatureUncomfortable2.2
Late-June sea water is likely 13 to 16 °C (55 to 61 °F); this is an estimate, not a race-day reading. · Low confidence
- Calm waterSome chop3.0
Open sea outside the harbour walls; morning conditions forced a change in 2025. · Low confidence
- Swim easeModerate3.0
Open-water 1,500 m (0.93 mi) swim outside the harbour walls. · Low confidence
- Swim experienceGreat3.7
A 2019 report describes clear water and a swim that leaves the harbour for open sea. · Low confidence
- Swim supportStandard3.3
No report describes kayaks or lifeguards; a national series race would be expected to provide standard cover. · Low confidence
Bike
Road surface, closures, scenery and wind. Counts for 18% of the overall score.
- Road surfaceMixed3.3
No racer has described the surface; Irish country roads vary. · Low confidence
- Road closuresPartly closed3.3
No racer describes closures; expect marshals and traffic management on country roads. · Low confidence
- Bike sceneryBeautiful3.8
Wicklow countryside. · Low confidence
- WindSome wind3.1
Coastal county with no wind reports; breezy days are possible. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Bike speedAverage3.0
Rolling roads. · Low confidence
- Bike flatnessRolling3.0
Hilly per winners; gain not published. · Low confidence
- Bike simplicitySome technical parts3.4
Out and back on hilly roads, with few reported turns. · Low confidence
Run
Crowds, aid stations, conditions underfoot and scenery. Counts for 13% of the overall score.
- Crowd supportDecent3.3
The old run looped the town twice; the 2025 course moved north of town, so crowds may be thinner. · Low confidence
- Aid stationsStandard3.3
No report describes the aid stations. · Low confidence
- Run sceneryBeautiful3.6
Harbour and town. · Low confidence
- Run conditionsModerate3.2
Town run with steps on the old route. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Run flatnessRolling3.0
Steep steps on the old route; new route unreviewed. · Low confidence
Conditions
Air temperature, how predictable the weather is, setting, and spectating. Counts for 13% of the overall score.
- Air temperaturePleasant4.0
Cool 11 to 20 °C (52 to 68 °F) in a typical late June; 2018 reached 28 °C (82 °F). · Low confidence
- Weather reliabilityVariable2.9
Irish summer weather; the 2025 swim was changed on the morning. · Low confidence
- Venue beautyLovely3.8
Harbour and coastal town. · Low confidence
- Spectator friendlyEasy3.8
Start, run and finish are in the town and harbour. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Low altitudeSea level5.0
Coastal, near sea level. · High confidence
Stay and travel
Hotels, walkability, getting there, and the town around the race. Counts for 10% of the overall score.
- Hotel availabilityBook early3.4
Limited local lodging in Wicklow; Dublin is about 60 km (37 mi) away. · Low confidence
- Hotel valueNormal3.3
Little lodging detail found; Dublin options are about an hour away. · Low confidence
- WalkabilityWalkable4.0
Start, transition and run are all in the town centre. · Low confidence
- Travel easeEasy4.2
Dublin airport is about 65 km (40 mi) away by road and rail. · Medium confidence
- LogisticsSimple3.7
One town venue, but parking and packet pickup details are not published. · Low confidence
- Town and foodGood3.5
Small coastal town; Dublin is 60 km (37 mi) away. · Low confidence
Key facts
- Location
- Wicklow Town, County Wicklow, Ireland
- Typical month
- June
- Latest or next date
- 28 June 2026
- Organiser
- Independent (Wicklow Triathlon Club, Triathlon Ireland sanctioned)
- Field size
- About 500 athletes
- First held
- 2016
- Distances
- 1.5 km (0.9 mi) swim, 40 km (24.9 mi) bike, 10 km (6.2 mi) run
- Swim venue
- Wicklow Harbour and outside the harbour walls (harbour)
- Water temperature
- 13–16 °C (55–61 °F)
- Wetsuit
- Legal
- Swim start
- not documented
- Swim laps
- 1
- Bike laps
- 1
- Run shade
- Not documented
- Air temperature
- 11–20 °C (52–68 °F)
- Humidity
- Moderate
- Altitude
- 5 m (16 ft)
- Nearest airport
- Dublin (DUB), 65 km (40 mi) away
- Where to stay
- Wicklow Town
- Booking
- Wicklow is about 60 km (37 mi) south of Dublin by road and rail; limited local B and Bs, Dublin option. Not verified.
What racers and reviewers say
- Triathlon Ireland: Race report 2025Raced 2025 · article · Mixed
Over 400 starters on a standard-distance course. Conditions on the morning forced a switch to a 1,200 m (0.75 mi) two-lap harbour swim; the bike is rolling out and back for 40 km (24.9 mi) and a new 10 km (6.2 mi) run course goes north of town. Women's winner Emma O'Brien took 2:07:35 with the fastest split in all three. No sprint race is mentioned.
- Triathlon Ireland: Harbourman 2022Raced 2022 · article · Positive
Almost 400 starters. The course is a 1,500 m (0.93 mi) deep-water harbour swim, a rolling 40 km (24.9 mi) out and back bike and a 10 km (6.2 mi) run finishing with the harbour steps. Winner Ciara Wilson said the hilly Wicklow roads made her win sweeter. Men's winner 1:59:04.
“hilly Wicklow roads”
- Triathlon Ireland: 2019 National Standard Distance ChampsRaced 2019 · article · Positive
Over 400 triathletes in near-perfect weather for the second year running. One 1,500 m (0.93 mi) lap outside the harbour walls in clear water, 40 km (24.9 mi) of rolling Wicklow countryside and a 10 km (6.2 mi) run looping the town twice with a steep set of steps each lap.
“near perfect weather conditions”
- Red Bull Ireland: best triathlons in IrelandRaced 2024 · article · Positive
Lists the race as an Olympic-distance open-sea harbour swim of 1,500 m (0.93 mi), an out and back 40 km (24.9 mi) cycle and a run from and to the town centre. Calls it a good choice for Dublin-based athletes. The page mentions sprint ambiguously. Not a first-person view.
- Triathlon Ireland: 2026 race previewRaced 2026 · article · Positive
Standard Distance National Championships and round 8 of the National Series, hosted by Wicklow Triathlon Club on Sunday 28 June 2026. About 500 athletes expected and sold out. No mention of a sprint.
Raced Base2Race Harbourman Triathlon? Your notes on the course, conditions and logistics help the next athlete decide.
Sources
Pages we used for facts and ratings. See how we rate.
Training for Base2Race Harbourman Triathlon? Moku Coach builds your plan around race day.