Two Provinces Triathlon — Draft Legal Sprint National Championships

The Two Provinces Triathlon hosts the Draft Legal Sprint Distance National Championships on 11 July 2026 at Lanesborough on the shores of Lough Ree. This is the only draft-legal national championship on the Triathlon Ireland calendar — a double-header featuring both age group and elite national championship races. The event sits at the border of Longford and Roscommon, hence the name.

Draft-legal racing means cyclists can legally draft behind other riders — a fundamentally different dynamic to standard non-drafting triathlon. This changes the bike leg from a solo time trial into a tactical group race. The 750m swim takes place in Lough Ree, with the bike and run through the flat midlands roads around Lanesborough. Expect fast racing: the sprint distance combined with draft-legal rules produces aggressive, spectator-friendly competition. The elite and age-group championships run as separate races on the same day. The elite field includes national-level triathletes racing for the Irish Sprint Champion title. Water temperature in Lough Ree in July is typically 16–18°C.

Registration is through the Triathlon Ireland race calendar at app.triathlonireland.com. Triathlon Ireland licence required. Entry criteria for the national championship may include minimum participation requirements in the National Series. Check the Triathlon Ireland website for specific 2026 championship entry conditions.

Lanesborough sits on the River Shannon at the southern tip of Lough Ree — about 1.5 hours from Dublin via the N4 and 1.5 hours from Galway. The town straddles the Longford–Roscommon border. Parking is available in the town. Accommodation in Lanesborough is limited but Longford town (20 min) and Roscommon town (25 min) have more options. The Gaelforce Great River Swim uses the same area in May.

The Two Provinces Triathlon is the mid-season national championship. The Tribesman Triathlon (June) and Westport Triathlon (August) are the nearest National Series events either side. For non-draft-legal racing at the same location, the Gaelforce Great River Swim (May) and Great Lake Swim (July) offer open water alternatives on the Shannon and Lough Ree.