Best Swim: Xterra Wales 2007 (crystal clear lake that was so deep it was a bit spooky)
Best Bike: Wensleydale
Best Run: Roth (original canal course)
Worst Swim: Bristol Sprint 2013 good swim result for me but sick as a dog for two days after
Worst Bike: Trentham Big Half 2009 (8 laps on a busy road in the rain)
Worst Run: N/A
I had my best race there and qualified for Worlds.
Was totally fine after the swim.
I felt the whole course was non-descript.
Got my spot for the worlds there too so it was worth the two days on the porcelain telephone (just about!)
I’d say it wasn’t.
LONDON Sprint course was crap.
Shit swim, awful bike course, I can’t even remember the run.
That seems to describe the Bristol 10k and Half too; they just send those up & down the A4 ‘Portway’
I quite enjoyed the London Sprint Worlds TBH 
Belvoir is the worst swim I’ve ever done. Ever.
About 30cm deep in place, weeds, mud, silt.
You could not see anything.
Utterly crap. The “lake” was also more like a pond.
Bala bike (85km one to Dolgellau) was just awesome.
80kmh on a TT bike going down the valley was insane.
I loved that race.
The swim was crystal clear, if not coldAF.
The run was flat, shaded, until 9.6km where it ramped up something chronic for about 800m, then you flew back down and back.
Brutal Snowdonia run was good too.
Running around Llyn Padarn country park, then up and down Llanberis Path by dusk (if you were quick-ish)
Clitheroe Sprint bike (30km) is truly stunning.
The view from the top of Birdy Brow is immense.
I think that’s the only sprint race I’d do again - as there’s a super nice stream and pub next door to the race site. Plus there’s a playpark in the field for the kids. And dogs are allowed.
Every Oly I’ve done has been garbage.
Beaulieu Middle was okay for my first one, but not enough New Forest.
Only done Outlaw and Forestman fulls.
Seeing a wild boar on the bike course in 2009 was possibly the highlight of my racing career 
Ashbourne Duathlon also has a brilliant bike leg - a true test of your descending and climbing ability. As well as keeping aero up a 3-4% slog.
I wouldn’t do the Vitruvian again, as the last year I did t (2011?) I felt there were too many people on the bike course with too many cars and I didn’t feel that safe.
@robh I remember that Trentham Half up and down a busy dual carriageway in the sheeting rain, 8 laps. My first ever half, in my first season.
Hell, I nearly quit the sport. Awful, and dangerous before you even factored in the relentless heavy rain.
Seem to remember the swim was horrible as well…
I did the half brutal, it was great, even the bit round the lake was quite technical and I loved going up and down Snowdon, made up quite a few places as I’d managed a few summer fell runs that year.
Got up and down the climb in 1:58.
And yes, the Belvoir swim was horrible but not as bad as Castle Howard which was also dangerous.
Best swim: Ironman Wales. Roth was good but very biffy.
Best bike: the course and roads at Challenge Roth were excellent and well marshalled, and it was well supported (not as well as Tenby) and pretty. Castle Howard was brilliant too, but Roth wins.
Best run: Ironman Wales, because it is brutal but there is so much love out there on the course that it is a party from start to finish.
Worst swim: castle Howard half … it looked incredible with the mist rising from the lake, but it felt about 60cm deep and was thick, thick, thick with duck poo and other sludge. Man made (hand dug) lakes tend to be icky. Hever castle isn’t as bad due to the river section. Windsor Olympic was bad due to a gasoline taste on the water (commercial water way).
Worst bike: last 3 miles of Outlaw. Those roads are horrific. I punctured. I ride the gauntlet route a lot as a local, and I love the hills, but I agree the road surface is terrible in patches.
Worst run: I tend to look forward to the run, so I enjoy even the boring ones. Actually the tougher the better. So worst … gosh, I kind of enjoyed the all. Maybe the old Windsor Olympic route? Used to take you up past the castle but mainly a boring loop on boring roads. They have changed it now and it looks better.
Other wins and losses:
Best venue for me is Tenby in Wales. I love it.
I also loved staying around the Castle howard area. Roth and Hilpoltstein are both incredibly welcoming. Nottingham I found a bit less fun to visit. Hever is in the middle of the countryside so beautiful but naff all support on the bike. Windsor I just found a bit dreary in atmosphere.
Best kit bag: I still use my IM Wales 2016 bag 3 years later on an almost daily basis. The 2019 challenge Roth bag was awesome and will see a lot of use.
Best finish: Wales and Roth tied, but Outlaw do a good job on a much smaller scale.
Best medal: IM Wales so far, but really want one of those belt buckles from the original American 100 milers.
Best moment: the finish stadium at Roth. I actually cried at that one. Partly seeing friends, partly my achievement, and partly just how awesome and overwhelming it is.
Agree on both Ashbourne Duathlon (great tough race) and Vitruvian (sketchy bike, not one I’d go back to)
@jeffb Half Brutal was the only tri I did last year and I thought it was great, similarly I’d been doing some fell running (including Bob Graham support) and got up and down Snowdon in 1:54 (2nd fastest on the day 
)
That’s good going Rob, especially as it gets quite busy with walkers you also need to dodge.
I think I was also second fastest on the day and wasted a bit of time at the bottom, but it’s a very runnable descent, I’m not a great descender by any stretch but it’s an enjoyable one. Also amusing to see the roadies coming down like bambi 
Jeff
Isn’t that pronounced ‘beaver’ so you know it’s totally f*d up.
Yes. Great pier-end humour t-shirt and medal.
Something about getting wet at the Belvoir.
With a graphic of a beaver.
I’m sure that doesn’t go down well (oo-er) in 2019.
Worst swim - Portsmouth Olympic 2013 - Tide was still coming in for the first few waves set off - they could just run the course. Incredibly strong current pulling you away from the course at the turn. Just felt like you were swimming on the spot. A friend of mine in his first tri thought he was going to die!!
Best swim - Weymouth 70.3 2018 - lucky to even get a swim and it was pretty wild. I absolutely loved it and felt in my element. First triathlon I actually swam past people and not get constantly overtaken 
Can remember waiting at the start looking at the sea and thinking if this wasn’t an organised event you couldn’t pay me to swim in that.
Worst bike - Weymouth 70.3 2018 - my worst performance on the bike in a triathlon. I had never been so cold as I was then. Spent the first 2 hours just shivering. Too cold to eat and drink. If I got a puncture that day I would of been a dnf. Never felt so miserable and negative about the bike.
Worst run - South Africa 2016 - probably unfair on the course - I was just too unfit and so sunburnt that I had to walk most of it. A typical Ironman 4 lapper with a couple of small drags each lap. The support on the course however was amazing. With plenty of bbqs, people with beers and quite the party atmosphere.
Best run Wales 2017 - well documented on this forum. The locals really embrace it
Best medal - split between the Welsh dragon and the T-Rex from Weymouth
honourable mention to the monkeys and cows crossing the bike course in South Africa.
Best Swim - Norseman - Jumping off a ferry into an icy black Fjord and swimming with mountains either side of you is without a doubt the best swim experience I have ever had!
Best Bike - Norseman - Straight outta T1 into a 40k climb sets you up for a stunning route, the scenery is beautiful and you will most likely get to experience all weathers that are possible in one day!
Best Run - Norseman - Nice scenic and flat run for 16 miles then should you hit the cutoffs a fantastic climb with amazing views
Best T-shirt - Norseman - Just for rarity purposes, the black t-shirt from the Norseman
Obviously there is a theme here but i’m yet to find a race that holds the appeal and draw of the Norseman, so much so I have started entering the ballot again!
Meh.
BBC age-Group triathlete news presenters do it now.
Old hat.
Best Swim: Lanza - for a sea swim, it’s lovely.
Best Bike : Austria - awesome, great scenery, support, techno techno, did it in 2011 wish I could do the course justice as I could now.
Best Run: Yeah Id say Wales. I’ll try not to be as slow next year cos late on the piss heads were less funny 
Best kit bag: Mallorca 70.3 - nice size , just right
Best Finisher Shirt: Holkham 19
Best Medal: 70.3 Antwerp 10 - big gold job
Best for family/supporters: Lanzarote, Don’t like being at Triathlon ? Simply start your day in the pub !
Worst Swim: All of them ! Read on here to use clear lenses in Austria - straight into sunlight 
Wales 14 was horrible, but clear winner Belvoir - like swimming in an oil slick it was that black.
Worst Bike : Weymouth 70.3 - although I had a good bike split , I just didn’t enjoy it at all. Too much stop start, slow down , danger etc
Worst Run: Outlaw - once around the lake is enough but four times !!!
Best Swim: Norseman - loved the early start / jumping off the ferry / swimming in a fjord.
Best Bike: Forestman - no scary descents (as I am crap at bike handling) / pretty course / not too hilly or flat / rewards good bike fitness
Best Run: IM Germany - Frankfurt crowds were great / great finish experience (despite needing a drip at the end)
Worst Swim: Arch to Arc - didn’t finish it / very cold / very choppy / course was long (39 miles not 21 miles 
) / was sick for 4 days afterwards. Obviously, I actually loved it despite it being rather hard.
Worst Bike: Midnight Man - flat but not fast due to about 30 dead turns / speed bumps / ugly industrial estate in Dartford
Worst Run: Outlaw - quite dull course/ strong wind around the lake / hotter than the sun
Best logistics: Austria - easy flights / single venue / easy to find accommodation
Worst logistics: Roth - hard to get to / parking was awkward / split transitions / trying to collect bike from T2 after the race in a massive thunderstorm was difficult with all the roads shut and no signposts
Best Overall Experience - big race: IM Austria - combination of fast course / ‘exotic’ Euro location / single venue / pretty run
Best Overall Experience - small race: Forestman - pretty course / friendly local feel / great finish
Best for muti-day: Enduroman: Tiny event but great support and cameraderie
not sure she’s going to finish however. 