Tritonman
San Diego, United States · February/March · Independent (UC San Diego Triathlon Team)
Course: 0.8 km (0.5 mi) swim, 21 km (13.0 mi) bike, 5 km (3.1 mi) run. 0.47 mi swim, about 13 mi bike (three Fiesta Island laps), 3.1 mi run. Older editions used 20 km (12.4 mi) bike.
Why people love it
- Flat three-lap 21 km (13 mi) bike on Fiesta Island, closed to outside traffic.
- Sunday sprint is open to all levels; Saturday is draft-legal elite and collegiate only.
- Three run laps pass Tecolote Shores, so spectators see you several times.
- Sea-level course with San Diego airport 11 km (7 mi) away.
- Student-run club race with a sheltered 750 m (0.47 mi) bay swim.
Watch out for
- The swim was dropped in 2024 and 2025 for cold or dirty water; expect a run-bike-run after rain.
- Winter bay water is likely 13 to 16 °C (55 to 61 °F), so bring a wetsuit.
- Wind can build on the open island bike loop.
- Starts before dawn, and parking details are not published.
- Few athletes have written about this race; most coverage is team and news recaps.
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 satisfactionLoved3.6
A team member called it a great race to start the season, but the swim was lost in 2024 and 2025. Few athlete accounts. · Low confidence
- OrganizationWell run3.6
Student club runs two race days for about 412 athletes (2025) and handled cancelled swims with a replacement run. Few athlete comments. · Low confidence
- First timer friendlyFriendly3.6
Sunday sprint is open to all levels with a 750 m (0.47 mi) swim; first-timers finished well, but water is cold. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- PR potentialFast3.9
Flat three-lap 21 km (13 mi) bike on closed roads and a flat run at sea level; wind on the island can slow it. · Low confidence
Swim
Wetsuit odds, water temperature, calm, and the experience of the start. Counts for 16% of the overall score.
- Wetsuit legalAlmost always4.6
Winter water is likely 13 to 16 °C (55 to 61 °F), far below the USA Triathlon legal limit of 25.6 °C (78 °F). · Medium confidence
- Water temperatureUncomfortable2.1
Late-winter bay water is likely 13 to 16 °C (55 to 61 °F), and cold water cost the swim in 2024 and 2025. · Low confidence
- Calm waterMostly calm3.8
Sheltered Mission Bay with little current; chop possible in wind. · Low confidence
- Swim easeEasy3.9
One clockwise 750 m (820 yd) loop in a bay with no current. · Low confidence
- Swim experienceFine2.7
Cold water and swims cut after rain in 2024 and 2025; when it runs it is a simple loop in a sheltered bay. · Low confidence
- Swim supportStandard3.4
Wave starts in a sheltered bay; the number of kayaks and lifeguards is not published. · Low confidence
Bike
Road surface, closures, scenery and wind. Counts for 18% of the overall score.
- Road surfaceMixed3.4
Island loop road; surface quality is not described by athletes. · Low confidence
- Road closuresFully closed4.5
The city event filing describes Fiesta Island as closed to outside traffic during the race. · Medium confidence
- Bike sceneryPleasant3.3
Bay views on a bare island loop. · Low confidence
- WindSome wind3.0
Open island in a bay; a 2015 report mentions wind spreading the bike field. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Bike speedFast4.1
Flat Fiesta Island loop, described as fast; a 2015 report notes wind. · Low confidence
- Bike flatnessPancake flat4.8
Sea-level island loop described as flat and fast; gain is not published but likely under 75 m (250 ft) over 21 km (13 mi). · Medium confidence
- Bike simplicityMostly simple3.6
Three-lap loop with a few turns; not documented as technical. · Low confidence
Run
Crowds, aid stations, conditions underfoot and scenery. Counts for 13% of the overall score.
- Crowd supportDecent3.2
Three-lap run lets spectators and teammates cheer, but the field is small and mostly collegiate. · Low confidence
- Aid stationsStandard3.4
Aid details are not published; no complaints found. · Low confidence
- Run sceneryPleasant3.4
Park and bay shore loops. · Low confidence
- Run conditionsEasy3.9
Cool air, flat loops, little shade. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Run flatnessFlat4.6
Flat park and shoreline loops at sea level; likely under 15 m (50 ft) of gain over 5 km (3.1 mi). · Low confidence
Conditions
Air temperature, how predictable the weather is, setting, and spectating. Counts for 13% of the overall score.
- Air temperatureWarm or cool3.3
Mornings near 8 °C (46 °F) rising to 19 °C (66 °F); chilly for a wet start, fine once running. · Low confidence
- Weather reliabilityVariable2.7
Rain-fouled water cost the swim in 2024 and 2025, though San Diego skies are usually dry. · Medium confidence
- Venue beautyLovely3.8
Mission Bay waterfront and park, no dramatic scenery. · Low confidence
- Spectator friendlyEasy3.8
Three short run laps in the park let spectators see athletes several times. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Low altitudeSea level5.0
Sea level, about 5 m (16 ft). · Medium confidence
Stay and travel
Hotels, walkability, getting there, and the town around the race. Counts for 10% of the overall score.
- Hotel availabilityGood4.0
Mission Bay and Pacific Beach hotels sit 3 to 8 km (2 to 5 mi) away; winter is off-season. · Low confidence
- Hotel valueNormal3.2
San Diego prices, softer in winter; not researched in depth. · Low confidence
- WalkabilitySome driving3.4
Transition, run and finish share Tecolote Shores Park; parking details not published. · Low confidence
- Travel easeVery easy4.8
San Diego International is 11 km (7 mi) away. · Medium confidence
- LogisticsSimple3.6
One park for transition and run, but parking and packet pickup are not published and the start is before dawn. · Low confidence
- Town and foodGood4.0
Pacific Beach and Mission Bay have plenty of food close by. · Low confidence
Key facts
- Location
- San Diego, California, United States
- Typical month
- February/March
- Latest or next date
- 1 March 2026
- Organiser
- Independent (UC San Diego Triathlon Team)
- Field size
- About 412 athletes
- First held
- 2007
- Distances (non-standard)
- 0.8 km (0.5 mi) swim, 21 km (13.0 mi) bike, 5 km (3.1 mi) run
- Swim venue
- Mission Bay off Tecolote Shores Park, San Diego (bay)
- Wetsuit
- Legal (USA Triathlon rule, up to 25.6 C / 78 F); winter water is cold
- Swim start
- wave starts (Sunday classic race); draft-legal elite wave on Saturday
- Swim laps
- 1
- Bike laps
- 3
- Run laps
- 3
- Run shade
- Little
- Air temperature
- 8–19 °C (46–66 °F)
- Humidity
- Marine layer, moderate
- Altitude
- 5 m (16 ft)
- Nearest airport
- San Diego International (SAN), 11 km (7 mi) away
- Where to stay
- Mission Bay, Pacific Beach
- Booking
- Mission Bay and Pacific Beach hotels 3 to 8 km (2 to 5 mi) away. Not researched in depth. Race day starts before dawn (event window 4 am to 1 pm per the city listing).
What racers and reviewers say
- UC San Diego GuardianRaced 2026 · article · Positive
Student-run weekend: Saturday is a USA Triathlon draft-legal race for elite and collegiate athletes, Sunday is open to all levels. A 750 m (820 yd) swim loop, three-lap 13 mi (21 km) bike on Fiesta Island described as flat and fast, and a three-lap 3 mi (4.8 km) run at Tecolote Shores. About 70 club members and a 13-person board run it, with a budget the students put near $50,000.
“only collegiate race where you can get your pro card”
- GCU Club SportsRaced 2025 · article · Mixed
Team recap of the January 2025 edition. Cold water turned the race into a duathlon for the second year running, the field shrank to 412 from nearly 500, and only five finishers broke an hour. A team member called it a good race to start the spring semester and several first-timers finished strongly.
“a great race to kick off our spring semester”
- SlowtwitchRaced 2015 · article · Mixed
News recap of the 2015 draft-legal edition: 750 m (820 yd) swim, 20 km (12.4 mi) bike, 5 km (3.1 mi) run, 74 men and 45 women. Wind spread the bike field and several athletes took run penalties for equipment placement. Top-three Under-25 amateurs earned elite licences.
- SlowtwitchRaced 2016 · article · Positive
Photo gallery for the 10th edition: a Saturday draft-legal race and a Sunday non-drafting race around Fiesta Island, with a brisk, chilly start. Confirms the two-day format and the island bike course.
- UC San Diego GuardianRaced 2014 · article · Positive
Recap of the eighth edition: nearly 300 competitors, about 100 more than the year before, with teams from UCLA, Cal, Stanford, Cal Poly and UCSB. A draft-legal race on Saturday, a traditional race on Sunday, run by a 15-member student team who aimed to make it accessible to para-athletes.
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- UCSD Recreation (club race write-up)Raced 2025 · blog · Mixed
Team write-up: the Saturday draft-legal race had its swim cancelled and replaced by a 1 mile (1.6 km) run, while Sunday kept the normal sprint format. Another UCSD team post says rain-driven bacteria levels have also cancelled swims.
Raced Tritonman? Your notes on the course, conditions and logistics help the next athlete decide.
Sources
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