Patriots Triathlon
Williamsburg, United States · September · Independent (Kinetic Multisports)
Why people love it
- Flat, fast Olympic: 145 m (477 ft) of bike gain and 48 m (157 ft) on the run.
- Time-trial swim start with kayakers and a cap for nervous swimmers.
- Olympic on Saturday, sprint on Sunday, so you can race one and watch the other.
- Hosted the 2023 USA Paratriathlon National Championships on the sprint course.
- Williamsburg and Jamestown Settlement give family plenty to do.
Watch out for
- Water is usually 24 to 28 °C (76 to 82 °F), so wetsuits are rarely legal.
- Brown tidal river with 30 to 60 cm (1 to 2 ft) visibility and a current.
- Hurricane season: a tropical storm cancelled a 2008 sister race.
- Sprint run is mostly open with little shade; late-summer humidity.
- Few athlete accounts exist; the swim comments date from 2009 to 2012.
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: Moderate
- Racer satisfactionLoved3.8
Only news, college recaps and old forum posts; all positive, no complaints. Pulled toward 3.5. · Low confidence
- OrganizationWell run4.0
USA Triathlon chose the sprint for a national title; no athlete complaints found. · Low confidence
- First timer friendlyFriendly4.4
750 m (820 yd) swim in shallow water with kayaks, a nervous-swimmer cap and a flat course. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- PR potentialFast4.3
92 m (302 ft) bike and 18 m (60 ft) run, flat. · Low confidence
Swim
Wetsuit odds, water temperature, calm, and the experience of the start. Counts for 16% of the overall score.
- Wetsuit legalSeldom2.0
Water ranged 23 to 30 °C (74 to 86 °F) from 2015 to 2025; wetsuits were legal in only about two years. · Medium confidence
- Water temperatureUncomfortable2.4
Typically 24 to 28 °C (76 to 82 °F) and brown, tidal water. · Medium confidence
- Calm waterSome chop3.3
Tidal river; calm in forum recollections, but brown and choppy with a noticeable current on one Sunday. · Low confidence
- Swim easeEasy4.0
750 m (820 yd) rectangle near the shore. · Low confidence
- Swim experienceFine2.9
Posters call the river murky, with 30 to 60 cm (1 to 2 ft) visibility, but not awful. · Low confidence
- Swim supportGood4.1
Time-trial start with kayakers; few athletes have commented. · Medium confidence
Bike
Road surface, closures, scenery and wind. Counts for 18% of the overall score.
- Road surfaceGood3.7
Forum posters liked the roads in 2012; no recent reports. · Low confidence
- Road closuresPartly closed2.8
2015 coverage describes police-managed delays on Greensprings Road, 4-H Club Road and Route 5, not full closures. · Low confidence
- Bike sceneryPleasant3.3
Farmland and forest in James City County; the Olympic crosses the Chickahominy River. · Low confidence
- WindSome wind3.2
Open, flat country; no wind data found. A 2024 sprint day was described as breezy. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Bike speedFast4.4
Very fast with minimal turns. · Medium confidence
- Bike flatnessPancake flat4.6
92 m (302 ft) over 20 km (12.4 mi). · Medium confidence
- Bike simplicityMostly simple4.2
Out and back with minimal turns outside the park. · Low confidence
Run
Crowds, aid stations, conditions underfoot and scenery. Counts for 13% of the overall score.
- Crowd supportDecent3.0
Trail run with spectators mostly at the finish; large 2015 field of 1,200 expected. · Low confidence
- Aid stationsGood3.9
Olympic aid every mile (1.6 km) with ice water and Gatorade; sprint aid at start and turnaround only. · Medium confidence
- Run sceneryBeautiful3.8
Historic farmland, forest and shaded trails per organiser; forum favourite. · Low confidence
- Run conditionsModerate3.1
5 km (3.1 mi) mostly unshaded on a bike path in warm September weather. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Run flatnessFlat4.9
18 m (60 ft) over 5 km (3.1 mi). · Medium confidence
Conditions
Air temperature, how predictable the weather is, setting, and spectating. Counts for 13% of the overall score.
- Air temperatureWarm or cool3.0
Mid September in Williamsburg: about 18 to 29 °C (64 to 84 °F) and humid; estimate. · Low confidence
- Weather reliabilityVariable2.9
Hurricane season: a 2008 sister Half was cancelled for an approaching tropical storm; a 2024 sprint was breezy and sunny. · Low confidence
- Venue beautyLovely3.6
Riverside park at Jamestown Beach; the water is brown and tidal. · Low confidence
- Spectator friendlyEasy4.0
Compact park venue; bounce house and easy access per forum posts. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Low altitudeSea level5.0
Sea level, about 5 m (16 ft). · High confidence
Stay and travel
Hotels, walkability, getting there, and the town around the race. Counts for 10% of the overall score.
- Hotel availabilityGood4.3
Williamsburg has 7,000+ rooms; September weekends are busier than June but plentiful. · Low confidence
- Hotel valueGood3.7
Moderate chain-hotel rates; busier than the June sister race. · Low confidence
- WalkabilityWalkable4.0
Park once at the event park; parking within about 0.5 mi (0.8 km) in 2015. · Low confidence
- Travel easeEasy3.5
PHF about 25 mi (40 km), RIC about 55 mi (89 km); mostly a drive-in race. · Medium confidence
- LogisticsSimple4.2
One venue, race-morning packet pickup 5:30 to 6:30 am, double-day discount; Saturday Olympic and Sunday sprint. · Medium confidence
- Town and foodGood4.2
Williamsburg and Jamestown offer plenty to do; few athletes have commented. · Medium confidence
Key facts
- Location
- Williamsburg, Virginia, United States
- Typical month
- September
- Latest or next date
- 11 September 2027
- Organiser
- Independent (Kinetic Multisports)
- Field size
- About 1,200 athletes
- First held
- 2007
- Distances
- 0.8 km (0.5 mi) swim, 20 km (12.4 mi) bike, 5 km (3.1 mi) run
- Swim venue
- Jamestown Beach, James River, beside the Jamestown-Scotland ferry (Jamestown Beach Event Park) (river)
- Water temperature
- 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Wetsuit
- Banned
- Swim start
- time-trial
- Swim laps
- 1
- Bike climbing
- 92 m (300 ft)
- Bike laps
- 1
- Key climbs
- Chickahominy River bridge (Olympic)
- Run climbing
- 18 m (60 ft)
- Run laps
- 1
- Run shade
- Olympic uses shaded gravel forest trails; the sprint 5 km is mostly open and has little shade.
- Air temperature
- 18–29 °C (64–84 °F)
- Humidity
- Humid, early autumn
- Altitude
- 5 m (16 ft)
- Nearest airport
- Newport News/Williamsburg (PHF); Richmond (RIC) and Norfolk (ORF) have more flights, 40 km (25 mi) away
- Where to stay
- Williamsburg, Historic Jamestowne area
- Booking
- September is shoulder season in Williamsburg; chain hotels in town and near the Jamestown area are widely available. Most athletes drive in. Double-race discount of 20 percent for entering both days.
What racers and reviewers say
- Slowtwitch forum: The Patriot's Half, Williamsburg VARaced 2012 · forum · Positive
Posters from 2009 to 2012 describe the James River swim at Jamestown beach as tidal and brown, with 1 to 2 ft (30 to 60 cm) visibility, a gentle current that runs with swimmers toward the ferry, and little fuel smell. Bike and run are called flat, fast and well run, with a shaded trail section on the run, easy access, a kids' bounce house and plentiful Williamsburg lodging. T1 was reported as a long run from the swim exit in older years. Posts are 14 to 17 years old and about the Half, so the swim venue is the useful part.
“The water wasn't nice (murky, faint smell of fuel), but it wasn't awful.”
- WYDaily: Patriots Triathlon organizers prepare for big race turnoutRaced 2015 · article · Positive
Preview of the 2015 Patriots weekend. It expected more than 1,200 athletes and described traffic delays, not full closures, on Greensprings Road, 4-H Club Road and Route 5 (Saturday 7:15 am to noon, Sunday 7:30 to 9:30 am). Free parking inside Jamestown Beach Event Park within about 0.5 mile (0.8 km) of staging. The race director called the run completely flat and the bike mostly flat with a mild rise in the middle. Event preview from the organiser's own quotes, 11 years old.
- WYDaily: Williamsburg hosts 2023 USA Triathlon Paratriathlon National ChampionshipsRaced 2023 · article · Positive
The Patriots Triathlon sprint (750 m (2,460 ft) / 820 yd swim, 13 mi / 21 km bike, 3.1 mi / 5 km run) doubled as the 2023 USA Paratriathlon National Championships on 10 September 2023, run with Kinetic Multisports and James City County police, who helped adapt the run course. USA Triathlon choosing the event for a national title, and a first-year para athlete calling the atmosphere meaningful, suggest a well-run, welcoming race. No complaints reported.
“Kinetic founder Greg Hawkins called the event "awesome".”
- Gallaudet Bison: Tri 24 recap, PatriotsRaced 2024 · article · Positive
Short college recap of the Sunday 8 September 2024 sprint at Jamestown. The day was breezy and sunny; distances were 750 m (820 yd), 20 km (12.4 mi) and 5 km (3.1 mi). The women's team placed fourth. No problems were reported, but there is no course or water detail.
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Sources
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