Phoenix Park Duathlon — Belpark Triathlon Club
National Championships 2026

Competitor Briefing

Sunday 19 April, 2026

Belpark Triathlon Club welcomes you. Over 300 competitors from 40+ clubs across Ireland, incorporating the Intervarsity National Championships.

Every effort has been made to ensure a safe and enjoyable event. Please read this briefing in full.

Kindly supported by

Wheelworx Gold Nutrition Triathlon Ireland

Timetable

TimeEvent
07:00Car park opens
07:15Registration opens
07:30Transition opens
08:30Car park closes
09:00Registration closes
09:15Transition closes
09:20Race Briefing (mandatory)
09:30Wave 1 start
09:40Wave 2 start
09:50Wave 3 start
11:45Prize Giving

Course Overview

Full course overview — 3 bike laps, 2 run laps, transition

Getting There & Registration

Sustainable Transport

Phoenix Park is less than 3 km from Dublin city centre. Consider cycling, walking, or public transport:

Parking & Road Access

Race parking at Papal Cross Car Park (P1), 5 min walk from venue.

Important: 250 spaces only. Arrive after 7:00am (not before). Closes when full or by 8:30am.

Alternatives (~15 min walk): Visitor Centre (P2), Zoo (P5), Civil Service Cricket (P4).

Parking map — race parking, road closures, car park locations

Road closures: Acres Road, Chesterfield Ave, Furze Road, Glen Road, Military Road, Khyber Road.

Registration — 07:15 to 09:00

5 minutes from Papal Cross. You'll receive race number with timing chip, bike sticker, and helmet stickers. Wave allocation confirmed — no changes permitted.

Race Licence

Transition — 07:30 to 09:15

At the top of Acres Road. Neutralised.

Bike racking in transition

Pre-Race Briefing — 09:20

Mandatory. 9:20am sharp. All competitors must attend. Includes last-minute course changes and World Triathlon rules from the TI Technical Official.

Race Start

3 waves at 10-minute intervals based on your registration run time. Cannot change wave. Chip timing — later starters included in results. National championship podium (top 3 open & female) based on gun time from Wave 1.

Wave 1
09:30
Wave 2
09:40
Wave 3
09:50

Run 1 — 5.2 km

Flat tarmac, 2 laps anti-clockwise around Fifteen Acres pitches. Each 2.5 km lap has 3 left corners. Keep cones to your left. After lap 1, pass finish and turn left. After lap 2, turn right before finish line into transition.

Run course map — 2.5km lap

Transition 1 (T1)

Follow RUN IN signs, sharp left U-turn into transition. Fasten helmet before touching bike. Follow BIKE OUT signs. Sharp right onto Acres Road to Mount Line — don't mount before it.

Start/Finish area layout — transition, run, bike routes
Transition aerial — mount, dismount, run and bike routes Transition detail
Later waves: Stay left exiting — merging with cyclists on laps 2 & 3 on your right.

Para triathletes: Designated area for tandem and hand bikes.

Safety: Bar ends plugged, brakes working, no earphones.

Bike Course — 21.3 km

3 laps of 7.1 km on fully closed roads, anti-clockwise. View on Map My Ride. Stay left, pass on the right.

Bike course map with numbered junctions

Elevation

Elevation — Start 36m, Max 58m, Gain 64m

Caution Points

3 km — Upper Glen Road: Drain cover on inside apex of right-hand curve. Chalk and lights will mark it.
Upper Glen Road drain cover
4 km — SHARP DOWNHILL LEFT (Jct E, St Mary's Lane): BRAKE 100m before. 50–80 km/h approach — take corner at 20–30 km/h max. Loose surface on inside. Extra caution if wet.
Junction E — Mary's Lane
6 km — Sharp left: Wide area but brake — 50–70 km/h after downhill.
Jct A (7 km): STAY RIGHT for laps 2 & 3. After 21 km — STAY LEFT for T2. Cones 100m before.
Jct A — Khyber Pass / Acres Rd Jct A mount & dismount diagram

Junction Photos

Junction B — Phoenix Park Roundabout Junction D — Knockmaroon & Furze

Course Detail

KMLocationDescription
0.0Jct A — Acres RdExit T1, heading north. Flat.
0.7Jct B — Chesterfield AveLeft at roundabout. Slight uphill.
1.2Jct C — Furze RdLeft onto Furze Road. Flat.
2.4Jct D — KnockmaroonLeft onto Glen Road. Flat.
3.0Upper Glen RoadDrain cover — CAUTION.
4.0Jct E — Mary's LaneNarrow lane, downhill — CAUTION.
4.2Jct F — Mary's LaneStraight onto Military Road. Flat.
6.0Jct G — Magazine FortLeft onto Khyber, then 1.2 km uphill — CAUTION.
7.0Jct H — KhyberStay right laps 2 & 3, left for T2 — CAUTION.

Non-Drafting Rule

Draft zone — ~6 bike lengths

Draft zone = 12 metres (~6 bike lengths).

Drafting and blocking diagram

Must progress through within 25 seconds. If passed, 25 seconds to drop back. Penalty: 30 seconds (no appeal). Blocking penalty: 30 seconds.

Transition 2 (T2)

After 3 laps (21.3 km), left lane at top of Khyber Road. Dismount before sign. Left onto grass, 100m to transition. Rack bike, remove helmet, follow RUN OUT.

Run 2 — 2.5 km

1 lap anti-clockwise, same course as Run 1.

Finish

Stay left into finish chute, under the gantry. Complimentary water, Avonmore Protein Milk, and fruit. Last Lap Cafe serving drinks & snacks to purchase. Transition re-opens after all cyclists finish — bring your race number to collect bag and bike.

Prizes

Handmade wooden medals

Prize giving ~11:45am. Collect on the day or may be forfeited.

Top 3 Female
Top 3 Open
Top 3 Para
Top 3 Age Groups
Top 3 Intervarsities + Trophy

Results & Photos

Results: popupraces.ie and belparktri.ie. Photos on Facebook & Instagram.

Charity Partner

Surplus funds donated to a chosen charity (TBA). Not-for-profit event.

One Last Thing…

This race follows World Triathlon rules & TI derogations.

A Race With No Trace

  • Sustainable transport promoted.
  • Partners who share our values.
  • No goodie bags — samples available to take.
  • Segregated waste — green recycle, black general.
  • Wooden medals from an Irish business.

Respect the park. No littering.

Sponsors & Supporters

Wheelworx Gold Nutrition Triathlon Ireland Belpark Triathlon Club

Child Safeguarding Statement

Event Information

Belpark Triathlon Club provides sporting activities for young people through this event.

Principles

Committed to safeguarding children under Triathlon Ireland's Policies. Principles: importance of childhood, needs of the child, integrity, fair play, quality ethos, equality.

Risk Assessment
Procedures & Contacts

Developed under Children First Act 2015 and TUSLA guidance.

TI Mandated Person: Niamh O'Gorman — safeguarding@triathlonireland.com, 087 362 7106

Event Safeguarding Lead: Cormac O'Neill

Review date: March 2026.