Pat Griskus Olympic and Sprint Triathlon at Quassy (formerly Rev3 Quassy)
Middlebury, United States · June · Independent (Pat Griskus Triathlon, Quassy Amusement Park; USAT sanctioned)
Why people love it
- Calm, clear lake swim at 20 to 25 °C (68 to 77 °F), usually wetsuit-legal.
- Sprint has a first-timers division and drew about 100 or more first-timers a year.
- Parking, swim, transition and finish at one amusement park venue.
- Shaded farm-country roads on the 40 km (25 mi) Olympic bike.
- Olympic doubles as the Connecticut age-group championship.
Watch out for
- Olympic bike and run are hilly, with three hard run hills; no elevation figures published.
- Heat reached near 38 °C (100 °F) at the 2010 sprint; two ambulances were called.
- Early waves crowded the swim and bike in 2007.
- Fog delayed the 2016 start by 30 minutes.
- Most write-ups are from 2004 to 2016; check current course details.
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: Very tough
- Racer satisfactionLoved3.8
Reports from 2004 to 2016 praise the director, volunteers and family park setting. Heat and hills are the complaints, and recent write-ups are few. · Low confidence
- OrganizationWell run3.9
A 2007 racer called it extremely well organized with police at every intersection, and a 2016 fog delay of 30 minutes was handled. · Low confidence
- First timer friendlyDoable3.0
A hilly bike and a run with three hard hills make it a stretch for a first Olympic. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- PR potentialAverage2.5
Hilly 40 km (25 mi) bike and a run with three hard hills. · Low confidence
Swim
Wetsuit odds, water temperature, calm, and the experience of the start. Counts for 16% of the overall score.
- Wetsuit legalUsually4.0
The lake read 20 °C (68 °F) in 2011 and 25 °C (77 °F) in 2010, under the 25.6 °C (78 °F) limit. · Low confidence
- Water temperatureComfortable4.0
Mid-June readings of 20 to 25 °C (68 to 77 °F) sit in or just above the comfortable range. · Low confidence
- Calm waterMostly calm4.4
Sheltered inland lake, glassy in 2010 and calm in 2011. Fog delayed the 2016 start by 30 minutes. · Medium confidence
- Swim easeEasy3.8
About 1.5 km (0.93 mi) in a calm lake, but wave starts crowded the 2007 swim. · Low confidence
- Swim experienceGreat3.9
Clear, spring-fed lake in calm conditions, with wave starts that keep it manageable. · Low confidence
- Swim supportGood3.6
Wave starts and a first-timers division help. Racers do not describe the water safety set-up. · Low confidence
Bike
Road surface, closures, scenery and wind. Counts for 18% of the overall score.
- Road surfaceMixed3.3
Rural New England back roads. No surface reports found. · Low confidence
- Road closuresPartly closed3.3
Police at intersections in 2007, but full closure is not confirmed. · Low confidence
- Bike sceneryBeautiful4.0
Farm country with red farmhouses and pastures, noted by a 2011 racer. · Medium confidence
- WindMostly calm3.8
Wooded inland hills, and no report mentions wind. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Bike speedAverage2.6
Hills slow riders on a single loop. · Low confidence
- Bike flatnessHilly2.3
Racers in 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2016 describe killer hills over about 40 km (25 mi). · Low confidence
- Bike simplicitySome technical parts3.2
Rolling country roads with some descents, and police at intersections in 2007. · Low confidence
Run
Crowds, aid stations, conditions underfoot and scenery. Counts for 13% of the overall score.
- Crowd supportDecent3.2
Hundreds of spectators lined the 2010 sprint, but the Olympic run is on quiet back roads. · Low confidence
- Aid stationsGood3.6
Aid stations on the run, but reports give little detail. · Low confidence
- Run sceneryBeautiful3.6
Shaded country roads and the park finish. · Low confidence
- Run conditionsModerate2.8
Hills plus summer heat, helped by shaded back roads. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Run flatnessHilly2.3
Three hard hills on the 10 km (6.2 mi) run. · Low confidence
Conditions
Air temperature, how predictable the weather is, setting, and spectating. Counts for 13% of the overall score.
- Air temperatureWarm or cool3.1
Ranges from ideal in 2012 to near 38 °C (100 °F) in 2010; mid-June is usually 20 to 28 °C (68 to 82 °F). · Medium confidence
- Weather reliabilityReliable3.5
Fog delayed the 2016 start by 30 minutes, and a storm forecast did not arrive in 2010. · Low confidence
- Venue beautyLovely3.9
Lake, wooded hills and farm country around a family amusement park. · Low confidence
- Spectator friendlyEasy4.0
Rides and a lively post-race scene keep families busy, and the lake start and finish are close together. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Low altitudeSea level4.5
About 190 m (620 ft) above sea level, approximate. · Medium confidence
Stay and travel
Hotels, walkability, getting there, and the town around the race. Counts for 10% of the overall score.
- Hotel availabilityGood3.5
Hotels in Waterbury and Southbury are 16 to 24 km (10 to 15 mi) away. · Low confidence
- Hotel valueNormal3.3
No race-week price data; ordinary regional rates assumed. · Low confidence
- WalkabilityWalkable4.0
Race is based at Quassy Amusement Park: park once, then swim, transition and finish in one place. · Low confidence
- Travel easeOne connection3.0
About 40 km (25 mi) from Tweed New Haven airport; most athletes drive from New York or Boston. · Low confidence
- LogisticsSimple3.8
One venue, one transition and a 7:00 AM start. Packet pickup details were not found. · Low confidence
- Town and foodFine3.0
Small town. A 2011 racer found the post-race food of burgers and hot dogs limited. · Low confidence
Key facts
- Location
- Middlebury, Connecticut, United States
- Typical month
- June
- Latest or next date
- 20 June 2026
- Organiser
- Independent (Pat Griskus Triathlon, Quassy Amusement Park; USAT sanctioned)
- Field size
- About 500 athletes
- First held
- 1987
- Distances
- 1.5 km (0.9 mi) swim, 40 km (24.9 mi) bike, 10 km (6.2 mi) run
- Swim venue
- Lake Quassapaug (spring-fed), start at Quassy Amusement Park beach (lake)
- Water temperature
- 20–25 °C (68–77 °F)
- Wetsuit
- Legal (USAT: legal to 25.6 C / 78 F)
- Swim start
- wave
- Swim laps
- 1
- Bike laps
- 1
- Run shade
- Shaded back roads on the Olympic run
- Air temperature
- 18–30 °C (64–86 °F)
- Humidity
- Can be humid
- Altitude
- 190 m (625 ft)
- Nearest airport
- Tweed New Haven (HVN); Bradley (BDL) for more flights, 40 km (25 mi) away
- Where to stay
- Waterbury, Southbury
- Booking
- Hotels in Waterbury and Southbury, 10 to 15 mi (16 to 24 km) away. Airport distance approximate.
What racers and reviewers say
- Slowtwitch forum: Pat Griskus Olympic Tri wave startsRaced 2007 · forum · Positive
A fourth-place finisher calls the Olympic extremely well organized with an awesome course and police at every intersection. Women and clydesdales started 3 minutes ahead, which congested swim and bike; the director planned wave tweaks.
“extremely well organized”
- Slowtwitch: Roller Coaster Rev3Raced 2010 · article · Positive
Report on the second Rev3 Quassy. Lake was glassy at 25 °C (77 °F) with wetsuits for age-groupers; bike and run were endlessly undulating and punished legs. The author found it fun for spectators and racers.
- Yale Triathlon Club: Colleen FeriodRaced 2011 · blog · Mixed
First-time Olympic racer found a calm 20 °C (68 °F) lake, scenic farm roads, and very hilly bike and run; she called the bike hell. Praised bib names and bodymarking; wanted more vegetarian and fruit food after.
- Yale Triathlon Club: Rev3 Quassy racer's perspectiveRaced 2012 · blog · Mixed
A Yale racer in ideal weather found the course tough but fun, with a run of early downhill then about 6 mi (10 km) of steady climbing, helped by teammates cheering. Note: this was the half-distance race.
- Yale Triathlon Club: Rev3 Quassy Olympic recapRaced 2013 · blog · Mixed
Club recap of the Olympic (about 1.5 km (0.9 mi) / 0.93 mi swim): hilly 41.5 km (25.8 mi) bike, a run with three challenging hills, and a spring morning that turned almost too hot late in the run.
Show 2 more
- Triathlete: Cameron Dye tops Rev3 QuassyRaced 2016 · article · Positive
Pro-race report: thick fog delayed the Olympic start by 30 minutes; the winner called it a fair course that keeps drafting low. Run described as tough, with the fastest split 34:21.
“a good fair course”
- TRS Triathlon: Laundry gets dyed at Rev3 QuassyRaced 2016 · article · Mixed
Coverage of the 2016 pro Olympic notes the killer hills of Middlebury on the bike and the first year of prize money at Quassy. Fog delayed the start by 30 minutes.
Raced Pat Griskus Olympic and Sprint Triathlon at Quassy (formerly Rev3 Quassy)? Your notes on the course, conditions and logistics help the next athlete decide.
Sources
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