Supertri New Jersey Triathlon
West Windsor, United States · July · Supertri (formerly Challenge New Jersey State Triathlon, CGI Racing)
Course: 0.8 km (0.5 mi) swim, 22 km (13.7 mi) bike, 5 km (3.1 mi) run. Supertri 2027 page lists 750 m swim and 22 km bike. Challenge-era and TriFind 2023 pages list 500 m (547 yd) swim and 11.5 mi (18.5 km) bike; one page says 13.5 mi (21.7 km). Treat as unconfirmed until the athlete guide.
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: Moderate
- 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 friendlyFriendly4.4
Short flat sprint with time-trial start, lifeguards and kayaks. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- PR potentialFast4.3
Flat closed-road 18.5-22 km (11.5-13.7 mi) bike. · 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 easeEasy4.3
Six athletes every 30 s over 500-750 m (547-820 yd). · 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 speedVery fast4.5
One flat loop. · Medium confidence
- Bike flatnessPancake flat4.8
Flat, gain not published (assumed under 75 m (246 ft) / 250 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 conditionsEasy3.7
Shorter exposure to heat; ice towels and misting tents. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Run flatnessFlat4.8
Flat 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 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)
- 0.8 km (0.5 mi) swim, 22 km (13.7 mi) bike, 5 km (3.1 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
- Swim laps
- 1
- Bike laps
- 1
- 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
- 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.
- Ordinary Mortals (USA Triathlon blog)Raced 2017 · blog · Positive
Author raced the sprint four times (2012, 2013, 2016, 2017). Describes Mercer Lake as like a warm bath in good weather, both courses nearly flat and fast, and organisation as good as any USAT Nationals he has attended. Notes the race has sold out early in recent editions.
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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