Captain Kids Triathlon

Get ready for a great race!

Your Mates and Mini Mates will swim in a lazy river, bike through the Moody Gardens resort, and run through the tropical gardens—all leading up to a waterpark celebration for the family! Every athlete gets a waterpark admission + free entries for three family members or friends! Come for race day or make it a fun family getaway. Parents, siblings, friends & teammates can join the fun—volunteer as a Deckhand and experience the race up close!

Captain Kids Waves for 2026:

✔️ Age Group Waves: Mini Mates, Mates & Long Course Mates (based on USAT age)

✔️Captain's Waves: For experienced youth triathletes ready to race


✔️ First Mates Waves: Adaptive divisions with guides & race modifications available

Race Distances:


✔️ Mini Mates (6-10): 100m swim, 2 mile bike, ½ mile run


✔️ Mates (11-14): 200m swim, 4 mile bike, 1 mile run


✔️ Long Course Mates (15-16): 200m swim, 6 mile bike, 1.7 mile run


✔️ Captain's Wave Mini Mates (6-10): 200m swim, 4 mile bike, 1 mile run


✔️ Captain's Wave Mates (11-14): 200m swim, 6 mile bike, 1.7 mile run

The Captain's Wave:

The Captain's Wave is for those athletes that have their sea legs and are experienced triathletes wanting to race, and is designed to add additional safety and fairness within the races. If your athlete is on a racing team, has a coach, routinely places in other youth races, and wants to test their skills against the other experienced athletes, then the athlete may qualify to compete in the Captain's Wave. Your athlete should be familiar with all aspects of triathlon, including the rules and regulations for youth triathlons (drafting, spacing, passing, etc), and should have competed in a number of triathlons prior to this event. If you’re not sure which division is right for your athlete, send the Captain an email and we’ll help you figure it out.  

The Captain's Waves have separate awards from the age group division and only compete against each other. The athletes are numbered from oldest to youngest, and awards are based on the number of participants. 

🏴‍☠️ Ready to race? Join the crew and sign up today!

The Captain Kids Triathlon brings an exciting race distance to Galveston, Texas on September 13, 2026. Don't miss this beautiful event!