Hercules Festival of Sport - Northwood

Race entry

Timing chips (Excluding children’s events)

Finishers T-shirt

Bespoke finishers medal

Access to Post race nutrition, massage and athlete area

Winners’ Trophies

Access to special offers from our supporting sponsors

We are hosting four open water Triathlon distances at the Festival of Sport Northwood:

Novice – 400M/10K/2.5K • Sprint – 750M/20K/5K • Standard – 1500M/40K/10K

Half Iron – 1.9K/100K/20K (8 hour maximum completion time)

Each wave will start with an ‘in water’ start in the large and sheltered Merchant Taylors private lake. The swim courses will be well marked and there will be water safety staff on hand and in the lake. After the swim, it’s just a short dash to the Transition Zone, which situated in a fully fenced and secure area adjacent to the lake. The bike leg will take you out on the picturesque Hertfordshire roads on interesting, fast and challenging routes. The run leg is predominately flat and is set within the confines of the stunning Merchant Taylor grounds. The finish, as always, is in our sports village where you will receive a hero’s welcome over the line.

Minimum Age: Novice and Sprint 15+, Standard 16+ and Half Iron 18+

There will be 3 run distances at the Hercules Festival of sport Northwood: 1.5K Fun Run, 5K and 10K.

We have created interesting routes through the picturesque private Merchant Taylors’ grounds. Please note the following age restrictions for our run events below:

1.5K -Everyone welcome

5K -11 years +

10K -11 years +

1.5K Fun Run is not a chip timed event

We have an excellent out and back 100KM Cyclo Sportive on offer at the Hercules Festival of Sport Northwood:

100 Kilometres

Our route takes you out in to the outstanding Hertfordshire countryside, and into neighbouring counties. Our route will be well marshaled and a feed station will be available on route. We will also provide a free GPX file of the route along with your race day briefing.

The beauty of Sportives is that they are for everyone and every standard, so challenge yourself and ‘go long!’

Minimum Age: 16+

There will be 2 open water swim races at the festival of Sport Northwood: 3K and 5K.

Our swim races will take place in the large and sheltered Merchant Taylors private lake. Our swim courses will be well marked and there will substantial water safety staff on hand and in the lake for safety and reassurance. There’s a distance for everyone, so challenge yourself and challenge your friends!

Minimum Age: 3K 15+, 5K 16+

Back this season we have our two Aquathlon (Swim/Run) distances at our festivals:

Sprint – 750M / 5K

Standard – 1500M / 10K

Here at the Festival of Sport Northwood we have an open water lake swim followed by a predominately flat yet challenging run set within the handsome grounds of Merchant Taylors . Given this rural setting, the run will be a rare treat and there are lots of opportunities for spectators to cheer you on to the finish line and a warm welcome in our Sports Village.

Minimum Age:

Sprint 15+

Standard 17+

Back by popular demand we have 3 Duathlon distances to offer this season: Novice, Sprint and Standard.

Novice – 2.5k/10k/2.5k

Sprint – 5K/20k/2.5K

Standard – 10K/40K/5K

We have tailored our Duathlons to make sure that there really is a distance for every ability. Both of the Duathlon run legs will be contained within superb grounds of Merchant Taylors. The bike leg will take you out into the surrounding counties of Hertfordshire and Middlesex for a fast and enjoyable road race.

Road bikes are recommended for the Hercules Festival of Sport Northwood but by no means compulsory. We want everyone to have the chance to take part in a wonderful day of sport.

Minimum Age: Novice and Sprint 15+, Standard 17+

New for 2019, we are introducing the Aquabike event. The Aquabike race is an endurance sport composed of the swimming and cycling stages of a triathlon. The running stage is eliminated so that people who are unable to run, or do not wish to run can still participate. We will offer three Aquabike distances at our Festival of Sport:

Novice – 400M/10K

Sprint – 750M/20K

Standard – 1500M/40K

Half – 1.9K/100K

Minimum Age: Novice and Sprint 15+

Merchant Taylors’ School, Sandy Lodge Rd, Moor Park, Northwood, Middlesex, HA6 2HT

By Car:

By road from M3, M4, M40, M25 (south and west) By road from M3, M4, M40, M25 (south and west) Leave the M25 at J17 or J18. Follow signs for Rickmansworth and Northwood through a series of roundabouts (2 from J17, 4 from J18) At the final roundabout follow the A404 (2nd exit, London Road) up the hill. Continue on the A404 past the Nine of Herts golf course on your right and the Olde Green Man on your left. At the Prince of Wales Pub, turn left into Batchworth Lane. Follow Batchworth Lane all the way until it ends and turn left into Sandy Lodge Road. Drive down the hill. Turn left immediately after the big Esso Station into Sandy Lane. The School entrance is 350 yards on your right.

By road from the M1 (M25 north and east traffic exit at J21/J21a and follow signs for M1 London) Leave the M1 at J5. Take the A4008, Stephenson Way, towards Watford. Bear left at the second roundabout (A411). Carry on at the mini-roundabout opposite Tesco’s and follow the one-way system into Dalton Way. Keep left and continue straight on for 200 yards. Turn right at the Bushey railway arches roundabout (following signs for Northwood HQ) and turn into Eastbury Road(which becomes Hampermill Lane) continuing straight on for 5-10 minutes. The road bends sharp left and you see an Esso Station on the right. Turn right immediately before the Esso Station into Sandy Lodge Lane. The School entrance is 350 yards on your right.

By road from London via the A40 From the A40 take the A4180 through Ruislip following Duck’s Hill Road to its end. Turn left onto the A404 – the Rickmansworth Road (which becomes the London Road). Pass Mount Vernon Hospital. At the Prince of Wales Pub, turn right into Batchworth Lane. Follow Batchworth Lane until it ends and turn left into Sandy Lodge Road. Drive down the hill. Turn left immediately after the big Esso Station into Sandy Lane. The School entrance is 350 yards on your right.

By Train:

Half-hourly Chiltern Line trains from London Marylebone take 14 minutes to Harrow-on-the-Hill. Change to Metropolitan Line north (Amersham branch) for Moor Park (10 minutes). You may also continue to Rickmansworth (23 minutes from Marylebone) and take the Metropolitan Line south one stop to Moor Park. There is generally a connecting train within 5 minutes at either station.

By Tube:

Moor Park (Zone 6) on the Metropolitan Line is a 10-minute walk from the School buildings. Plan your journey at www.tfl.gov.uk At the exit turnstiles, double back on yourself, sharp right along the walkway under the railway line. Go up the stairs and turn sharp left through the barrier onto the path through the spinney. At the end, bear left along Askew Road, cross the road at the zebra crossing and walk on 50 yards until you see the school gates on your right (pedestrian gate to the left of the main gates). Walk up the Long Drive to the School.

Parking at Merchant Taylors is free for competitors and spectators and will be well signed from the school entrance.