CASTLE Howard, near York, will provide the backdrop to one leg of a new four-race triathlon series.

The inaugural Castle Triathlon Series starts at Cholmondeley Castle, Cheshire, on June 26 and 27, with the Castle Howard leg on July 24 and 25.

Race three will be held on August 28 and 29 at Chateau Chantilly, in Picardie, France, and the series closes at Hever Castle, in Kent, on September 25 and 26.

All the Castle Howard races, including the new children’s races, start with an open water swim in the iridescent Great Lake, before the cycle leg through the villages of Slingsby, Hovingham and Terrington. The run will meander through the estate grounds before finishing with competitors sprinting across the main lawn. The five race categories are: the Brideshead Revisted (800 metre swim, 46 kilometre cycle, ten kilometre run); the Brideshead (400m swim, 23km cycle, 5km run); the Garfield (for 13 to 15 years, 300m swim, 10km cycle, 4km run); the Garfield (11 to 12 years, 200m swim, 5km cycle, 2km run); the Garfield (eight to ten years, 100m swim, 5km cycle, 1.3km run).

Simon Howard, chairman of Castle Howard Estate Ltd, said: “We look forward to building the event for the future as part of the wider Castle Triathlon Series and hope this is the first triathlon of many to take place in our beautiful and unique setting.”

To register for the Castle Howard Triathlon 2010, visit the website www.castletriathlonseries.co.uk or phone 01892 870681.