Lausanne Triathlon (Triathlon de Lausanne)
Lausanne (Ouchy, Place de Bellerive), Switzerland · August · Independent
Why people love it
- Swim start, single transition, bib pickup and finish are all at Place de Bellerive.
- Bib pickup is allowed on race morning from 06:15.
- Roads are closed on a fully secured bike course.
- The Short swim is 500 m (0.31 mi) with rolling starts.
- Metro M2 stops at Ouchy-Olympique, beside the venue.
Watch out for
- Olympic bike climbs about 400 m (1,310 ft) with technical descents; no aero bars on key downhills.
- No organiser aid on the bike; carry your own bottle.
- Referees decide the wetsuit rule on the day; wetsuits are banned at 22 °C (71.6 °F) or above.
- Parking near Bellerive is restricted; use the metro or listed car parks.
- The Short swim is 500 m (0.31 mi), shorter than a standard sprint.
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 satisfactionLoved3.5
No first-person reviews found; only organiser and city material. Thirty-two editions suggest steady appeal. · Low confidence
- OrganizationWell run3.6
Detailed athlete guides, a police traffic plan and a quick move of the Short to Sunday after the 2026 fire. No racer feedback found. · Low confidence
- First timer friendlyDoable2.9
1.5 km (0.93 mi) wave swim, 400 m (1,310 ft) of bike climbing and technical descents. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- PR potentialAverage2.6
Four hilly bike loops with technical descents and no drafting. · Low confidence
Swim
Wetsuit odds, water temperature, calm, and the experience of the start. Counts for 16% of the overall score.
- Wetsuit legalCoin flip3.0
Swiss Triathlon rule: wetsuit mandatory below 15.9 °C (60.6 °F), banned from 22 °C (71.6 °F). Late-August water can straddle that. · Low confidence
- Water temperatureComfortable3.8
Estimated 19 to 23 °C (66 to 73 °F) in late August; no reading found. · Low confidence
- Calm waterMostly calm3.5
Large lake where wind chop is possible near Ouchy; no racer report found. · Low confidence
- Swim easeEasy3.6
1.5 km (0.93 mi) in gender and age waves. · Low confidence
- Swim experienceGreat3.8
Lakeside city setting with Alps views and a beach start by the Bellerive pool; no racer comments. · Low confidence
- Swim supportGood3.5
The organiser says the swim is secured, with waves for the Olympic and rolling starts for the Short. · Low confidence
Bike
Road surface, closures, scenery and wind. Counts for 18% of the overall score.
- Road surfaceGood3.5
Swiss city streets; no complaints or praise found. · Low confidence
- Road closuresFully closed4.6
The course is fully secured, and police close roads from about 06:00 to 20:00. · Medium confidence
- Bike sceneryBeautiful3.7
Lake and city streets; no detailed racer reports. · Low confidence
- WindMostly calm3.5
Urban hillside and lakeshore; no wind data. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Bike speedAverage2.7
Technical descents and no aero bars on key sections. · Low confidence
- Bike flatnessRolling3.4
400 m (1,310 ft) over 40 km (25 mi). · Medium confidence
- Bike simplicityTechnical2.4
The organiser warns of technical descents and corners, and bans aero bars on key downhills. · Medium confidence
Run
Crowds, aid stations, conditions underfoot and scenery. Counts for 13% of the overall score.
- Crowd supportStrong3.5
Run laps pass the finish grandstand repeatedly; no spectator reports from racers. · Low confidence
- Aid stationsStandard3.1
No organiser aid on the bike, so carry a bottle. Two run aid stations plus one at the finish. · Medium confidence
- Run sceneryBeautiful4.0
Lakefront quays at Ouchy. · Low confidence
- Run conditionsEasy3.7
Four laps of 2.5 km (1.6 mi) with aid. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Run flatnessMostly flat4.0
Four flat laps past the grandstand. · Low confidence
Conditions
Air temperature, how predictable the weather is, setting, and spectating. Counts for 13% of the overall score.
- Air temperaturePleasant3.6
Late August highs are typically 22 to 28 °C (72 to 82 °F) with warm spells, from regional norms. · Low confidence
- Weather reliabilityVariable3.4
Late-summer lake storms are possible. The 2026 cancellations were due to a nearby fire, not weather. · Low confidence
- Venue beautyStunning4.5
Lake Geneva waterfront with Alps views. · Medium confidence
- Spectator friendlyEasy4.1
Compact Bellerive site with a grandstand finish and a metro stop at Ouchy-Olympique. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Low altitudeLow4.2
About 372 m (1,220 ft) above 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 early3.0
City of about 140,000 with hotels at Ouchy, but tourist season; no sell-out data. · Low confidence
- Hotel valuePricey2.1
Swiss prices are high; nothing race-specific found. · Low confidence
- WalkabilityWalkable4.0
Transition, swim start, bib pickup and finish are all at Bellerive. Parking there is restricted, so use the metro. · Medium confidence
- Travel easeEasy3.9
Lausanne is a Swiss rail hub; Geneva airport is 65 km (40 mi) away by train. · Low confidence
- LogisticsSimple4.2
One transition at Place de Bellerive, bib pickup allowed from 06:15 on race morning and simple check-out. · Medium confidence
- Town and foodGood4.0
Ouchy waterfront dining and a city centre. · Low confidence
Key facts
- Location
- Lausanne (Ouchy, Place de Bellerive), Vaud, Switzerland
- Typical month
- August
- Latest or next date
- 30 August 2026
- Organiser
- Independent
- First held
- 1995
- Distances
- 1.5 km (0.9 mi) swim, 40 km (24.9 mi) bike, 10 km (6.2 mi) run
- Cutoffs
- Swim 09:30, Bike 11:30
- Swim venue
- Lake Geneva (Lac Leman) from Bellerive beach, Ouchy (lake)
- Water temperature
- 19–23 °C (66–73 °F)
- Wetsuit
- Decided by referees on the day; Swiss Triathlon rule: mandatory below 15.9 C (60.6 F), banned at 22 C (71.6 F) or above
- Swim start
- wave
- Swim laps
- 1
- Bike climbing
- 400 m (1,310 ft)
- Bike laps
- 4
- Key climbs
- Avenue d'Ouchy / Avenue de la Harpe descent; Vallee de la Jeunesse descent; Avenue du Denantou corner
- Run laps
- 4
- Run shade
- Lakeside quays, some trees.
- Air temperature
- 18–28 °C (64–82 °F)
- Humidity
- moderate
- Altitude
- 372 m (1,220 ft)
- Nearest airport
- Geneva (GVA), 65 km (40 mi) away
- Where to stay
- Ouchy, City centre (metro M2)
- Booking
- Swiss prices; city has a range of hotels. Roads and parking around Bellerive are restricted from 25 Aug; use metro M2 Ouchy-Olympique or the listed car parks.
What racers and reviewers say
- Organiser athlete guide, Classic 2025Raced 2025 · article · Mixed
Official guide for the 40 km (24.9 mi) / 10 km (6.2 mi) Olympic: one 1.5 km (0.93 mi) swim loop from Bellerive beach, four 10 km (6.2 mi) bike loops, four run laps past the grandstand. Notes technical urban descents, no organiser aid on the bike, a wetsuit rule by water temperature, bib pickup on race morning and clock cutoffs. Organiser material.
- Organiser athlete guide, Classic 2023Raced 2023 · article · Mixed
Gives the elevation figures: about 100 m (330 ft) per bike loop, 400 m (1,310 ft) total, and shows the revised run that passes the finish stands four times. Says the course was modified from 2022. Organiser material.
- City of Lausanne traffic and parking notice 2026Raced 2026 · article · Mixed
Police plan for 29-30 Aug 2026 lists parking bans around Place Bellerive from 25 Aug and road closures from 06:00 to about 20:00 across Avenue de Rhodanie, Avenue des Bains and other bike-course streets. Confirms a closed course and tight car access.
- Triathlon de Lausanne refund page 2026Raced 2026 · article · Mixed
Says a fire on Saturday 29 Aug 2026 close to the event site led to cancellation of the Saturday kids, Relais Famille, National League and Decouverte races and a move of the Short to Sunday. Refund and compensation steps are published. An external event, but shows how the organiser handled it.
- Lausanne Tourisme event pageRaced 2026 · article · Positive
Tourism listing for the 32nd edition: Olympic distance at the heart, plus a Discovery race, family relay from age 6 and kids races. Metro M2 stop Ouchy-Olympique. Marketing copy, treated lightly.
Show 1 more
- World Triathlon, 2019 Grand Final announcementRaced 2019 · article · Positive
Elite-series announcement showing the Ouchy waterfront has hosted elite international triathlon, with the swim from a pontoon and the bike passing the Olympic Museum. Different event course, so it only supports the venue rating.
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Sources
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