STC Qiandao Lake Triathlon (226K)
Chun'an (Hangzhou), China · November · Other (STC Triathlon Series, independent)
Why people love it
- Clear lake with islands and hills
- Running since 2016 with a 113 km (70 mi) option
- Autumn date avoids summer heat
Watch out for
- No English athlete reports; elevation, cutoffs and swim temperature unknown
- Editions after 2024 unconfirmed
- Date and venue have moved between years
- Remote: about 160 km (100 mi) from Hangzhou airport
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 satisfactionLiked3.3
Few athletes have written about it in English. Local press praises the clear water and scenery across nine editions. · Low confidence
- OrganizationAdequate3.4
Nine editions and about 1,000 athletes suggest a capable organiser, but the date and venue have moved and recent editions are unconfirmed. · Low confidence
- First timer friendlyDoable2.8
The cool-season date and lake swim help, but the bike is described as demanding and no cutoffs are published. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- PR potentialAverage2.6
Hilly lakeside roads (a 97 km (60.3 mi) / 60 mi ride here has 755 m (2,480 ft) / 2,480 ft of climbing) point to slower-than-flat times. · Low confidence
- Course easeTough2.7
Rolling to hilly 180 km (112 mi) bike in cool November weather. The official elevation figure is not published. · Low confidence
Swim
Wetsuit odds, water temperature, calm, and the experience of the start. Counts for 15% of the overall score.
- Wetsuit legalAlmost always4.6
November lake water is likely 17-20 °C (63-68 °F), well under the 24.5 °C (76.1 °F) limit. A summer date would differ. · Low confidence
- Water temperatureComfortable3.7
Estimated 17-20 °C (63-68 °F) in mid-November. No measured figure is published. · Low confidence
- Calm waterMostly calm4.3
A large sheltered reservoir with no current expected. No athlete reports. · Low confidence
- Swim easeEasy4.0
Open lake with islands and no current expected. No navigation reports found. · Low confidence
- Swim experienceGreat4.0
Local press describes the lake water as clean and clear. No athlete swim reports found. · Low confidence
Bike
Road surface, closures, scenery and wind. Counts for 19% of the overall score.
- Road surfaceGood4.0
No athlete reports. Resort roads in this region are likely in good condition. · Low confidence
- Road closuresMostly closed4.2
Large Chinese events usually close roads fully, but closure details for this race are not confirmed. · Low confidence
- Bike scenerySpectacular4.5
Official reports describe a scenic lakeside route with views of the lake's islands. · Low confidence
- WindMostly calm3.8
A sheltered valley lake, and no wind complaints found. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Bike speedAverage2.6
The route mixes gentle and steep lakeside roads and is called demanding in press coverage, so expect a slower-than-average bike. · Low confidence
- Bike flatnessRolling2.8
A 97 km (60 mi) north-shore ride has 755 m (2,480 ft) of gain, so about 1,400 m (4,600 ft) over 180 km (112 mi). · Low confidence
- Bike simplicitySome technical parts2.6
Winding lakeside roads with climbs and descents. No technical detail published. · Low confidence
Run
Crowds, aid stations, conditions underfoot and scenery. Counts for 13% of the overall score.
- Crowd supportSparse2.0
A rural lake resort area, and there is little evidence of spectators along the course. · Low confidence
- Aid stationsStandard3.2
No aid station details published. The series runs a field of about 1,000, so basic aid is likely. · Low confidence
- Run sceneryBeautiful4.3
The marathon follows the lakeshore near the venue, which official reports highlight. · Low confidence
- Run conditionsEasy3.5
Road surface and cool November air of 8-18 °C (46-64 °F) are easy on the legs. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Run flatnessRolling3.2
A lakeshore marathon near the venue. The elevation profile is not published. · Low confidence
Conditions
Air temperature, how predictable the weather is, setting, and spectating. Counts for 15% of the overall score.
- Air temperatureWarm or cool3.2
November air of 8-18 °C (46-64 °F) is cool, and chilly for the swim and early bike. · Medium confidence
- Weather reliabilityVariable3.0
The date has moved from summer (2022 was hot) to November. Autumn is usually stable, but forecasts for your year matter. · Low confidence
- Venue beautyLovely4.4
Qiandao Lake (Thousand Island Lake) is a large reservoir dotted with islands, set in hills. · Low confidence
- Spectator friendlyTricky2.3
Remote lake roads with few known viewing points. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Low altitudeSea level4.7
The Chun'an lake basin sits at roughly 100-200 m (330-660 ft), so altitude is not a factor. · Low confidence
Stay and travel
Hotels, walkability, getting there, and the town around the race. Counts for 11% of the overall score.
- Hotel availabilityGood3.6
The lake is a resort area with hotels, though no race-specific accommodation advice is published. · Low confidence
- Hotel valueGood3.6
No hotel reviews found, so price and quality are unknown. · Low confidence
- WalkabilitySome driving2.5
The resort area is spread along the lake, so expect to need transport. Little detail published. · Low confidence
- Travel easeOne connection2.6
About 160 km (100 mi) from Hangzhou Xiaoshan airport, roughly a 2-hour transfer. · Low confidence
- LogisticsSome complexity3.0
The venue has been at Jieshou/Langchuan since 2020. No details published on transition layout. · Low confidence
- Town and foodFine3.0
A resort county. No food or town reviews found. · Low confidence
Key facts
- Location
- Chun'an (Hangzhou), Zhejiang, China
- Typical month
- November
- Latest or next date
- 3 November 2024
- Organiser
- Other (STC Triathlon Series, independent)
- Field size
- About 1,000 athletes
- Entry fee
- About $345
- First held
- 2016
- Distances
- 3.8 km (2.4 mi) swim, 180 km (112 mi) bike, 42.2 km (26.2 mi) run
- Swim venue
- Qiandao Lake (Thousand Island Lake), Langchuan/Jieshou area (reservoir)
- Air temperature
- 8–18 °C (46–64 °F)
- Humidity
- Moderate
- Nearest airport
- Hangzhou Xiaoshan (HGH), 160 km (99 mi) away
- Where to stay
- Chun'an county / Qiandao Lake resort area
- Booking
- Venue moved to Jieshou/Langchuan in SW Chun'an in 2020 and is meant to stay there. Distance approximate.
What racers and reviewers say
- Hangzhou government news (2023)Raced 2023 · article · Positive
Official report on the 12 Nov 2023 STC Qiandao Lake race: nearly 1,000 triathletes from 20 countries, full 226 and half 113 for individuals and relays. Highlights the clear lake water, scenic bike route and lakeside marathon.
- Hangzhou government news (2022)Raced 2022 · article · Mixed
Local coverage of an earlier Qiandao Lake triathlon with athletes braving heat, implying the date has moved between summer and November across years. Not a detailed race report.
- Active.com (2024 listing)Raced 2024 · aggregator · Positive
Registration listing for the 9th edition on 3 Nov 2024 with 226K at 2,480 RMB and 113K at 1,160 RMB.
- China Daily (Qiandao road cycling race)Raced 2024 · article · Positive
Report on a 136 km (85 mi) road race around the lake: Chunyang line has modest undulation while Chunkai line is much more demanding. Different event, but indicates local terrain is mixed gentle and hilly.
Sources
Pages we used for facts and ratings. See how we rate.
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