Having been to both this year, it's easy... Taupo hands down. Its just such a stunning part of the world and the swim is easily the best I've ever experienced. The support out on the course was also an order of magnitude better than Almere, the locals really get involved very well.

The only downside to anyone can really throw at Taupo is the road surface... but people are just being super picky and overplaying it massively! It's rough in the sense of being slower by a small amount, not rough in the sense of comfort. Anyone who says otherwise needs to come and ride in the UK for some perspective!

That said, Almere was still very good and you wont be dissappointed if you choose that. The other aspects of the race (ease of access etc) were all very similar.

my exact answer was going to be - having raced at both places. Taupo everyday. NO skinny little bikelane riding as well in NZ

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'to give anything less than the best is to sacrifice the gift'...Pre

Almere is going to be full Im distance if that matters.

Only at Taupo will you see a Haka before the race start.

Both races have both full and half options on the same day (at Almere the ITU stuff is separated so qualifying is not an issue) not including the separate 70.3 at Taupo in december which is obvs WC next year.

But i guess thats another difference - in Almere the half is the ’main’ event with ~1500 competitors compared to ~750 in the full. In Taupo the split is ~ 1500 to 500 but with the focus obviously being the full distance event.

OP said they were going for Almere at Miamiman which suggests ITU Multisport World Champs - which will be a full IM distance.

I didn’t realize that! I thought it was a middle ground before half and full. Good to know—thanks!

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@floathammerholdon | @partners_in_tri

https://www.tri247.com/...distance-worlds-2020

Nope, they won't do full and half on the same day in Almere next year. They did this year for ETU, but won't do that next year for ITU. In fact, it isn't clear yet if they do a half at all. If it happens it will be on a different day, and not part of the ITU championships. They'll decide mid October if they'll add a half or not to the program. The program is pretty full with full, aquathlon, duathlon, aquabike, xcross.