Under normal circumstances, TriAthy runs like clockwork. With nearly two decades behind us as organisers we understand innately the level of connection and precise scheduling required to deliver a complex multi-race event like ours.
TriAthy 2026 : What Happened?
Raceday at TriAthy 2026 was a difficult day for us as organisers. Despite detailed and well tested plans a key supplier (responsible for medical cover) let us down on race morning which led to significant delays and organisational challenges across the day. This was not foreseeable unfortunately.
Where delays happen, our race becomes a lot more difficult to operate. In real-time marshals get redeployed, and the race pivots to ensure all essential race tasks are completed within a more compressed timeframe causing knock-on effects to our set-up.
Our gratitude
We remain exceptionally grateful to our dedicated team and our key stakeholders for working through the issues on race morning cordially, calmly and professionally so the event could be fulfilled safely. Our particular thanks to Kildare Civil Defence and CodeBlue Ambulance Services who stepped in as the new supplier on race morning and were on site within 90 minutes of contact.
The impact
While our TA-100, TRY and SPRINT competitors managed to have a full race (with delays at the start), our OLYMPIC competitors were more adversely affected by a shortening of the bike course. As our legal road closures end at a fixed time, this modification was essential out of respect to local residents and those manning the course throughout a long day.
The buck stops with us
As organisers the buck stops with us. We are responsible in the first instance and we would like to apologise to all those inconvenienced by the delays and any impact to their race experience. While we were delighted to fulfil most of what you came for — we know that this fell short of what you expected and we need to work on putting that right.
Goodwill Gestures
As a goodwill gesture to our 2026 racers, we are making significant goodwill concessions to all those who raced at TriAthy 2026, with an extra gesture for our Olympic competitors who had the bike leg of their race curtailed. Each racer has received notification of this gesture by email.
Learnings and Our Next Steps
It is a genuine privilege and a passion for us to get to host TriAthy each year. We take any shortfall in your expectations seriously. To that end we are rolling out a 10 point improvement initiative (based on your direct survey feedback). We call this initiative ‘Our Road To 20’.
This is a two year improvement plan focussed on renewing our set up, enhancing our contingency arrangements, improving marshal training, and making upgrades to key parts of the course which you have called-out. These improvements will be rolled out across TriAthy 2027 and our 20th Anniversary event in 2028.
The Post Race Survey 2026
After race day, hundreds of you completed our TriAthy 2026 Post-Race Survey — thoughtfully, candidly, and in detail. Thank you all who contributed for this valuable and fair feedback which was critical where justified, and generous where things went right.
The 10 initiatives on “Our Road To 20”
We are taking the following 10 initiatives based on what you said to us.
- 2027: medical cover contracted early — written confirmation, paid standby redundancy, and a named safety officer whose only job is readiness DONE — COMPLETED FOR 2027
- 2027: to publish a go/no-go readiness checklist signed off 7 days out, 48 hours out, and at 05:30hrs on race morning — covering medics, Triathlon Ireland officials, Gardaí, road closures (Council), water safety and timing.
- Target: every 2027 race starts within 15 minutes of its published time.
- 2027: live SMS alerts to every athlete’s phone for any schedule change on raceday — using the text system already built and proved during 2026 online check-in.
- 2027: PA/speaker coverage at the swim assembly area (you asked for this specifically), a 15-minute update rule during any disruption, and a guaranteed race briefing for every race
- 2027: a video briefing published race week.
- 2027: if anything goes wrong, a full candid statement within 72 hours of race day.
- 2028: a live race-app for athletes and supporters.
- 2027: 100% matted athlete route where surface is difficult underfoot — swim exit to bike, every aisle, bike-out and run-out. No partial rows, no bare foot on stone. Ground prepped, swept and walked before racking opens.
- 2027: transition layout redesign — toilets moved out of the bike path, separate bike-in / bike-out, wider rack spacing, and repaired racking.
- 2028: invest in a permanent transition flooring and racking stock.
- 2027: the schedule rebuilt with protected time gaps between races — the race order reviewed so long-course athletes are protected from possible congestion on the bike course.
- 2027: physical separation on the shared road section, wider run lanes at pinch points, and more moto-marshals with anti-drafting briefs.
- 2027: enhanced river prep with the relevant authorities — weed clearance, depth checks, cleared and improved entry/exit, and pace-seeded swim waves that are enforced.
- 2028: work with landowners and council to determine whether a dedicated run lane can be provided so runners never face oncoming bikes.
- 2027: earlier recruitment of marshals through clubs, Athy community groups and past athletes — with a proper thank-you package being introduced (briefing, kit, food, and our public gratitude).
- 2027: clearer marshal direction.
- 2027: every marshal trained and given a written role card; experienced section captains supervising junctions, transition and the finish.
- 2027: under-18 helpers only in supervised, low-pressure roles — never alone at a decision point on the course.
- Want to be part of the fix? Email info@triathy.com — one morning, full briefing, you’ll be looked after.
- 2027: professional, colour-coded signage per race across the whole venue — transition in/out, mount/dismount, the run-lap split, finish, food, merchandise, bag drop and car parks.
- 2027: the run-lap split gets a large overhead gantry sign, a dedicated experienced marshal and a megaphone
- 2027: distance markers on bike and run courses where possible.
- 2028: permanent reusable signage stock, refined by athlete feedback from 2027.
- 2027: single-use cups stocked at 2 x 2026 volumes, a written hygiene protocol at every station, ensuring clean-water supply.
- 2027: an aid station on the TA-100 bike course; electrolytes on long-course runs; water while you wait at any swim assembly point.
- 2027: a ‘last athlete’ guarantee — supplies, food, medal moment and a staffed finish line reserved for the final finisher, same as the first.
- 2027: clear signage/vouchers so everyone finds the food they’re entitled to.
- 2027: postal race packs expanded — they worked well in 2026 (89% arrived with time to spare and 87% of postal users would choose it again).
- 2027: pack collection rebuilt — more desks, extended collection hours, and the iPad/QR digital check-in system we built in 2026 doing the lookups. Target: under 15 minutes in the queue.
- 2027: a numbered, stewarded bag drop with bib-checks on collection, and bike-out tag checks at the transition exit so nobody walks out with your gear.
- 2027: a traffic management plan for the car parks — stewarded phased exit, Garda liaison agreed in advance. Target: out of the car park inside 15 minutes.
- 2027: enhanced results-quality process with our timing partner
- 2027: enhanced photographer coverage
- 2027: HD video feed of finish (capturing the finishing moment) linked to timing system.
- 2027: HD video feed of swim exit (capturing swim completion / historic backdrop) linked to timing system.
- 2027: upgraded results pages — shareable finisher cards and clearer age-group placings (in design).
- Making it right: roll out of goodwill gesture for all 2026 racers.
- 2027: we publish what your entry pays for — medical, safety, road closures, timing — so ‘value’ is something you can see.
- Accountability: progress updates in November, January, March and race week.
Thank You
The TriAthy course remains one of the best triathlon courses in the country. We remain committed to our objective of creating an enduring and lasting triathlon event at Athy delivered in safety, with a quality and value-for-money experience for all our entrants.
Thank you once more for your understanding and support.
Fortitudine Vincimus — By Endurance We Conquer.
Arthur Lynch
On Behalf Of TriAthy
