The Bridge Triathlon (Dartford)
Dartford, United Kingdom · June / July · Independent (The Bridge Events)
Course: 1.5 km (0.9 mi) swim, 42 km (26.1 mi) bike, 10 km (6.2 mi) run. Standard distance: 1.5 km (0.93 mi) / 42 km (26.1 mi) / 10 km (6.2 mi); bike a little over 40 km (24.9 mi). Part of the London Series with capacity raised to 400.
Why people love it
- Bike leg is entirely on closed roads, flat and fast for personal bests.
- Sprint swim is 750 m (0.47 mi) in a lake; reviewers called the event beginner friendly.
- Eventrac rates it 4.5 out of 5 on 93 ratings, with friendly marshals and good value.
- One park holds swim, transition and finish, and reviewers found parking easy.
Watch out for
- All written reviews are from 2016 to 2019, so recent years are not covered.
- Tight U-turns on the 6 km (3.7 mi) bike laps made drafting hard to avoid in later waves.
- Reviewers met long registration queues and a confusing swim and bike briefing.
- Little shade or water on a hot run; two reviewers raced in about 30 °C (86 °F).
- Sprint bike is listed as 20 km (12.4 mi) or 24 km (14.9 mi); check the current course.
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: Moderate
- Racer satisfactionLoved3.9
Eventrac 4.5 out of 5 on 93 ratings but Racecheck 3.6 on four; every written review is from 2016 to 2019. · Low confidence
- OrganizationWell run3.6
Friendly marshals, but 2017 to 2019 reviewers reported long registration queues, a confusing briefing, late awards and a faulty results page. · Low confidence
- First timer friendlyFriendly3.8
Longer 42 km (26.1 mi) bike, same venue · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- PR potentialFast4.2
Flat closed roads · Low confidence
Swim
Wetsuit odds, water temperature, calm, and the experience of the start. Counts for 16% of the overall score.
- Wetsuit legalUsually4.0
June or July lake; World Triathlon rule bans wetsuits above 24.6 °C (76.3 °F); no temperature data · Low confidence
- Water temperatureComfortable3.8
No published temperature; June to July lake likely 17 to 22 °C (63 to 72 °F) · Low confidence
- Calm waterMostly calm4.3
Sheltered lake · Low confidence
- Swim easeEasy3.6
1.5 km (0.93 mi) lake swim · Low confidence
- Swim experienceGreat3.6
Praised as a lovely lake; one reviewer noticed a smell · Low confidence
- Swim supportGood3.7
Wave starts and marshals; no detail on kayaks · Low confidence
Bike
Road surface, closures, scenery and wind. Counts for 18% of the overall score.
- Road surfaceGood3.7
One reviewer called the road decent quality · Low confidence
- Road closuresFully closed4.8
Several reviewers confirm the bike leg is entirely on closed roads. · High confidence
- Bike sceneryPleasant2.6
One reviewer called the closed-road course not pretty; tight laps near the Dartford Crossing. · Low confidence
- WindSome wind3.1
Open Thames-side land; no wind reports · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Bike speedFast4.1
Closed roads, fewer waves · Low confidence
- Bike flatnessMostly flat4.0
Flat; elevation unknown · Low confidence
- Bike simplicitySome technical parts2.9
Four laps of about 6 km (3.7 mi) with tight U-turns, and drafting was hard to avoid in later waves. · Medium confidence
Run
Crowds, aid stations, conditions underfoot and scenery. Counts for 13% of the overall score.
- Crowd supportDecent3.4
Friendly marshals and an upbeat local-race feel; no reports of large crowds. · Low confidence
- Aid stationsStandard2.8
Water in cups at each lap start; hot-day reviewers asked for a second water point and wanted more food at the finish. · Low confidence
- Run sceneryPleasant2.8
Roads with some greenery · Low confidence
- Run conditionsModerate3.0
Three laps, hot days · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Run flatnessMostly flat4.4
Flat 10 km (6.2 mi) · Low confidence
Conditions
Air temperature, how predictable the weather is, setting, and spectating. Counts for 13% of the overall score.
- Air temperaturePleasant3.7
June to July about 14 to 24 °C (57 to 75 °F); 30 °C (86 °F) heat reported in two years · Low confidence
- Weather reliabilityVariable3.1
English summer weather · Low confidence
- Venue beautyPleasant3.4
Reviewers like the lake, but the site sits beside the Dartford Crossing. · Low confidence
- Spectator friendlyEasy4.0
Closed laps and one site, families praised · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Low altitudeSea level5.0
About 5 m (16 ft) above 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 availabilityGood4.4
Greater London and North Kent hotels · Low confidence
- Hotel valueNormal3.2
Normal-ish South East prices; no data · Low confidence
- WalkabilityWalkable3.6
Everything concentrated in one park; parking close · Low confidence
- Travel easeEasy4.4
Dartford station; London airports within 50 km (31 mi) · Medium confidence
- LogisticsSimple3.7
One transition and ample parking; registration queues · Low confidence
- Town and foodFine3.4
Dartford and Bluewater nearby; finish-area food was criticised · Low confidence
Key facts
- Location
- Dartford, Kent, United Kingdom
- Typical month
- June / July
- Latest or next date
- 20 June 2027
- Organiser
- Independent (The Bridge Events)
- Field size
- About 400 athletes
- First held
- 2008
- Distances (non-standard)
- 1.5 km (0.9 mi) swim, 42 km (26.1 mi) bike, 10 km (6.2 mi) run
- Swim venue
- Lake at The Bridge, Dartford (DA1 5PR), by the Dartford Crossing (lake)
- Wetsuit
- Likely legal in June to July (Triathlon England follows World Triathlon, no wetsuit above 24.6 °C / 76.3 °F for swims up to 1,500 m)
- Swim start
- waves, first start 06:30 and a wave about every 15 minutes (estimate)
- Run laps
- 3
- Run shade
- little
- Air temperature
- 14–24 °C (57–75 °F)
- Altitude
- 5 m (16 ft)
- Nearest airport
- London City Airport, 25 km (16 mi) away
- Where to stay
- Dartford, Bluewater
- Booking
- Day-trip race with ample parking per reviewers; early starts (first wave 06:30).
What racers and reviewers say
- Eventrac reviews: The Bridge TriathlonRaced 2019 · aggregator · Positive
Averages 4.5 out of 5 on 93 ratings; written reviews are all from 2017 to 2019 and almost all praise a friendly, well-run local race with closed-road bike legs, flat fast courses for personal bests, good value and a lovely lake. Repeated complaints: long registration queues, a confusing swim and bike briefing, a results page not working, little food at the finish, and too little water on a hot run. Scored atmosphere 5 and organisation 5. Recent years not covered.
- Racecheck Dartford Bridge TriathlonRaced 2019 · aggregator · Mixed
Four reviews average 3.6 out of 5 (2016, 2017 and 2019). One first-timer called it straightforward with everything in one park; another reported a slightly smelly lake, tight U-turns and unavoidable drafting in later waves, plus a hot, queue-heavy registration. A third reviewer in 2017 found management poor with late awards and no clear aquabike finish. A 2016 reviewer liked the flat, closed-road PB course but called it not pretty.
“closed roads and nice and flat it's a PB territory”
Raced The Bridge Triathlon (Dartford)? Your notes on the course, conditions and logistics help the next athlete decide.
Sources
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