Diablak Extreme Triathlon
Zywiec (Lipowa), Poland · June · Poland Extreme Triathlon series (organizer: Holistix Events / KAPF)
Why people love it
- Finish on the 1,725 m (5,659 ft) summit of Babia Gora.
- Brutal combination: about 2,837 m (9,308 ft) of bike gain plus 2,344 m (7,690 ft) of run gain.
- Tiny field (50-person cap on the full distance in 2024), with shorter half and quarter options.
- Dawn swim in Lake Zywiec at 16-20 °C (61-68 °F), wetsuits allowed.
Watch out for
- Bike is on open roads with traffic.
- Strict cutoffs: swim 2 h, swim plus bike 11.5 h, summit by 22:00.
- Summit weather can be cold and windy, and the run may be shortened.
- Very little independent athlete feedback; this is based on course data.
- Distances differ by source: bike 175 or 180 km (109 or 112 mi), swim 3.5 or 3.8 km (2.4 mi).
Race
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 satisfactionLoved3.6
Almost no independent reviews. Passionate niche appeal, with a 50-person cap. · Low confidence
- OrganizationWell run3.5
Detailed regulations, timetable, GOPR safety checkpoint and shuttles. No athlete feedback. · Low confidence
- First timer friendlyExperts only1.1
Extreme mountain event with about 5,180 m (17,000 ft) of total gain, an open-road bike and strict cutoffs. · High confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- PR potentialVery slow1.1
About 5,180 m (17,000 ft) of climbing with a summit-trail run. Far slower than any road full. · High confidence
- Course easeExtreme1.0
3.5 km (2.2 mi) swim, 2,837 m (9,308 ft) bike gain, then a 44 km (27 mi) run gaining 2,344 m (7,690 ft). · High confidence
Swim
Wetsuit odds, water temperature, calm, and the experience of the start. Counts for 15% of the overall score.
- Wetsuit legalAlmost always4.9
Water is 16-20 °C (61-68 °F), and wetsuits are legal. · Medium confidence
- Water temperatureComfortable3.6
Water is 16-20 °C (61-68 °F), around 18 °C (64 °F) mid-range. Comfortable is 19-23 °C (66-73 °F). · Medium confidence
- Calm waterMostly calm4.3
Sheltered reservoir at dawn. No chop reports. · Low confidence
- Swim easeModerate2.9
3.5 km (2.2 mi) point-to-point in cool water, dark pre-dawn start, 2 h cutoff. · Low confidence
- Swim experienceGreat3.5
Scenic mountain reservoir with a 4:00 am dawn start. No participant opinions. · Low confidence
Bike
Road surface, closures, scenery and wind. Counts for 19% of the overall score.
- Road surfaceMixed3.3
Regional Silesian Beskid roads. No reports. · Low confidence
- Road closuresMostly open1.8
Regulations say the bike is on open roads with traffic. · Medium confidence
- Bike sceneryBeautiful4.3
Beskid mountains, Istebna and Koniakow, judged from the route. · Low confidence
- WindMostly calm3.9
Valleys and forested climbs. No wind data. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Bike speedVery slow1.3
2,837 m (9,308 ft) of climbing over 175 km (109 mi), over the Salmopol and Kubalonka passes. · Medium confidence
- Bike flatnessMountainous1.3
2,837 m (9,308 ft) per the organiser, up to 3,200 m (10,500 ft) per a 2018 preview. · Medium confidence
- Bike simplicityTechnical2.3
Mountain descents on open roads. · Low confidence
Run
Crowds, aid stations, conditions underfoot and scenery. Counts for 13% of the overall score.
- Crowd supportLonely1.3
Mountain trail run with about 50 starters. Very few spectators. · Low confidence
- Aid stationsThin2.2
Water at bike points and two mountain aid points on the run. · Medium confidence
- Run scenerySpectacular4.6
Babia Gora massif with a summit finish at 1,725 m (5,659 ft), judged from the route. · Low confidence
- Run conditionsBrutal1.0
Mountain trail after a full bike, an exposed summit and a GOPR checkpoint cutoff. · High confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Run flatnessBig climbs1.0
44 km (27 mi) from about 345 m (1,132 ft) to 1,725 m (5,659 ft), a gain of 2,344 m (7,690 ft). · High confidence
Conditions
Air temperature, how predictable the weather is, setting, and spectating. Counts for 15% of the overall score.
- Air temperaturePleasant4.2
Air is 10-24 °C (50-75 °F). Cold at the 4:00 am start and the summit, with wind chill. · Low confidence
- Weather reliabilityUnsettled2.2
Mountain weather, and the organiser may shorten the final section. · Low confidence
- Venue beautyLovely4.1
Lake Zywiec and the Beskids, judged from the route. · Low confidence
- Spectator friendlyTricky1.8
Point-to-point mountain finish, and the run cannot be spectated. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Low altitudeLow3.5
Starts at 345 m (1,132 ft) and finishes at 1,725 m (5,659 ft). Only the last part is above 1,500 m (4,900 ft). · Medium confidence
Stay and travel
Hotels, walkability, getting there, and the town around the race. Counts for 11% of the overall score.
- Hotel availabilityGood3.8
Resort region (Szczyrk, Zywiec) with many options, and a small field. · Low confidence
- Hotel valueGood4.2
Polish prices. Hotel Zimnik is rated about 8/10. · Low confidence
- WalkabilityMostly driving2.1
Start at Tresna dam, hotel about 10 km (6 mi) from the lake, finish on the mountain with a bus down. · Low confidence
- Travel easeOne connection3.0
Krakow or Katowice airports, then a road transfer. Not verified. · Low confidence
- LogisticsFiddly1.8
Dam start, sailing centre, amphitheatre, summit finish, shuttle bus and next-day bike pickup. · Medium confidence
- Town and foodGood3.6
Zywiec brewery museum and palace. Limited detail. · Low confidence
Key facts
- Location
- Zywiec (Lipowa), Silesian Voivodeship, Poland
- Typical month
- June
- Latest or next date
- 21 June 2026
- Organiser
- Poland Extreme Triathlon series (organizer: Holistix Events / KAPF)
- Field size
- About 50 athletes
- Entry fee
- About $270
- Distances
- 3.8 km (2.4 mi) swim, 180 km (112 mi) bike, 42.2 km (26.2 mi) run
- Cutoffs
- Swim 2:00 (4:00 start, swim cutoff 6:00), Bike swim+bike 11:30 (15:30 clock time), Finish summit by 22:00 (18h); 2024 regs also give 20h overall limit and a GOPR safety checkpoint on the mountain
- Swim venue
- Lake Zywiec (Jezioro Zywieckie), start at Tresna dam (reservoir)
- Water temperature
- 16–20 °C (61–68 °F)
- Wetsuit
- Legal
- Swim start
- mass (from shore or water), 4:00 am start
- Swim laps
- 1
- Bike climbing
- 2,837 m (9,310 ft)
- Bike laps
- 2
- Key climbs
- Salmopol pass; Kubalonka; Istebna / Koniakow area
- Run climbing
- 2,344 m (7,690 ft)
- Run laps
- 1
- Run shade
- Forest lower down, exposed ridge near summit
- Air temperature
- 10–24 °C (50–75 °F)
- Altitude
- 345 m (1,130 ft)
- Nearest airport
- Krakow (KRK) or Katowice (KTW)
- Where to stay
- Lipowa, Zywiec, Szczyrk
- Booking
- Race hub is Hotel Zimnik in Lipowa (spa hotel, ~8.0/10 on Hotels.com); Szczyrk and Zywiec town are alternatives. Bike pick-up at the amphitheatre in Zywiec; bus from Babia Gora pass to Zywiec afterwards.
What racers and reviewers say
- Yabimo (team news, pre-race profile)Raced 2018 · blog · Mixed
Pre-race interview with an athlete about to start his second Diablak. It sets out the format: 4:00 swim start, two 90 km (56 mi) bike loops with roughly 3,200 m (10,500 ft) climbing, and a 44 km (27 mi) run to the Babia Gora summit. Not a post-race report, so it conveys scale and difficulty rather than opinions.
- Finishers.com course pageaggregator · Positive
Event listing with promotional copy. It describes the Salmopol and Kubalonka climbs and a run that ends as a mountaineering push, with wind and cold on the upper slopes. Marketing text, not an athlete review.
- Hotels.com - Hotel Zimnik Luksus Naturyhotel-review · Positive
Spa hotel in Lipowa that serves as the race hub. Guests rate it roughly 7.8–8.0/10 (small review count) and the pools and spa are the highlights. It is about 10 km (6 mi) from the lake.
- Running Coach event listingRaced 2025 · aggregator · Mixed
Calendar listing for the June 2025 edition showing a Babia Gora summit finish. Basic facts only and no opinions.
Sources
Pages we used for facts and ratings. See how we rate.
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