Hever Castle triathlon: Dozens struck down with ‘severe vomiting’ and ‘diarrhoea’ after triathlon event in Kent

Dozens of people who took part in the annual Hever Castle Triathlon on Saturday (23 September) and Sunday (24 September) have described how they have now fallen ill with “severe vomiting” and “diarrhoea”.

One woman posted on Reddit on Monday (25 September) that her nine-year-old daughters took part in the event, in Kent, on Saturday and have both “been so poorly with severe sickness and cramps”.

She said: “So much so that 111 insisted they get checked by paramedics. Surely the organisers tested the water before hundreds of children and adults swam? I also know of another child who is now sick.

“This is the 5th year my family members have competed and the first time they have been ill. However, after what my girls have been through the last 24 hours, I’m very reluctant they compete again, which is a huge shame.”

Another user said they had taken part in the Supersprint on Saturday and had to leave work at 10am on Monday due to “stomach cramps, nausea and lethargy”, leaving them “reluctant to go again next year”.

One added that their partner was “throwing up every half hour from about 10pm till 3am” on Sunday evening, while another wrote that they have been “nauseous and achy since” since Tuesday morning after taking part in the Olympic distance on Sunday.

Users on Reddit said they have contacted the race organisers to understand what has happened and whether it is due to the water quality.

One wrote:  “Would be good to have some transparency of how many people have got sick. It’s a shame as the venue is amazing and I hope that it will be safe for future events.”

It comes after hundreds of protestors descended on Tankerton beach in Kent on Saturday protesting against the amount of sewage spills.

The event was set up by campaign group SOS Whitstable and protesters joined by the likes of singer Feargal Sharkey and comedian Paul Whitehouse.

The group said  the seaside town suffered more sewage releases than any other location in Kent last year and as of 10 September 2023 the group also discovered 591 hours of sewage has been washed up in the sea over 160 separate times.

It added that it wants to see tougher punishments for offending water companies and to tell Southern Water “we have had enough of sewage pollution”.

In July, 57 people fell ill with diarrhoea and vomiting after a World Triathlon Championship Series event in Sunderland.

Concerns were raised by competitors about water quality results from 26 July which displayed high E.coli levels.

However, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said 19 of 31 submitted samples showed norovirus so it "would not be possible" to confirm whether the illness was a result of participation in the event.

NationalWorld has contacted the race organisers for comment.