Triathlon Participation in Great Britain: Signs of Recovery, Signals of a New Normal
Triathlon Industry Alliance (TIA) has released its 2025 Triathlon Participation Analysis Report to TIA Members, providing a comprehensive view of where the sport stands and where it is heading.
After several challenging years, 2025 marked a much-needed shift in momentum for triathlon in Great Britain.
In 2025, there was a solid gain in triathlon participation, with more than 120,000 active racing triathletes, signalling a positive return to growth following a decline in participation witnessed in 2024. While participation remains below the pre-pandemic peak of 2019, this upward movement represents an important step forward for the sport.
A Sport Resetting After Disruption
Despite the progress, participation levels are still approximately 28,000 athletes below pre-pandemic levels. The sector is now operating within what can best be described as a “new normal.”
In recent years, the event ecosystem has undergone significant adjustment. There have been acquisitions, portfolio rationalisation, and strategic consolidation among organisers. The landscape is leaner and arguably more resilient - but different.
Encouragingly, organisers are reporting strong early registrations for the 2026 season, with a noticeable uplift driven by new and, critically, younger participants.
This emerging cohort of enthusiastic starter triathletes is vital. They represent not just short-term volume recovery, but the foundation of long-term sustainability for the sport.
The Strategic Opportunity Ahead
Looking forward, several priorities are clear:
> Converting runners into multisport participants will be essential to widening the participation funnel.
> Engaging younger age groups is critical to counterbalancing a historically ageing athlete base
> Increasing female participation remains a major opportunity to move the sport closer to gender parity.
> Strengthening the charity and fundraising dimension of triathlon presents further growth potential and broader community impact.
The 2025 data suggests that triathlon is no longer simply in recovery mode - it is recalibrating.
The challenge and opportunity for the industry is not just to regain what was lost, but to build a more diverse, younger, and sustainable participation base for the decade ahead.
The full “Triathlon Participation Analysis Report” is available exclusively to TIA Members as part of TIA Membership benefits.
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