Las Olas Triathlon (Fort Lauderdale A1A Triathlon)
Fort Lauderdale, USA · April · Independent (Integrity Multisport, USA Triathlon sanctioned)
Why people love it
- Warm Atlantic swim in full view of spectators, one-way with the current, time-trial start.
- Flat A1A bike laps beside the beach, run on the beach boulevard to a spectator-lined finish.
- Duathlon switch allowed at any time; a 375 m (0.23 mi) 1/4 Olympic suits beginners.
- Over 1,000 athletes in 2025; airport is about 8 km (5 mi) from the venue.
Watch out for
- Swim was shortened in 2018 and 2020; a 2019 racer met 3 to 4 ft (1 m) swells.
- Strong south wind hit the bike in 2019; A1A laps are exposed.
- Packet pickup is at bike shops in Pembroke Pines and Aventura, not the venue; arrive by 6:15 am.
- Olympic has hard cutoffs (16 mph / 25.7 km/h bike); lots are pay-by-phone; A1A closes 4 to 11 am.
Race
How racers feel about it, how well it is run, and how it treats a first timer. Counts for 30% of the overall score.
Toughness: Tough
- Racer satisfactionLoved4.0
RaceRaves 5 of 5 from one rating, 1,000+ athletes in 2025 and a long run; pulled toward the middle. · Low confidence
- OrganizationWell run3.9
Experienced Integrity Multisport event, time-trial groups and clear cutoffs; packet pickup is off-site and the swim was shortened twice. · Low confidence
- First timer friendlyDoable2.8
1.5 km (0.93 mi) ocean swim with a 40 minute cutoff and 16 mph (25.7 km/h) bike cutoff. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- PR potentialFast3.5
Flat; 4 bike laps and wind. · Low confidence
Swim
Wetsuit odds, water temperature, calm, and the experience of the start. Counts for 16% of the overall score.
- Wetsuit legalUsually4.3
April ocean about 22 to 25 °C (72 to 77 °F) estimate, within the 25.6 °C (78 °F) USA Triathlon limit; wetsuits rarely needed. · Low confidence
- Water temperatureComfortable4.0
Estimated 22 to 25 °C (72 to 77 °F); organiser calls it warm saltwater, but a 2020 March race was chilly. · Low confidence
- Calm waterChoppy2.4
Swim shortened in 2018 and 2020; 3 to 4 ft (0.9 to 1.2 m) swells in 2019. · Medium confidence
- Swim easeModerate2.8
One-way with the current, but surf and swells made swims hard in several years. · Low confidence
- Swim experienceGreat4.0
Warm ocean swim in view of spectators; sand exit. · Low confidence
- Swim supportGood4.1
Time-trial groups of 20 to 50, 3 s spacing, duathlon switch any time; support numbers not published. · Low confidence
Bike
Road surface, closures, scenery and wind. Counts for 18% of the overall score.
- Road surfaceGood3.5
City road; not documented. · Low confidence
- Road closuresMostly closed3.8
Northbound A1A closed 4 to 11 am in 2025, with intermittent side closures and moderate congestion. · Medium confidence
- Bike sceneryBeautiful4.2
Beachfront A1A; RaceRaves scenery 5 of 5. · Medium confidence
- WindWindy2.4
2019 reviewer reports a strong south wind on the final bike section. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Bike speedFast3.6
Flat A1A laps but wind and turnarounds. · Low confidence
- Bike flatnessPancake flat4.8
Florida beachside road; no elevation published. · Low confidence
- Bike simplicitySome technical parts3.3
2 or 4 laps with turnarounds on a busy beach road. · Low confidence
Run
Crowds, aid stations, conditions underfoot and scenery. Counts for 13% of the overall score.
- Crowd supportStrong3.9
Spring-break crowds cheer athletes; spectator-lined finish chute. · Medium confidence
- Aid stationsGood3.6
Three water stations on the run; not otherwise documented. · Low confidence
- Run sceneryBeautiful4.4
Beach boulevard along the ocean. · Medium confidence
- Run conditionsEasy3.6
Flat but sunny and humid at 27 to 29 °C (80 to 85 °F) highs. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Run flatnessFlat4.9
Flat beach boulevard. · Medium confidence
Conditions
Air temperature, how predictable the weather is, setting, and spectating. Counts for 13% of the overall score.
- Air temperaturePleasant3.7
April highs 80 to 85 °F (27 to 29 °C (84 °F)), lows 68 to 75 °F (20 to 24 °C (75 °F)), with a 7 am start. · Medium confidence
- Weather reliabilityVariable3.0
Wind and surf shortened the swim in 2018 and 2020. · Medium confidence
- Venue beautyStunning4.6
Palms, beach and ocean; RaceRaves scenery 5 of 5. · Medium confidence
- Spectator friendlySee them often4.5
Swim in full view of the beach, loops along A1A, finish at the park. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Low altitudeSea level5.0
Sea level. · High confidence
Stay and travel
Hotels, walkability, getting there, and the town around the race. Counts for 10% of the overall score.
- Hotel availabilityBook early3.4
Large resort area but spring pricing; not researched. · Low confidence
- Hotel valuePricey2.4
Fort Lauderdale Beach is expensive in April; not researched. · Low confidence
- WalkabilityWalkable3.8
Transition, swim exit and finish together; four large lots nearby, pay by phone. · Low confidence
- Travel easeVery easy4.7
FLL about 8 km (5 mi) away. · High confidence
- LogisticsSome complexity3.0
Packet pickup at bike shops in two cities, early arrival by 6:15 am, paid parking, road closures. · Medium confidence
- Town and foodGood4.4
Beach and Las Olas Boulevard dining; not researched in detail. · Low confidence
Key facts
- Location
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA
- Typical month
- April
- Latest or next date
- 18 April 2027
- Organiser
- Independent (Integrity Multisport, USA Triathlon sanctioned)
- Field size
- About 1,000 athletes
- Distances
- 1.5 km (0.9 mi) swim, 40 km (24.9 mi) bike, 10 km (6.2 mi) run
- Swim venue
- Atlantic Ocean off Las Olas Oceanside Park / Fort Lauderdale Beach, one-way with the current (ocean)
- Water temperature
- 22–25 °C (72–77 °F)
- Wetsuit
- Optional
- Swim start
- time-trial in groups of 20 to 50, racers 3 seconds apart; colored caps
- Swim laps
- 1
- Bike laps
- 4
- Air temperature
- 20–29 °C (68–84 °F)
- Humidity
- High
- Altitude
- 3 m (10 ft)
- Nearest airport
- Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International (FLL), 8 km (5 mi) away
- Where to stay
- Fort Lauderdale Beach, Las Olas Boulevard
- Booking
- Beachfront and Las Olas hotels; spring season pricing, not researched in detail.
What racers and reviewers say
- FIU Caplin NewsRaced 2020 · article · Mixed
Student-newsroom recap of the 8 March 2020 race. Rough ocean current forced the swim to be shortened, and the day was chilly and windy. One first-time swimmer-turned-triathlete said staying in the water was very hard. The assistant race director praised the location and said spring-break crowds cheer athletes on.
- NBC 6 South FloridaRaced 2025 · article · Positive
Local TV recap of the 13 April 2025 race with more than 1,000 athletes, veterans and first-timers, racing triathlon, duathlon or aquabike at quarter, half and full Olympic distances. Spectators gathered at Las Olas Oceanside Park. No problems were reported.
- NBC 6 road closure noticeRaced 2025 · article · Mixed
Pre-race notice for 2025: closures and detours from 4 to 11 am, northbound A1A shut from Las Olas Blvd to NE 42nd Ct, intermittent closures on Sunrise, Oakland Park and Seabreeze boulevards, and moderate congestion expected.
- Heather Lendway race report (Triathlon coverage)Raced 2015 · blog · Positive
Pro triathlete's 2015 account of racing the international-distance Las Olas as a non-drafting race after her series ended. Only the start of the report was readable: she says the field was full but the race director added her. Little course detail.
Raced Las Olas Triathlon (Fort Lauderdale A1A Triathlon)? Your notes on the course, conditions and logistics help the next athlete decide.
Sources
Pages we used for facts and ratings. See how we rate.
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