ATW Big East & Maldon Triathlon

The Odyssey @ Big East & Maldon Triathlon is brought to you by the largest triathlon organiser in the UK!

JOIN US ON SATURDAY 16th May 2026 FOR A GREAT EVENT EXPERIENCE DELIVERED BY TRIATHLETES FOR TRIATHLETES

The Odyssey @ Big East is a Middle Distance Tri involving a 1.5km tidal river swim, an 86km road bike and finishing off with a 20km run.

Alongside this fantastic Middle Distance event you can also choose to take on the usual distances of a Standard (1500m swim, 40km bike, 10km run) or Sprint (750m swim, 25km bike, 5km run) Triathlon.

With the race starting just before midday, we encourage athletes to stay behind to socialise with fellow athletes.

Anyone who doesn't want to take part in the run, there is a middle and standard distance Aquabike (swim-bike) option and for those who would like to compete as a team, there is a middle distance relay option, with or 2 or 3 individuals sharing the disciplines between them.

In order to time the start with the high tide, the race will begin at 11:50AM with registration opening at 10:00AM.

Due to the tidal flow, the swim leg has a strict cut off time of 1hr 10 mins, and the overall event a cut off of 8 hrs to ensure everyone finishes in daylight.

The swim uses a 750m swim course (that was new for 2023), starting next to the imposing statue of Byrhtnoth, celebrating the Saxon Battle of Maldon, and heads out towards Northey Island.

This event has a non-draft legal bike leg that takes athletes out of Maldon and onto the quiet, scenic roads of the Dengie Peninsula through the villages of Latchingdon, Tillingham, Steeple and Mayland. 

The run course is a flat 5km loop that heads out and back on the promenade before taking the footpath along the sea wall, and heading back towards race HQ. The last kilometre is completed looping around Promenade Park where spectators will get a great chance to cheer you on.  The surface is a mixture of paved roads, grass and gravel track.

Transgender athletes are, and will continue to be, very welcome at recreational and competitive activity in Triathlon.

At any competitive event from 1st January 2023, there will be a Female category open to athletes who are the female sex at birth and an Open category open to all other athletes.

Not only will you earn yourself this fabulous medal, there will also be goodies waiting for you at the finish line!           

Want to hire a wetsuit for the season? We are proud to offer Zone3 wetsuits. Find out more HERE

Want to hire a wetsuit for a day, weekend or month? Find out more HERE                  

Read reviews on Racecheck

 

Charity - Join us in making every stride count by raising money for our partner charity, Alzheimers Research UK - your run will not only challenge your limits but also change lives, one step at a time, for a cure. Opportunities to donate and fundraise will appear at checkout.

 

ATW Transfer & Refund Policy

At ATW, we understand that sometimes plans change. While we do not offer refunds or transfers to another person, we provide a hassle-free event transfer option for those unable to attend their booked event. If you are unable to participate in your scheduled event for any reason—including injury, illness, pregnancy, bereavement, or other unforeseen circumstances—you can transfer your entry to any future ATW event. There is no proof required, we trust you!
Even better news, transfers can be made all the way up to 48 hours before your original event date.

 

ATW Community

At ATW we think of our participants as a community and we love to hear about the community's dreams and achievments.

If you'd like to share those dreams and achievements you can do so on any of our social media platforms. Equally if you'd like any advice about your upcoming event you will almost certainly find someone who can provide some guidance.

Links to all our social media platforms are at the bottom of the page, including to our ATW Chat Facebook group, which might be the most interactive platform if asking for help.

 

Event Organiser

ATW was established in 2011 by James Shipley. We have now become a national events company in the UK, specialising in Running, Triathlon, Duathlon, Aquathon, Cycling, Swimming and all permutation of swim-bike run events. With over 40,000 entries a year ATW has become a firm favourite amongst people who are determined to Dream, Believe and Achieve.