Aviemore Triathlon
Join us in the beautiful Cairngorms for Aviemore Triathlon: enjoy an open water swim in the cool, calm waters of Loch Morlich and enjoy mountain biking and running on the trails of Glenmore Forest.
13th September 2026
13th September 2026 @9am
We are proud to be hosting (Long Hard Durty course) both the British & Scottish Triathlon Cross Championship Event for 2026.
For more information on Age Group Championship events please see British Triathlon – Championships and Qualifiers
The loch has been chosen for its superb water quality and spectacular surroundings. Coupled with fantastic MTB trails (forest road, easy track as well as sections of singletrack) in the forest, this is one of the very best locations in the UK for off-road racing.
“The Long Hard Durty”, this Standard distance race will be a stiff challenge on a tough course in a spectacular location. . Long Hard Durty:
- 1,000m Open Water Swim, 18km Technical Mountain Bike, 9km Trail Run
- British Triathlon and Triathlon Scotland Cross Triathlon Championship
“The Short Fast Durty”, this Sprint distance race will be a stiff but achievable challenge on a great, less technical, course in a spectacular location. Short Fast Durty:
- 500m Open Water Swim, 12km Mountain Bike, 5km Trail Run
A Greener Aviemore Triathlon!
- Feed station cups are our biggest source of waste. So we’re stopping using them. Completely. There will be no cups at feed stations. You need to bring your own. You will need to carry this with you and use it on the course if you wish to use feed stations.
- Did you know your race number is recyclable, just pop it in with your kerbside recycling
We appreciate your help in ensuring our events make minimal impact on the environment.
The Athlete Guide will be published here approximately 10-14 days prior to the event.
Please make sure you read this to familiarise yourself with the event and the race day timings.
The loch has been chosen for its superb water quality and spectacular surroundings.
Short Fast Durty – 500m Open Water Swim (wetsuits compulsory). Once lap, deep water start.
Long Hard Durty – 1000m Open Water Swim (wetsuits compulsory). Two laps, deep water start.
Bike
The Mountain Bike section is on a mix of great fast forest roads (some less well used, and so a bit rougher), and shorter fun-dabby-dozy twisty, narrow rooty forest singletrack.
Short Fast Durty – the course is mostly ‘Blue’ standard or below, with a small amount of fun singletrack thrown in. Mountain Bikes recommended, but depending on your skills, you may also be OK on a gravel bike.
The Long Hard Durty course will have some more ‘Red’ and ‘Black’ steep and technical sections. If you’ve practiced on a mountain bike before the race and acquired some skills, you’ll have a quicker and happier time! Mountain Bikes (as defined by British Triathlon) and Helmets are compulsory. Gravel Bikes are neither suitable not permitted.
Click on the links for further information on course descriptions:
Run
The Run will be on a mix of forest trails, singletrack, rough stuff, and includes a section of open hill running (Long Hard Durty only) with breath-taking views.
Take 30 seconds to look around you!.
Transitions
View Transition Maps Below (Transition layout may change closer to the event new layouts will be posted if this is the case):
SCHEDULE
Saturday 12th September
1600-1800 Registration open at Badaguish Centre
Sunday 13th September
0700 Car Park at Badaguish Centre Open (please don’t try to arrive before we open the car park, or try to use the Forestry Commission car-park at Transition 1 – you’ll cause us problems!). £5 per car parking charge – this goes to the Badaguish Centre/Speyside Trust.
0700 Registration Open at Badaguish Centre.
0700 Transition 1 Opens at Loch Morlich
0830 Registration Closes
0830 Transition (T1 and T2) Closes (you must have racked your bike and equipment by then – this applies to both Long Hard and Short Fast Durty competitors)
0845 LONG HARD DURTY Race Briefing at Swim Start Lochside
0900 Long Hard Durty START
0915 SHORT FAST DURTY Race Briefing at Swim Start Lochside (Both Waves to attend)
0930 Short Fast Durty START (NOTE: there are likely to be two wave starts – you will be advised of this at registration, and which wave you are in)
c.1115 Expected 1st Tri finishers
What’s included in the entry fee?
- Professionally organised race
- Full water safety team cover
- Full race medical first aid cover
- Chip Timing
- Well stocked aid stations
- Finisher’s T-Shirt (Or a donation to our nominated race charity)
Venue & Facilities
Badaguish Outdoor Centre, Aviemore, Scotland PH22 1AD Well, have we found a great venue an off-road race! In the heart of the beautiful Cairngorms National Park, and in the shadow of the Cairngorm Mountain itself – you’ll be swimming in the cool clean water of Loch Morlich, Biking on superb trails in the huge Glenmore Forest, and finishing yourself off with a scenic run through stunning woodland and open hillsides. The Aviemore Triathlon is based at the Badaguish Centre, right in the middle of the forest. The race will be raising funds for the Centre – they help people with a disability enjoy an outdoor holiday – a cause that we know you’ll agree is worth supporting 100%. To Book Parking or Camping on site head to eventbrite
ACCOMMODATION
On-site camping pitches and Camping Pods will be available at the Badaguish Centre for a small charge. The site has showers, toilets, and acres of picturesque grassy goodness.
There are lots of other accommodation options in the Glenmore valley and in the nearby ski village of Aviemore (where there are also lots of shops, restaurants and visitor activities). Follow the links from the tab above for more info.
Aviemore and the Rothiemurcus/Glenmore are are very well set up for an overnight stay, and longer visits as part of your trip to Aviemore Triathlon.
There are loads of outdoor activities locally, massive forests, great mountains, lots of visitor attractions (including the Reindeer Centre and the Cairngorm Funicular – both almost on the race course!).
There are good accommodation options at race HQ itself (links below), and the town of Aviemore (which has plenty of Hotel, B+B and Hostel options) is a few minutes from the start line.
Links
- Lodges, Camping Pods and Camping Pitches at Badaguish (Race HQ)
- Retreat Group – Aviemore Self Catering Accommodation
- Caledonian Escapes – Luxury Lodges
- Reindeer Centre, Rothiemurcus
- Loch Morlich Watersports Centre
- Glenmore Forest Visitor Centre
- Cairngorm Funicular Railway
- Aviemore Tourist Information
FAQS
Can I ditch the wetsuit?
This event is run under Triathlon Scotland Rules please see Competition Rules – Triathlon Scotland for information on wetsuit use and water temperatures
Can I wear boots/gloves?
This event is run under Triathlon Scotland Rules please see Competition Rules – Triathlon Scotland for information on the use of boots/gloves for the swim section
What’s the water temperature?
Water Temperatures vary depending on the weather conditions pre-event but the loch temperature is likely to be around 13-14oC
What type of bike do I need?
We would recommend a mountain bike for this event. The short course is maybe (depending on your skills level) suitable for cross bikes and gravel bike however the long course definitely requires a proper mountain bike
Can a Relay Team be made up of 2 people rather than 3?
Yes relay teams can be made of 2 people with 1 person completing 2 of the 3 sections, when completing the entry be sure to put the appropriate name against each event leg
What is the exact route?
Full route information will be published on our website around 2 weeks prior to the event. Some routes require land owner permission and cannot be recced prior to the event. We may include new nice bits of trail as we find them during race week as well!. We aim for the course to be fully marked by the end of the Friday of event weekend, so there will be opportunity to run/ride the course beforehand.
Can I defer?
Unfortunately we do not offer deferrals, for information on refund options please see Terms & Conditions – Durty Events
Can I have a refund?
For information on refund options please see Terms & Conditions – Durty Events
Can I Change distance?
If the event you have entered has more than 1 distance option available then it is possible to transfer to another distance, this must be done at least 2 weeks in advance of the event and may be subject to a small admin fee. Please see Terms & Conditions – Durty Events for more information .
About Triathlon Scotland
Triathlon Scotland is the National Governing Body for triathlon, duathlon and aquathlon, recognised by the British Triathlon Federation. We aim to inspire great experiences through swim, bike and run, and help provide opportunities for racing through our event permitting procedure and support our best event organisers to host our series of Scottish Championship events.
Membership with Triathlon Scotland comes with a whole host of benefits for you. Our Core and Ultimate membership packages provide you with a Race Licence, which means not only are you eligible to win prizes at our Championship events and National Triathlon Series you also save money with unlimited Race Passes included. These packages also provide vital insurance to give you peace of mind whilst training and racing, access to discounts with our commercial partners, and your money helps support the sport in Scotland. Find out more about our membership, www.britishtriathlon.org/join.
If you do not hold a valid Core or Ultimate membership package with Triathlon Scotland, by entering this Scottish National Championship event, you will be contacted via email by Triathlon Scotland for Championships eligibility and monitoring purposes. We would like to also let you know about future opportunities within swim, bike and run, and encourage you to opt into this service by selecting to agree to your name and email address being shared with Triathlon Scotland for marketing purposes, during the event entry process.
Triathlon Scotland GDPR Statement
You agree that we may publish your personal information as part of the results of the event and will pass such information to any governing body or any affiliated organisation for the purpose of insurance, licences, or the publishing of results, either for the event alone, or combined with, or compared to other events. Results may include, but are not limited to first name, surname, date of birth, age category, result, penalties and any club / home country / regional affiliation.
The Event Organiser and Triathlon Scotland has the right to use images, photographs and footage taken by their contracted photographers and employees at the Event. These images will be used for the purposes of promoting, reporting and broadcasting the Event, and any other promotion related to the business activities of the Organiser or Triathlon Scotland.
Any individual who does not wish to have their image used by the Event Organiser or Triathlon Scotland for these purposes must inform the Event Organiser via email no later than one week prior to the Event. Notification closer to, or after the Event can be made and the Event Organiser will use its best endeavours to prevent images of that individual being used but cannot guarantee it.
Events for children under the age of 18 years will require parent/guardian photographic consent, participants and spectators are required to comply with Event’s Use of Photographic and Video Equipment Policy.
You also agree that in the event of a disciplinary or welfare incident that you are either involved in or witness, we may pass on your personal information to British Triathlon and/or the relevant Home Nation association or any relevant Authorities for the purpose of supporting any investigatory activity into that incident.
British Triathlon may take photographs and / or video footage for the purpose of reporting on the Event, and advertising for future events, to include in printed media, digital content, and social media;
If you have entered the Long Hard Durty this is the British Championships event and your data will be shared with British Triathlon. British Triathlon require athlete name, age category, date of birth, Home Nation membership number (if applicable) and club name (if applicable) of all competitors for the purpose of processing the results, prizes and GB Age Group team selection (details of which may be uploaded to the internet and shared on social media, other than date of birth which shall be kept confidential and used for data processing only)
For more information on Age Group Championship events please see British Triathlon – Championships and Qualifiers
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Short fast Durty
£73.00
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£96.00
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Long Hard Durty
£93.00
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£108.00
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Entries Close 8th September 2026
A day membership of BTF/TS is included in the pricing above. If you are a Home Nations Triathlon member £8 will be deducted from the overall price when you enter your race licence number on the form. As part of the British Triathlon Competition Rules, when taking part in a British Triathlon permitted event, individuals are required to become a member of the sport, hold a race licence and third-party Public Liability insurance.
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Aviemore Triathlon: Lewis Williams
I have been competing in triathlon for 7 years, representing GBR as an elite-level, professional athlete in Off-Road Duathlon & Triathlon – as well as being an Xterra athlete. I...
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