Have done a number of bigger races, but two of my favorites are smaller events in New England - Lobsterman and Gloucester.
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did both last year, and they are great. Missed Gloucester this year, as I was in the NYC tri the same day. Doing Lobsterman again next month though. Can’t beat the clam/lobsterbake post race meal.
Best: Despite the haters, the waiting, etc., it’s the Chicago Triathlon – big event feel in the heart of the city
Worst: Lake Geneva Sprint/Oly (or anything else by Frank Dobbs).
Best: St. Anthony’s Triathlon… i hope nothing changed when 5150 took it over
WORST: Miami Ironman 70.3… SWIN IN
Best: Beach2Battleship in Wilmington, NC
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I believe you’ve got your year wrong (unless there were two fogman tri’s). It was 1999, I scanned the front page of the Mansfield paper (my picture is on the bike inside the paper). I was there as part of a team, and even though the day turned into a complete cluster, I actually had a good and memorable time.
Worst Tri Rock Annapolis, small bike lanes on a double loop out and back course
Best: hard to say all the others have been good
Other than a local community center pool tri, this was my first tri, so at the time I was completely ignorant of what made for a decent course, but it did seem crowded. I was too happy to finish, so I loved it, but looking back, and now doing other races, I can see the multiple problems with that one. I hope they take the feedback about it and fix some things, because if they keep it on a Saturday in May, I wouldn’t mind doing it every year just for the sake of being there since day one. They had nearly 900 for this race. By contrast, the TriRock Seattle had 300 (olympic distance), the last-minute acquired NY was under 300 (already established race that got bought by competitor group), and Gettysburg was cancelled. Pretty inconsistent first year, but they’re trying something really new. Branching out from the rock and roll marathon to tri’s seems a bit ambitious. If they get the Gettysburg one going in 2012 I still wonder how registration will be with sprint and oly using the same bike mileage. On one hand, both courses were to be the same point to point, but that may have killed registration for logistics anyway. Who wants to deal with shuttles/gear drops 25 miles apart when you’re only doing an oly or sprint? - This whole series just seems like they had lots of ideas that got thrown at the wall, and let’s see which ones stick. Definitely a race for a guy like me, catering to the first timer, but no so much the average ST power tap owner.
best: Pat Griskus sprint, 25 years young, amazingly organized. Pat Griskus Oly, almost as good, except the bike course is one of the toughest around. But, you get to drink great beer afterwards on a Sat am. Just wish Dave Parcells was still there to call my name and town when I come into the finish. If you’ve done the races, you know what I mean.
worst: Not a terrible race, but didn’t like setup.
Mossman Park City oly in Bridgeport, CT. 5 lap bike course, 2 lap run with $100 fee. Seems like a lot since they’re not closing any streets with police officers.
Best: Any international Xterra, with Japan, Italy, and Maui at the top.
Worst: Valle de Bravo Olympic in Mexico. Super crowded. Bike is VERY dangerous, with potholes everywhere. The logistics of how transition operates are insane… there is so much people that you have to make a line for everything. Even when you are done, it takes forever to get your bike and get out of there. Fortunately there are other races in the series that are pretty nice: Mazatlan or Manzanillo are examples.
For the best - Its hard to argue with Toughman for a 70.3 (and by far the best kids race you will find) and Skinnyman sprint is top notch.
For the worst - NYC Olympic is the only race I highly doubt I’d go back to - although harriman has a swim temperature I can’t handle.
Best: Columbia Triathlon, Black Bear Triathlon ¶
Worst: Chicago Triathlon
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Best: TTT Ohio, Musselman, and any Rev 3 race. Look no further than Shannon, Keith, or the entire Rev 3 organization as to why. Special shout out to Musselman, they do things just so right.
Worst: St. A’s. Beautiful venue populated by 8000 too many people. Surprised the number marking hasn’t been replaced by branding, you’re self-managing cattle. Never, ever go back there. Honorable mention goes to anything Kenny3D runs in Michigan - including (unfortunately) the Race for Recovery in Monroe.
Best: Tasmania Half Ironman, Ironman Canada, Half Ironman Canberra (2002-2005 before they softened the bike course). All these races made me feel that the racer and the race was the priority.
Worst: Kona, Noosa Tri. Both felt horribly overhyped, or that could be just me.
I really liked the 5430 Half in Boulder before the people from planet M-Dot showed up. I hope Barry Siff got a solid retirement out of that deal, the man deserves it.
This year was my first time at Boulder 70.3 since the changeover from 5430. Other than the tons of MDot logos everywhere, I didn’t notice a difference. I thought it was very well done.
I heard the volunteers at kona are slow and lazy… Is that true? Ive never done it, but friends told me bout it
i didn’t find that. the whole race and the atmosphere just didn’t work with me.
lots of chest thumping going on, follwed by excuses the day after, or at least that’s what i found.
Best: St. Croix, the old Boston triathlon, lobsterman
Worst: have done some local races that are no longer around…
To each is own but I would put Big Kahuna as one of the best. But then again, I prefer my races on the low key side of things, I could care less about expos and am not a warm water pansy.
Worst - Hermosa Beach Sprint. I was super crowded and then they changed the bike loop from 2 loops to three shorter loops. Feels like you are on the 405.
I have enjoyed the St. Anthony’s Triathlon in St. Pete FL for a few years now. I am also looking to start some inter-state racing and find this thread as a good reference. Thanks.
Favorite is Vancouver Half. Also love Shawnigan Lake but damn that water is cold!
Don’t have a worst, but I do my best to avoid anything with a flat bike or a swim that is likely to be cancelled.
To each is own but I would put Big Kahuna as one of the best. But then again, I prefer my races on the low key side of things, I could care less about expos and am not a warm water pansy.
Worst - Hermosa Beach Sprint. I was super crowded and then they changed the bike loop from 2 loops to three shorter loops. Feels like you are on the 405.
I agree. BK is a fun no stress HIM. The weather can be cold but if you didn’t expect that then you don’t know NorCal very well.