Challenge Gdansk (Lotto)

Gdansk (Brzezno), Poland · June · Challenge Family

Why people love it

4.4Very good

How racers feel about it, how well it is run, and how it treats a first timer. Counts for 27% of the overall score.

Racer satisfactionLoved4.1
Challenge Race of the Year 2021 and fields above 1,000, but few first-person accounts to confirm it. · Medium confidence
OrganizationWell run4.2
Polish media called 2025 organisation exemplary and the bridge-works reroute went smoothly. No athlete complaints found. · Low confidence
First timer friendlyFriendly4.1
Flat bike and run, beach start and a stated aim of welcoming beginners. Cool sea water is the main hurdle. · Medium confidence

PR potentialAmong the fastest4.6
About 68 m (223 ft) of bike gain and 8 m (26 ft) on the run. Winning times of 3:40:28 in 2024. · Medium confidence
Course easeModerate4.3
Almost no climbing. Cool sea water or summer heat are the main challenges. · Medium confidence

3.3Good

Wetsuit odds, water temperature, calm, and the experience of the start. Counts for 15% of the overall score.

Wetsuit legalAlmost always4.5
Average water is 17 °C (63 °F), so wetsuits are likely. The rule text was not confirmed. · Low confidence
Water temperatureAcceptable2.8
Baltic water averages 17 °C (63 °F), at the cool end of comfortable. · Medium confidence
Calm waterSome chop3.2
Open gulf with a pier. No swell reports found. · Low confidence
Swim easeEasy3.8
Single-lap beach start with simple navigation. No contact reports. · Low confidence
Swim experienceGreat3.6
Sea start from a beach beside the pier. No first-person swim reviews. · Low confidence

3.4Good

Road surface, closures, scenery and wind. Counts for 19% of the overall score.

Road surfaceGood3.7
City and rural roads. No surface reports. · Low confidence
Road closuresMostly closed4.2
Lanes are closed in a major city. No athlete reports of traffic problems. · Low confidence
Bike sceneryPleasant3.0
Flat urban and farmland riding, with a tunnel and a stadium pass. · Low confidence
WindSome wind3.0
Flat, open coastal region with no shelter. No wind data. · Low confidence

Bike speedVery fast4.5
Only 68 m (223 ft) of gain over 90 km (56 mi). Rerouted in 2025 and trimmed to two laps in 2026. · Medium confidence
Bike flatnessPancake flat4.9
Official gain of 68 m (223 ft) over 90 km (56 mi) is very flat. · Medium confidence
Bike simplicityMostly simple3.8
Urban laps with turns and a tunnel; the 2026 two-lap layout reduced technical turns. · Low confidence

4.2Very good

Crowds, aid stations, conditions underfoot and scenery. Counts for 13% of the overall score.

Crowd supportStrong4.0
Four beach and pier run laps in a city of 470,000, plus a festival with other events. · Low confidence
Aid stationsGood4.0
Large Challenge event with no aid complaints found. · Low confidence
Run sceneryBeautiful4.2
Beach, park and a finish on the pier. · Medium confidence
Run conditionsEasy3.6
Flat and quick, but 2026 was extremely hot with little shade and some beach surface. · Low confidence

Run flatnessFlat4.9
Official gain is 8 m (26 ft) over 21.1 km (13.1 mi). · Medium confidence

3.8Very good

Air temperature, how predictable the weather is, setting, and spectating. Counts for 15% of the overall score.

Air temperaturePleasant3.7
June is usually mild on the Baltic, but 2026 was extremely hot. · Low confidence
Weather reliabilityVariable3.3
Coastal June weather can swing, and 2026 was very hot. No cancellations found. · Low confidence
Venue beautyLovely4.0
Pier, beach and the historic city nearby. · Medium confidence
Spectator friendlyEasy4.4
Multi-lap bike and four run laps around the beach and pier, close to the city. · Medium confidence

4.9Excellent

Hotels, walkability, getting there, and the town around the race. Counts for 11% of the overall score.

Hotel availabilityPlentiful4.5
Major city with a large hotel stock. · Medium confidence
Hotel valueGood3.8
Partner hotels offer a race discount. No price reports. · Low confidence
WalkabilityWalkable3.5
Hotels in Brzezno are near the venue; the Old Town is several kilometres away. · Low confidence
Travel easeVery easy4.6
Gdansk has its own international airport. · Medium confidence
LogisticsSimple4.0
Beach swim, pier finish and a compact venue, though a multi-race weekend adds crowding. · Low confidence
Town and foodGreat4.6
Gdansk is a large, popular tourist city. · Medium confidence

Location: Gdansk (Brzezno), Pomerania, Poland
Typical month: June
Latest or next date: 20 June 2027
Organiser: Challenge Family
Field size: About 1,000 athletes
First held: 2021
Distances: 1.9 km (1.2 mi) swim, 90 km (56 mi) bike, 21.1 km (13.1 mi) run
Swim venue: Baltic Sea off Brzezno beach / pier, Gulf of Gdansk (sea)
Water temperature: 16–18 °C (61–64 °F)
Wetsuit: Usually wetsuit (cool water); rule not confirmed
Swim start: beach start
Swim laps: 1
Bike climbing: 68 m (225 ft)
Bike laps: 2
Run climbing: 8 m (26 ft)
Run laps: 4
Run shade: little
Air temperature: 17–26 °C (63–79 °F)
Altitude: 5 m (16 ft)
Nearest airport: Gdansk Lech Walesa (GDN)
Where to stay: Brzezno, Gdansk Old Town
Booking: Book recommended partner hotels directly for an extra race discount (per organiser).

Tri247Raced 2022 · article · Positive
2022 pro report: the pros rode together and the race was decided on the run. Winner 3:44:47. Mostly results, no athlete opinions.
SlowtwitchRaced 2021 · article · Positive
Report on the inaugural 2021 half: winners 3:46:14 and 4:12:21 with a tight bike. Results focused.
TriNation TriRaced 2021 · article · Positive
Pre-race preview: Baltic beach swim, three flat fast bike laps passing the stadium and a tunnel, beach run finishing on the pier. Not first-person.
RMF24Raced 2024 · article · Positive
Festive city-event preview with sprint to middle formats, kids aquathlon and a charity run; director says it suits beginners and experts; mentions Race of the Year 2021 and seven 2023 award nominations.
TVP Info 2026 coverageRaced 2026 · article · Mixed
Reports the 6th edition with over 1,000 athletes in extreme heat; pro winners 3:43:41 and 4:07:43. Heat was called an extra challenge by the director.

Show 2 more

Endurance.bizRaced 2026 · article · Positive
Industry piece on the largest-ever field and a two-lap bike with fewer technical turns. Not fetched in full (access restricted); details from search snippet.
TrainerDay event pageaggregator · Positive
Course profile summary: bike and run each about 8 m (26 ft) gain on the middle distance and a bike course called one of the fastest worldwide. Aggregator figure conflicts with the official 68 m (223 ft) bike gain.

Pages we used for facts and ratings. See how we rate.