The Huntsman Triathlon
Ringwood, United Kingdom · May · Independent (Challenging Events)
Course: 0.4 km (0.2 mi) swim, 33 km (20.5 mi) bike, 5 km (3.1 mi) run. 400 m (0.25 mi) swim, 1 km (0.6 mi) transition run, 33 km (20.5 mi) bike, 5 km (3.1 mi) run per the 2026 organiser page; a 2025 listing gave a 35 km (21.7 mi) bike. Bike is longer than a typical sprint.
Why people love it
- Mass-start lake swim in Ellingham Lake; Racecheck water quality 4.90 out of 5
- New Forest bike with ponies and donkeys on the roads, 33 km (20.5 mi)
- Racecheck Silver Award 2024; 4.70 out of 5 across 57 reviews
- Run is pretty flat on quiet country roads, 5 or 10 km (3.1 or 6.2 mi)
Watch out for
- Standard distance is 1.1 km (0.7 mi), 33 km (20.5 mi), 10 km (0.68, 20.5, 6.2 mi), short of a full Olympic
- Sprint bike is also 33 km (20.5 mi), much longer than most sprints
- A 2026 entrant reported traffic queues, a muddled brief and disqualifications
- Cars must be parked by 07:30 and cannot leave before 12:30; cyclists and runners share some roads
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 satisfactionLoved4.2
Racecheck averages 4.70 out of 5 on 57 reviews but 4.26 in 2026, and one 2026 entrant gave 2.0. · Medium confidence
- OrganizationWell run3.8
Logistics scored 4.86 overall, but a 2026 entrant reported queues, a muddled brief and disqualifications; mount line far from transition. · Medium confidence
- First timer friendlyFriendly3.9
Three first-timers enjoyed the sprint; 400 m (0.25 mi) mass-start swim. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- PR potentialAverage3.3
Long 33 km (20.5 mi) undulating bike. · Low confidence
Swim
Wetsuit odds, water temperature, calm, and the experience of the start. Counts for 16% of the overall score.
- Wetsuit legalUsually4.2
May lake; Triathlon England forbids wetsuits above 24.6 °C (76.3 °F) · Low confidence
- Water temperatureAcceptable3.2
Water temperature not published; May lake probably cool · Low confidence
- Calm waterMostly calm4.2
Organiser and reviewers describe a smooth swim · Medium confidence
- Swim easeEasy4.0
400 m (0.25 mi) calm lake · Medium confidence
- Swim experienceGreat4.2
Racecheck water quality 4.90 and a reviewer called the lake swim lovely. · Medium confidence
- Swim supportGood3.6
Mass start on a lake for both distances; reviewers say little about kayaks. · Low confidence
Bike
Road surface, closures, scenery and wind. Counts for 18% of the overall score.
- Road surfaceMixed3.3
No complaints noted · Low confidence
- Road closuresPartly closed3.3
Roads closed around Moyles Court, open elsewhere with ponies and traffic queues reported in 2026. · Medium confidence
- Bike sceneryBeautiful4.4
Reviewers enjoy New Forest roads with ponies, donkeys and foals. · Medium confidence
- WindSome wind3.3
Forest sheltering likely; no evidence · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Bike speedFast3.5
Undulating · Low confidence
- Bike flatnessRolling3.3
Undulating · Low confidence
- Bike simplicitySome technical parts3.3
Confusion around transition reported · Low confidence
Run
Crowds, aid stations, conditions underfoot and scenery. Counts for 13% of the overall score.
- Crowd supportDecent2.8
Remote setting; one reviewer rode most of the bike alone. · Low confidence
- Aid stationsGood3.7
Aid stations 4.40, one wanted more choice · Medium confidence
- Run sceneryBeautiful3.6
Quiet country roads with some tree shade. · Low confidence
- Run conditionsEasy3.7
Short 5 km (3.1 mi) · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Run flatnessMostly flat4.2
Flat · Medium confidence
Conditions
Air temperature, how predictable the weather is, setting, and spectating. Counts for 13% of the overall score.
- Air temperaturePleasant3.6
Late May, roughly 10 to 20 °C (50 to 68 °F); one 2026 reviewer reported a hot day. · Low confidence
- Weather reliabilityVariable3.0
British spring · Low confidence
- Venue beautyLovely4.2
Lake and New Forest; 98% of reviewers tag a remote nature setting · Medium confidence
- Spectator friendlySome viewpoints3.0
Remote and spread out. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Low altitudeSea level5.0
About 20 m (65 ft) · High confidence
Stay and travel
Hotels, walkability, getting there, and the town around the race. Counts for 10% of the overall score.
- Hotel availabilityGood3.8
Camping on site; New Forest hotels book early in summer · Low confidence
- Hotel valueNormal3.2
Tourist area · Low confidence
- WalkabilityWalkable3.8
Parking at the school, but cars are locked in from early morning until midday. · Medium confidence
- Travel easeOne connection3.3
Remote; Bournemouth and Southampton airports within an hour · Low confidence
- LogisticsSimple3.5
One venue, but cars must park by 07:30 and stay until 12:30, and the mount line is far from transition. · Medium confidence
- Town and foodGood3.8
Ringwood and New Forest villages nearby · Low confidence
Key facts
- Location
- Ringwood, Hampshire (New Forest), United Kingdom
- Typical month
- May
- Latest or next date
- 24 May 2026
- Organiser
- Independent (Challenging Events)
- Distances (non-standard)
- 0.4 km (0.2 mi) swim, 33 km (20.5 mi) bike, 5 km (3.1 mi) run
- Swim venue
- Ellingham Lake, Ringwood (lake)
- Wetsuit
- Not stated; likely legal in May (Triathlon England follows World Triathlon, no wetsuit above 24.6 °C / 76.3 °F)
- Swim start
- mass start
- Run shade
- some tree shade
- Air temperature
- 10–20 °C (50–68 °F)
- Altitude
- 20 m (66 ft)
- Nearest airport
- Bournemouth Airport
- Where to stay
- Ringwood, New Forest
- Booking
- Parking at Moyles Court School, all cars in by 07:30, no vehicle movement 06:30 to 14:30; leave from 12:30. Camping the night before at the school, booked separately.
What racers and reviewers say
- Racecheck The Huntsman TriathlonRaced 2026 · aggregator · Positive
57 athletes average 4.70 out of 5 (Silver Award 2024); the 2026 average is 4.26. Ten reviews shown: three sprint, three standard, four middle distance. Most praise the lake swim, scenic New Forest bike with ponies on the road, and helpful briefing pack. One 2026 middle-distance entrant gave 2.0, citing traffic queues, a muddled brief and disqualifications; others noted the mount line far from transition and cyclists mixing with runners. Count is pro rata for sprint and standard only.
“Ponies, donkeys and foals on the roads”
- Challenging Events organiser pageRaced 2026 · article · Positive
The organiser lists mass starts at Ellingham Lake, a New Forest bike, a fast and pretty flat run, road closures near Moyles Court, parking at the school, and camping the night before.
- 220 Triathlon race report, first editionRaced 2014 · article · Positive
A results-focused write-up of the inaugural 2014 edition at Hawley Lake with over 350 athletes. It records the then-Olympic and sprint distances and winners. Useful only as history; the venue and distances have since changed.
Raced The Huntsman 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 The Huntsman Triathlon? Moku Coach builds your plan around race day.