Fastest Time to Complete a Triathlon around the Full Coastline of Wales


Leigh Wallis plans to swim, cycle and run 700 miles around Wales while raising funds for the National Autistic Society and Maggie’s.

Beginning on 26 June, Leigh Wallis, from Wales in the United Kingdom, will set out from the northern border between Wales and England with one objective: to complete a triathlon around the full coastline of Wales. The Dragon 700 Ultra Tri Challenge will trace the country from north to south through open-water swimming, cycling and coastal running, finishing at the southern border with England approximately ten days later. The campaign describes the format as never previously attempted. Safety remains essential.

Leigh plans to swim 12 miles in the sea, cycle 558 miles on roads tracking the coast and run 130 miles on the coastline itself. Together, the three disciplines total 700 miles; roughly the combined distance of five full-distance triathlons. The allocation follows the organisers’ stated triathlon proportions: approximately 1.7 per cent swimming, 79.7 per cent cycling and 18.6 per cent running.

The same athlete must complete every discipline and cover the full required distance. What makes the Dragon 700 especially demanding is the clock. It begins at the northern start point and does not stop until the final section is completed in the south. Rest, sleep, transitions, mechanical delays and weather-related stoppages all count towards the elapsed time. The swim, bike and run may be divided into smaller segments and completed in any order, allowing the team to respond to tides, road conditions and safety needs. However, breaking a discipline into sections does not reduce the requirement: the full coastline and the total target distances must still be covered within the stated tolerance.

The proposed rules preserve the central principles of a triathlon. All three disciplines must take place outdoors. The swimming must be in open sea water and track the coastline as closely as safety allows. Wetsuits and specified neoprene safety clothing are permitted under the attempt rules but fins, hand paddles, flotation devices and mechanical assistance are not. The cycling must use the nearest through-road that follows the coast, with no e-bikes and no drafting. The running sections must follow the coastline itself. A support crew may accompany Leigh for safety, medical support and recording but cannot provide prohibited assistance. Evidence will be essential. GPS records from a sports watch and bike computer are intended to document each segment, supported by time-stamped video and photography. Open-water GPS can sometimes drift or lose accuracy, so data from a safety kayak or boat may be cross-referenced with Leigh’s own track. Start and finish times, transitions and any stopped periods will also matter because the total is a continuous elapsed time, not simply a sum of moving hours.

Final claims—including completion, verified distance and any record status—should therefore be published only after the evidence has been reviewed by the relevant independent adjudicator.

Behind the statistics is a charitable purpose. Leigh is funding the attempt personally, so event costs are not intended to be taken from donations. The campaign pledge is that 100 per cent of money raised will go directly to two charities: the National Autistic Society and Maggie’s. That commitment turns every swim stroke, pedal revolution and running step into a way of raising awareness as well as funds.

The National Autistic Society was chosen for a deeply personal reason. Leigh’s nephew, Harry, brings intelligence, wit, humour and a distinctive perspective to the lives of those around him. Leigh sees in Harry a wide range of skills and qualities that a future employer should value. The message is clear: autism should not be misunderstood or overlooked. Autistic people deserve to be understood, accepted and given genuine opportunities to flourish on their own terms. That message aligns with the National Autistic Society’s work to create a society that works for autistic people. The charity provides information and guidance across subjects including diagnosis, education, employment, social care and family life. It also campaigns for better understanding, acceptance and services. Supporting the charity helps challenge barriers that can prevent autistic children and adults from participating fully in school, work and community life. For Leigh, the cause is represented not by an abstract statistic but by Harry and the potential he shares with so many autistic people.

It is ambitious, self-funded and dependent on careful safety planning, a committed support crew and transparent evidence. Most of all, it is a public promise to turn a large-scale personal effort into practical support for other people. Maggie’s was selected because cancer has affected too many people in Leigh’s inner circle. Almost everyone knows a relative, friend, neighbour or colleague whose life has been changed by cancer. Treatment is only one part of that experience; people may also face fear, uncertainty, disrupted work, financial pressure and the strain placed on family life. Maggie’s provides free expert care and support in centres across the UK and online for people with cancer, as well as their families and friends.

At Maggie’s, people can seek practical help with money and benefits, join support groups, talk through difficult emotions and learn ways to manage the effects of cancer and treatment. The centres are designed to offer a welcoming place where no one has to face the experience alone. For patients, survivors, carers and loved ones, that combination of expertise and human connection can restore confidence and create a sense of control. Every donation helps keep that support available to those who need it.

The Dragon 700 Ultra Tri Challenge is therefore about more than an elapsed time. It brings together the geography of Wales, the disciplines of triathlon and two causes rooted in Leigh’s own life.