British Triathlon Age Group Qualifier

The Blenheim Palace Triathlon 2025 Sprint race on Sunday 8 June has been selected as a British Triathlon Age Group Qualifier for the 2026 Europe Triathlon Sprint Distance Championships. If you’ve already signed up for this event and are hoping to qualify for the Age Group team, there are a few important steps you’ll need to take in advance of race day to ensure you’re eligible.

Register for the correct event on Let’s do this

You will not automatically be registered for the Championships/Qualifier unless you select the correct event whilst booking.

Booking a standard Sprint entry will not allow you to compete!

If you have a standard Sprint entry and want to change to the Championships/Qualifier, you must do so by 30 May using the instructions below:

Head to Let’s Do This and Manage Your Booking, enter your Booking Reference
Next to your name, click Manage, then find the Transfer option
Select Transfer to another race in this event, and continue to the race selection page
Scroll to the bottom and select BTF & TE Sprint Championships / ETU Qualifier (Draft Legal), then complete the registration process as usual

Start timetable

2. register your intent to qualify

This is not automatic — even if you're racing the correct distance.

Head to the British Triathlon Age Group registration page.

Click on “Register Intent to Qualify” for the 2026 Europe Triathlon Sprint Distance Championships.

Submit your name, age group, and pay the small fee (approx. £10–15).

Deadline: By 5pm Friday, 6 June 2025 (the day before your race).

3. Membership requirements

To be eligible for qualification, you must:

Be a current member of Triathlon England, Scotland or Wales (BTF Core or Ultimate licence).

Have a valid race licence on the day (no day licences accepted for qualifiers).

Be a British citizen or have been resident in the UK for at least 12 months.

You will need to show your licence at registration or carry it digitally via the BTF app.

4. Understand how qualification works

To secure a spot on the Great Britain Age Group Team for the 2026 Europe Triathlon Sprint Distance Championships, you must meet two criteria at the Blenheim Palace Sprint Triathlon on Sunday 8 June 2025:

A. Finish in the Top 4 of Your Age Group

Your age group is based on your age as of 31 December 2026 – not your age on race day.
Age groups are in 5-year brackets: 16–19, 20–24, 25–29, 30–34, etc.
Example: If you are 39 on race day but turn 40 in November 2026, you’ll compete in the 40–44 age group.
B. Finish Within 120% of the Winner’s Time in Your Age Group
This ensures you're performing to an international standard. British Triathlon compares your finishing time to the age group winner’s time, and you must be within 120% of it.
Here’s how it works:
Age Group Winner’s Time ->Your Maximum Qualifying Time (120%)
1:00:00 -> 1:12:00
1:05:00 -> 1:18:00
1:10:00 -> 1:24:00
So if the winner in your category finishes in 1:05:00, only those finishing in 1:18:00 or faster, and within the top 4 of their age group, will qualify.
NB: If fewer than 4 people meet the 120% cut-off, only those who do will qualify – being in the top 4 alone is not enough unless you're also within 120% of the winner.
After the Race
Your results will be reviewed and verified by British Triathlon.
If you qualify, you'll receive a confirmation email and an invitation to register your place on the GB Age Group Team.
There is a team management fee and event entry fee for the international championship event — these are paid separately.