The weekend of 16–17 August belonged to triathlon at Vodné dielo Žilina (Žilina Reservoir). Žilina Triathlon Festival 2025 drew a record 666 participants, who tested themselves across a range of disciplines and categories. That number shows that triathlon in Slovakia is growing and has tremendous momentum. From the very first starts to the last finishers, the atmosphere was full of energy, determination and joy.
Slovak Olympic Distance Triathlon Championships
The highlight of the programme was the Slovak Olympic Distance Triathlon Championships. In the women's race, well-known names battled for the title. Margaréta Bičanová from the home club KPŠ Nereus Žilina, last year's champion, finished second this time. Victory went to Diana Dunajská of Bratislava's Realiz sport team, who put in a superb performance and ran to a well-deserved win. Third place went to Romana Gajdošová.
In the men's race, favourite Peter Rojtáš confirmed his form, holding off strong Hungarian competition to cross the line first. He was joined on the podium by Alex Mandák in second and Kristián Kosterec in third.
Young athletes, rising talents and relays
The Žilina Triathlon isn't just about elite athletes. There's also a place for young athletes and rising triathlon talents, who showed that the future of Slovak triathlon is in good hands. Even in these categories, starting from age 8, they were racing for championship medals. The 3-person relays added plenty of excitement too, where fitness alone wasn't enough – teamwork and the drive to compete together mattered just as much.
Organisation and behind the scenes
Behind this celebration of sport and the highlight of the Slovak triathlon season is the club KPŠ Nereus Žilina, led by race director Tomáš Jurkovič. For the core organising team, preparation is a year-round challenge, and in the final days they were joined by almost 100 volunteers. Together with medics, firefighters and the police, they made sure athletes could race on well-prepared, safe courses, show what they had trained for and enjoy a great weekend at a true triathlon festival.
Thank you to our partners
The event would not have been possible without the financial and material support of our partners. The general partner was the construction company HSF systém and ANTRACIT. A big thank you also goes to the City of Žilina and the Ministry of Tourism and Sport for their financial support, and to all the other partners who stood behind this event.
See you again!
Žilina Triathlon 2025 showed that triathlon isn't only about athletic performance, but also about community, experiences and the joy of movement. Thank you to every participant, spectator and volunteer who helped create an unforgettable atmosphere.
And if you were just cheering from the shore this year – don't be afraid to join in next time! We're already looking forward to the next edition, which will once again be full of energy, friendly rivalry and great sporting stories.
See you at Žilina Triathlon 2026!
Tomáš Jurkovič
Race Director
