Supertri New Jersey Triathlon
West Windsor, United States · July · Supertri (formerly Challenge New Jersey State Triathlon, CGI Racing)
Course: 1.5 km (0.9 mi) swim, 40.5 km (25.2 mi) bike, 10 km (6.2 mi) run. Older Challenge and TriFind pages give 25.2 mi (40.6 km) bike. 0.93 mi swim, 25.2 mi bike, 6.2 mi run.
Why people love it
- Flat closed-road bike; organiser says athletes average 28-32 km (17.4–19.9 mi)/h (17-20 mph)
- Calm sheltered lake with no current and lifeguards plus kayaks on the swim
- Time-trial swim start spreads the field: sprint six every 30 s, Olympic five every 20 s
- Free parking and one park for swim, finish festival and expo
- Sprint and Olympic on the same weekend, individual or relay
Watch out for
- Mid-July heat: courses were shortened in 2019 and wetsuits banned in hot years
- Warm, murky water (22-28 °C (72–82 °F) / 72-82 °F) with poor visibility
- Sprint swim is 500 or 750 m (547 or 820 yd); bike 18.5 or 22 km (11.5-13.7 mi)
- Heavy race-morning traffic; race-morning packet pickup is a paid, limited add-on
- Field sells out at about 3,500; a 2023 reviewer found the second bike loop confusing
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 satisfactionLoved3.8
Blog reports from 2015 to 2019 and a 2023 rating of 4 of 5 are warm. Nobody has written about the 2026 Supertri edition. · Low confidence
- OrganizationWell run3.7
Bloggers praised heat plans, ice towels and volunteers. A 2023 reviewer met a confusing second bike loop and a driver ignoring a police officer. · Low confidence
- First timer friendlyFriendly3.6
Longer day in July heat; two-loop bike confused one reviewer. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- PR potentialFast4.2
Flat 40.5 km (25.2 mi) closed-road bike, fast run. · Medium confidence
Swim
Wetsuit odds, water temperature, calm, and the experience of the start. Counts for 16% of the overall score.
- Wetsuit legalSeldom2.3
Water is often 26 to 28 °C (79 to 82 °F), above the 25.6 °C (78 °F) USA Triathlon limit. Wetsuits were banned in 2019. · Medium confidence
- Water temperatureAcceptable2.8
High 70s to low 80s F (26-28 °C (79–82 °F)) per Challenge pages; Supertri says 22-26 °C (72-78 °F); murky but warm and comfortable. · Medium confidence
- Calm waterGlassy4.7
Sheltered lake with no current, per the organiser and bloggers. A 2015 racer called the swim a big boost. · High confidence
- Swim easeEasy4.0
Five athletes every 20 s over 1,500 m (0.93 mi); murky. · Medium confidence
- Swim experienceFine3.3
Warm and calm but murky; time-trial start keeps it orderly; a plain park lake. · Medium confidence
- Swim supportGood4.1
Time-trial entry limits contact, lifeguards and kayaks, athletes may hold a buoy or boat, but a 30 min swim cut-off applies. · Medium confidence
Bike
Road surface, closures, scenery and wind. Counts for 18% of the overall score.
- Road surfaceGood3.5
No direct reports on surface quality; county roads with a school car park shortcut reported in 2016. · Low confidence
- Road closuresMostly closed4.1
Closed or traffic-free county roads per organiser; one 2023 reviewer nearly collided with a driver who ignored a police officer. · Medium confidence
- Bike sceneryPleasant3.3
Suburban West Windsor and farmland roads, called scenic by organiser, plain in reports. · Low confidence
- WindMostly calm3.5
Flat open roads; no wind reports either way. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Bike speedFast4.4
Two flat loops, 28-32 km (17.4–19.9 mi)/h (17-20 mph). · Medium confidence
- Bike flatnessPancake flat4.8
Flat, gain not published (assumed under 150 m (492 ft) / 500 ft). · Medium confidence
- Bike simplicityMostly simple3.8
Many turns marked by volunteers in 2016; the two-loop Olympic course confused one 2023 reviewer. · Low confidence
Run
Crowds, aid stations, conditions underfoot and scenery. Counts for 13% of the overall score.
- Crowd supportStrong3.5
Finish festival and spectators in the park, but a spread-out course; one 2023 reviewer praised the crowd. · Low confidence
- Aid stationsGood4.4
Aid every 1-1.5 mi (1.6-2.4 km), ice towels, sprinklers, misting tents and ice pops reported in 2016 and 2019. · Medium confidence
- Run sceneryBeautiful3.6
Lakeside and wooded paths. · Low confidence
- Run conditionsModerate3.1
Heat and limited shade on blacktop in 2016. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Run flatnessFlat4.8
Flat 10 km (6.2 mi). · Medium confidence
Conditions
Air temperature, how predictable the weather is, setting, and spectating. Counts for 13% of the overall score.
- Air temperatureHarsh2.0
Mid-July heat; 2019 sprint and Olympic were shortened, 2016 reported extreme heat; likely 28-33 °C (82-91 °F) by mid-morning. · Medium confidence
- Weather reliabilityVariable3.2
Heat shortened courses in 2019; summer storms possible; no cancellations found. · Low confidence
- Venue beautyLovely3.5
County park lake with power lines and fields; pleasant rather than scenic. · Low confidence
- Spectator friendlyEasy4.0
One park holds swim, transition, finish festival and expo; heavy traffic on race morning. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Low altitudeSea level4.9
West Windsor is near sea level; exact figure not published. · Low confidence
Stay and travel
Hotels, walkability, getting there, and the town around the race. Counts for 10% of the overall score.
- Hotel availabilityGood3.8
Princeton and West Windsor hotels; sellout of the race can tighten rooms. · Low confidence
- Hotel valueNormal3.4
Suburban New Jersey prices, no gouging reports. · Low confidence
- WalkabilityWalkable3.6
Free park parking and one park for swim, bike and finish; field parking and long transition walks reported in 2016. · Low confidence
- Travel easeEasy4.0
Between New York and Philadelphia; Trenton-Mercer is close and PHL is about 55 km (34 mi) away. · Medium confidence
- LogisticsSimple3.7
Race-morning pickup is possible for a fee but limited; time-trial waves and heavy traffic add planning. · Medium confidence
- Town and foodGood3.6
Princeton is about 10 km (6 mi) away; finish-area food praised in 2023. · Low confidence
Key facts
- Location
- West Windsor, New Jersey, United States
- Typical month
- July
- Latest or next date
- 18 July 2027
- Organiser
- Supertri (formerly Challenge New Jersey State Triathlon, CGI Racing)
- Field size
- About 3,500 athletes
- First held
- 2006
- Distances (non-standard)
- 1.5 km (0.9 mi) swim, 40.5 km (25.2 mi) bike, 10 km (6.2 mi) run
- Cutoffs
- Swim 30 min after wave start
- Swim venue
- Mercer Lake, Mercer County Park (lake)
- Water temperature
- 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Wetsuit
- Optional
- Swim start
- time-trial (sprint: 6 athletes every 30 s; Olympic: 5 every 20 s), beach start
- Bike laps
- 2
- Run shade
- Plenty of shade on wooded park paths per organiser; one 2016 blogger found limited shade on blacktop sections
- Air temperature
- 22–33 °C (72–91 °F)
- Humidity
- High; heat plans (ice towels, sprinklers, shortened courses in 2019) are routine
- Nearest airport
- Trenton-Mercer (TTN); Philadelphia (PHL) and Newark (EWR) are the main hubs
- Where to stay
- West Windsor, Princeton
- Booking
- Hotels in Princeton and West Windsor; the race sells out so book with entry. Most athletes drive in on race morning.
What racers and reviewers say
- RaceRavesRaced 2023 · aggregator · Positive
RaceRaves page shows one rating (4 of 5) and one review. The reviewer, a first Olympic after three sprints, liked the space between swimmers, the crowd, scenery and finish food, and found heat well managed with ice packs and sprinklers. Second bike loop was confusing and a driver nearly collided with them after ignoring a police officer.
“fewer people in the water and more space between swimmers”
- philly2goofy blog (2016)Raced 2016 · blog · Positive
Olympic distance in extreme July heat. Swim was murky, bike flat with many marked turns and a school car park shortcut, run a hot 10 km (6.2 mi) with sprinklers and cold towels. Waves were tightened and volunteers praised; downsides were dust from field parking, long waits and a large transition.
- philly2goofy blog (2019)Raced 2019 · blog · Mixed
Heat-wave year: organisers cut the sprint run to about 2 mi (3.2 km) and made the Olympic a 750 m (2,460 ft) swim, one 13.5 mi (21.7 km) loop and a 5 km (3.1 mi) run. Wetsuits were banned and water was warm and murky. The writer praised ice towels, cold showers, medical cover and easy early packet pickup but called conditions dangerously hot.
- No Limits Endurance (2015 report)Raced 2015 · blog · Positive
A sold-out Olympic edition on a hot day with a flat, pretty course, a 37 km (23 mi) bike and a 9.7 km (6 mi) run, and a swim the writer found a big confidence booster.
“confidence booster”
Raced Supertri New Jersey 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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