The Westonbirt Sprint Triathlon (I-Compete)
Westonbirt, near Tetbury, United Kingdom · May · Independent (i-Compete Events)
Course: 0.4 km (0.2 mi) swim, 22 km (13.7 mi) bike, 5 km (3.1 mi) run. 400 m (0.25 mi) pool swim, 22 km (13.7 mi) bike per the organiser guide (listings say 22 to 24 km / 13.7 to 14.9 mi), 5 km (3.1 mi) run
Why people love it
- 400 m (0.25 mi) pool swim in waves by estimated time: no open water and no wetsuit decision.
- Most written reviews are first-timers praising friendly marshals and staff.
- Three-lap 5 km (3.1 mi) run on closed estate roads finishes in front of Westonbirt House.
- Quiet Cotswold lanes on a 22 km (13.7 mi) bike, passing Highgrove.
- Capped at about 500 entries, and it sells out.
Watch out for
- Pool can jam with queuing swimmers; one 2025 report calls the swim chaotic.
- Swim exit is about 550 m (0.34 mi) from the main transition; plan your run shoes.
- Bike roads are open to traffic with marshals and a compulsory foot-down junction near 19 km (12 mi).
- Water on the run only; carry your own drink for the bike.
- Bank holiday race: 2026 was very hot and 2025 windy. Next race is Monday 31 May 2027.
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 satisfactionLoved4.2
Racecheck shows 35 ratings at 4.7 and written reviews at 4.8, but a jammed pool and thin outside evidence keep it near UK peers. · Medium confidence
- OrganizationWell run4.0
Reviewers praise clear info and helpful marshals; gripes are a number pen that washed off and a briefing given only by video. · Medium confidence
- First timer friendlyIdeal first race4.5
Most written reviews are first-timers who felt welcomed; 400 m (0.25 mi) pool swim and a closed, traffic-free run. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- PR potentialAverage3.3
Flat to rolling 22 km (13.7 mi) bike but a jammed pool and a 550 m (0.34 mi) swim-exit run cost time; no published times. · Low confidence
Swim
Wetsuit odds, water temperature, calm, and the experience of the start. Counts for 16% of the overall score.
- Water temperatureComfortable4.0
Pool temperature not published; pool swims are normally comfortable. · Low confidence
- Swim easeEasy3.6
Easy water, but 16 lengths to count and one reviewer calls the swim chaotic when lanes get crowded. · Medium confidence
- Swim experienceFine3.4
Functional pool swim with queuing and congestion mentioned in 2025; nothing scenic. · Medium confidence
- Swim supportGood4.4
Pool swim with staff on deck and waves by estimated time, so the nervous can start with similar speeds. · Medium confidence
Bike
Road surface, closures, scenery and wind. Counts for 18% of the overall score.
- Road surfaceGood3.5
Quiet Cotswold lanes; surface not described in reviews. · Low confidence
- Road closuresMostly open2.2
Bike course uses open roads with marshals; only the estate run is closed to traffic. · Medium confidence
- Bike sceneryBeautiful4.0
Cotswold villages and a pass by Highgrove on quiet lanes. · Medium confidence
- WindSome wind3.2
Open plateau; a 2025 windy day made the pool swim choppy, bike wind not reported. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Bike speedFast3.5
Flat to undulating lanes let a club rider make up time, but a compulsory foot-down junction and open roads interrupt flow. · Low confidence
- Bike flatnessMostly flat3.8
Described as flat or undulating with no elevation figure; one club rider calls the 22 km (13.7 mi) bike flat. · Low confidence
- Bike simplicityMostly simple3.9
Four left turns, well signed with marshals at turns, one compulsory foot-down junction onto the A433. · Medium confidence
Run
Crowds, aid stations, conditions underfoot and scenery. Counts for 13% of the overall score.
- Crowd supportDecent3.2
Finish in front of the house and friendly marshals; reviewers do not describe big crowds. · Medium confidence
- Aid stationsStandard3.2
Water on the run only; riders must carry their own drinks on the 22 km (13.7 mi) bike. · Medium confidence
- Run sceneryBeautiful4.4
Three laps through a 210-acre (85 ha) estate, finishing in front of Westonbirt House. · Medium confidence
- Run conditionsEasy3.8
Traffic-free estate loop on tarmac, trail and grass; plenty of water on a very hot 2026 day. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Run flatnessMostly flat3.8
Listed as flat and fast, but a reviewer notes small undulations over three laps of 5 km (3.1 mi). · Low confidence
Conditions
Air temperature, how predictable the weather is, setting, and spectating. Counts for 13% of the overall score.
- Air temperaturePleasant3.6
Late May highs of about 15 to 19 °C (59 to 66 °F); 2026 was very hot, 2025 windy. · Low confidence
- Weather reliabilityVariable3.0
Bank holiday in the English spring: reports show a windy year and a very hot year. · Medium confidence
- Venue beautyLovely4.4
Grand Victorian house and grounds; reviewers call the venue beautiful. · Medium confidence
- Spectator friendlyEasy3.6
Spectators are welcome everywhere except the pool; three-lap run and finish in front of the house are easy to watch. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Low altitudeSea level4.6
About 130 m (430 ft) above sea level. · Medium 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
Rural area; bank holiday weekend means book early, but most athletes drive in. · Low confidence
- Hotel valueNormal3.0
Cotswold rooms are pricey in bank holiday season; no race-specific data. · Low confidence
- WalkabilityWalkable3.6
Park in the school grounds; pool, estate run and finish are close, but the swim exit is 550 m (0.34 mi) from transition. · Medium confidence
- Travel easeOne connection2.9
Rural; Bristol airport is about 55 km (34 mi) away and most people drive. · Medium confidence
- LogisticsSome complexity3.3
Mini transition outside the pool, a main transition, a video briefing and a British Triathlon race pass; parking is on site. · Medium confidence
- Town and foodFine3.2
Tetbury is close, but a reviewer was unimpressed by the on-site burger van. · Low confidence
Key facts
- Location
- Westonbirt, near Tetbury, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom
- Typical month
- May
- Latest or next date
- 31 May 2027
- Organiser
- Independent (i-Compete Events)
- Field size
- About 500 athletes
- First held
- 2011
- Distances (non-standard)
- 0.4 km (0.2 mi) swim, 22 km (13.7 mi) bike, 5 km (3.1 mi) run
- Swim venue
- Westonbirt School pool (25 m) (pool)
- Wetsuit
- Not applicable (pool)
- Swim start
- wave start by estimated swim time, lane swim
- Swim laps
- 16 lengths of 25 m
- Bike laps
- 1
- Run laps
- 3
- Run shade
- estate grounds
- Air temperature
- 11–19 °C (52–66 °F)
- Altitude
- 130 m (425 ft)
- Nearest airport
- Bristol (BRS), 55 km (34 mi) away
- Where to stay
- Tetbury, Cirencester
- Booking
- Race is a day trip for most athletes. Bank holiday weekend, so Tetbury and Cirencester rooms fill early.
What racers and reviewers say
- RacecheckRaced 2026 · aggregator · Positive
Ten written reviews from 2025 and 2026 average 4.8 out of 5, with 35 ratings overall at 4.7. Many are first-timers who praise friendly staff, marshals and an inclusive atmosphere. Complaints are small: a pen that washed off, a busy or choppy pool in 2025, a brief hold-up in one village and wish for a better food van.
- Monmouthshire Beacon (club report)Raced 2025 · article · Mixed
A 60+ club athlete finished in 1 hour 51 minutes. He says the pool filled with queuing swimmers, the flat 22 km (13.7 mi) bike passes quiet Cotswold villages and Highgrove, and the traffic-free run crosses the estate to the house.
“quickly got jammed with queuing competitors”
Raced The Westonbirt Sprint Triathlon (I-Compete)? 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.
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