Race Discovery
Santa Cruz Triathlon
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Santa Cruz Triathlon

Santa Cruz, California, United States View on map
Sep 27, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles local time)
Triathlon

About this race

The Santa Cruz Triathlon is a popular, scenic, non-profit race offering Sprint and International (Olympic) distances, plus relays, aquabike, and an aquathlon option, known for its coastal course along West Cliff Drive and along Highway 1. Its an ocean swim around the iconic Santa Cruz Wharf, a spacious transition area on a soccer field, then riding out along West Cliff and Highway 1 to the quaint town of Davenport and back. Then finish with a beautiful run along West Cliff and finish on Cowells Beach. 

This is great for beginners and veterans alike, with proceeds funding local high school and college athletics in Santa Cruz County. It's a long-running event that donates significantly to youth sports, featuring a sheltered ocean swim and largely closed-course bike and run, creating a fun, community-focused event. 

Pick your distance

Triathlon

Olympic Distance

Olympic / International Distance Event - 0.9 mile swim, 24 mile bike, 6.2 mile run

Sep 27, 2026 49.9K 8:00 AM
$220.00
Closed

Sprint Distance

750 yard swim, 14 mile bike, 3.1 mile run

Sep 27, 2026 24.1K 8:45 AM
$185.00
Closed

Olympic Relay

Relay can be 2 or 3 people mixed gender any age

Sep 27, 2026 49.9K 8:00 AM
$245.00
Closed

Sprint Relay

Relay can be 2 or 3 people mixed gender any age

Sep 27, 2026 24.1K 8:45 AM
$225.00
Closed

Aquabike

Olympic Aqua Bike

0.9 mile swim, 24 mile bike

Sep 27, 2026 40.2K 8:00 AM
$145.00
Closed

Swimrun

Sprint Aquathlon

750 yard swim, 3.1 mile run

Sep 27, 2026 6.4K 8:45 AM
$140.00
Closed

Typical race-day weather

Based on 8 years of Open-Meteo archive data for this event's race dates in Santa Cruz, plus the 3 days either side.

Temp (°C)
Minimum temperature (race-week average) 13.7° / Maximum temperature (race-week average) 24.4°
Feels Like (°C)
Minimum feels like — heat index / wind chill (race-week average) 13.6° / Maximum feels like — heat index / wind chill (race-week average) 25.1°
Peak wind (km/h)
Strongest wind of the day (race-week average)
13.1
Precip (mm)
Precipitation over the day (race-week average)
0.3mm
Humidity
Mean relative humidity (race-week average)
74.5%
Sunrise
Sunrise at the start line on September 27, 2026 (PDT)
Sunset
Sunset at the start line on September 27, 2026 (PDT)
Daylight
Hours between sunrise and sunset on race day
11h 57m

The sun rises at 7:00 AM and sets at 6:57 PM local time (PDT) in Santa Cruz on September 27, 2026 — 11h 57m of daylight.

Course

No course map published yet.

The organizer hasn't released a route for this event, and we don't publish guesses. If you're the organizer, send us a GPX file and we'll draw the profile.

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Other races near Santa Cruz

Different organizers, within 40 miles, in the next three months

Where this page comes from. Race details were last updated on . We re-check listings regularly and again in the week before race day.

  • Entries, prices, waves and inclusions — the event's official registration page
  • Temperature and humidity — Copernicus ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0)
  • Elevation and terrain relief — Copernicus DEM GLO-90, ESA (CC BY 4.0)
  • Comparisons and counts — Race Discovery calendar, 14 Santa Cruz events

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