TRI Clear Lake

TRI Clear Lake Sprint & Olympic Distance Triathlons in Clear Lake, Iowa

2023 State Championships Generic logo TRI Clear Lake Triathlon has been selected by USA Triathlon to host the Iowa Age Group State Championships & Iowa High School State Championships!

USA Triathlon State Championship races qualify the top 35% or top five (5) finishers in an age group (whichever is greater) for Age Group National Championships. You may only qualify for Olympic-distance Nationals by placing in the Olympic distance State Championship race or Sprint Nationals by placing in the Sprint distance State Championship race.

USAT’s Iowa High School State Championship race will be held as part of the TRI Clear Lake Triathlon, allowing young triathletes to showcase their talent against a competitive high-school field, while enjoying the support of the wider multisport community. All high school athletes who finish any of the State High School Championships will automatically qualify for Sprint-distance (pending they are at least age 15 as of December 31, 2023.)

TRI Clear Lake Event Description

The Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce is host to the TRI Clear Lake Triathlon, sanctioned by USA Triathlon will be held on Saturday, May 27, 2023. The race will start and end in downtown Clear Lake! The scenic course will commence at City Beach; the flat-and-fast one-or two-loop bike course guides athletes out and back along South Shore Drive. The race is capped off with a 3.1-mile or 6.2-mile run on North Shore Drive along beautiful Clear Lake, past the historic Surf Ballroom and back to a lakeside finish in City Park. This is the perfect race for beginners and experienced triathletes alike. At the completion of the race, you will experience a high-energy lakefront finisher party, complete with music, food and beverages!

TRI Clear Lake Race Distances

Olympic Distance: 1,500 meter swim, 24.8-mile bike, and 6.2-mile run

Sprint Distance: 500-meter swim, 12.4-mile bike, and 3.1-mile run

TRI Clear Lake Race Tiered Race Registration (up to 750 participants)

SOLD OUT: First 150 to register: Sprint $65 // Olympic $75
SOLD OUT: 151-300 to register: Sprint $80 // Olympic $90
301-450 to register: Sprint $95 // Olympic $105
451-600 to register: Sprint $110 // Olympic $120
601-750 to register: Sprint $125 // Olympic $135

Sprint Relay $170 // Olympic Relay $200

Register for TRI Clear Lake Today!

Youth Splash and Dash

A Splash and Dash is a fun and fast-growing sport that combines swimming and running. The TRI Clear Lake Splash & Dash is a participatory event for kids ages 7-15 with an emphasis on creating a fun family weekend of multisport and fitness. As an official part of the USA Triathlon Youth Aquathlon Series. Every participant will receive a finisher medal and a TRI Clear Lake visor. Parents are encouraged to cheer on their kids as they move through the course and finish under the same arch as the adult racers. The race will be held Friday, May 26th at 6:30pm. Athletes will be staged by age with the oldest going off first.

Youth Splash and Dash Course

The kids swim start and exit will be at City Beach. 7-10 year old’s will swim 100 meters and 11-15 year old’s will swim out a little deeper and complete a 200 meter swim exiting in the same location as the younger kids. Both courses will have numerous lifeguards in the water and safety personnel on site ensuring a safe and fun swim.

As the swimmers exit, they will enter the transition area where they can change into their running shoes and hit the road. The 7-10 year old’s will complete a 1k lap around City Park, kids 11-15 will complete a 2k run down North Lakeview Drive, turn around, come back to 1st Ave. N., continue East and run around the top portion of City Park to finish line. Volunteers will be on site to ensure runners are going the correct direction. There will be one aid station as the runners exit transition with water and sports drink. All athletes will receive a finisher medal & a TRI Clear Visor at the finish line! Finish line refreshments will also be provided.

Youth Splash and Dash Packet Pickup and Transition Information

Kids can pick up their race packet containing a shirt and swim cap at the Lakeview Room in City Park. Body marking will done when the kids receive their packet. The transition area will be divided into two sections, one half for kids 7-10 and one half for kids 11-15. Kids will be free to choose their own spot. Packet pick-up will begin at 3 p.m. on Friday, May 26.

Youth Splash and Dash Event Timeline

Friday May 26th
3:00-6:00 p.m. Packet pick-up at Lakeview Room in City Park
5:30 p.m. Transition opens (Transition will be divided into two areas, Juniors and Seniors. Transition spots will be first come first serve)
6:15 p.m. Pre-race briefing at start location on City Beach
6:30 p.m. Senior division (11-15) starts (Athletes will line up and enter the water in pairs every 3 seconds)
6:40 p.m. Junior division (7-10) starts (This time is an approximation based on numbers. Athletes will enter the water in pairs every 3 seconds)

Youth Splash and Dash Divisions and Distances

Juniors: 7-10 years old – 100-meter swim | 1-kilometer run

Seniors: 11-15 years old – 200-meter swim | 2-kilometer run

Register here for Youth Splash & Dash!

TRI Clear Lake Volunteers Needed & Appreciated!

Interested in volunteering? Click here to sign up! We have volunteer opportunities on Friday, May 26 & Saturday, May 27.

Register Today!

Schedule of Events

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Friday, May 26th

4:00-7:00 p.m. Packet pickup at Athletico located at 7 South 8th St., Suite C, Clear Lake, Iowa.
6:00-7:00 p.m. Swim course open for OWS practice.
6:30 p.m. Youth Splash and Dash
6:30 p.m. Tri 101 Meeting

Saturday, May 27th

5:30 a.m. Transition opens & timing chip pickup
7:15 a.m. Transition area closes
7:20 a.m. Pre-race meeting at swim start
7:30 a.m. Olympic race begins
7:55 a.m. Sprint race begins (time is approximate based on number of participants)

Race Venue

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Clear Lake is conveniently located right off of I-35. Only 2 hours South of Minneapolis and 2 hours North of Des Moines. The race will start and finish lakefront downtown. Athletes and spectators are welcome to park downtown.

Race Categories

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Racers will be divided into categories by gender and age. Age groups for each gender are:

19 and under
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70 and older

Clydesdale and Athena Divisions:
Men weighing 220 pounds or more and women weighing 165 pounds or more are able, but not required, to participate in the Clydesdale and Athena divisions. To do so, you must indicate this group on your registration form. Entrants in this category are eligible for Clydesdale or Athena Division awards, but not age group awards.

Relay division:
2 to 3 person relay.

Awards

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The top three overall male and female finishers and the top 3 finishers in each of the other categories for sprint and olympic distances (Age Group, Clydesdale, Athena, Relay Teams) will receive an award. Award ceremonies will follow completion of each race.

Sanctioning

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The TRI Clear Lake will be sanctioned by USA Triathlon (USAT). Race participants are required to be annual members of, or have a one-day permit from, USAT. The $15 USAT one-day permit fee will be added to nonmembers’ entry fees prior to check-out. USAT members must present their USAT membership card and photo ID at packet pickup.

Packet Pickup

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Packet pickup will take place on Friday, May 27th from 4:00-7:00 p.m. Athletes must pick up their own packets, at which time they will be required to show a photo ID and their USAT membership card if they are an annual USAT member. This also applies to individual relay team members.

Timing

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Chips will be distributed at check-in on the morning of the event. Race participants are responsible for returning their chips to volunteers at the finish line. A $30 charge will be assessed to the athlete if the chip is not returned.

Event Cancellation

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If the swim portion of the race is cancelled due to inclement weather (i.e. heavy rain, lightning) or unsafe water conditions, the event will be duathlon, with run-bike-run. Please check the TRI Clear Lake website and Facebook page on race day for updates if you suspect delays or cancellation.

Refund Policy

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Registration is non-refundable.

Volunteers

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We need motivated volunteers to put on a memorable race! Please sign up below if you are interested in volunteering!

Friday, May 26th

Setup – Volunteers help set up the swim, bike, and run courses, as well as the finish line, transition, and registration areas.
Youth Splash & Dash Swim Course – Lifeguards direct and assist athletes in the water.
Youth Splash & Dash Run Course – Volunteers direct athletes and watch for traffic.
Registration – Volunteers assist our event staff at registration by checking in athletes and distributing packets.

Saturday, May 27th

Parking – Volunteers direct traffic to the designated parking areas.
Swim Course – Lifeguards direct and assist athletes in the water.
Bike Course – Volunteers direct athletes and watch for traffic.
Run Course – Volunteers direct athletes and watch for traffic.
Transition Area – Volunteers restrict entrance to athletes only.
Aid Stations – Volunteers hand out water to athletes.
Tear Down – Volunteers help tear down the courses when the race is complete.
Photographers – Volunteers capture the memories of our event.

TRI Clear Lake Course Maps

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Swim

The swim starts and finishes at City Beach.

Transition

The transition area is located along South Shore Drive and 1st Avenue South.

Bike Mount/Dismount Area

Bike Course

The bike distance is 12.4 miles. The route is flat and fast. It showcases scenic prairies and windmills. Law enforcement and volunteers awill be staged at high traffic and caution areas. Athletes will head west out of State Park and make their way back to State Park riding by Lekwa Marsh on road B35.

Run Out

Run Course

The run distance is 3.1 miles. Highlights on this route include running by the historic Lady of the Lake and the legendary Surf Ballroom. The race will start and finish lakefront downtown. There will be aid stations located at mile 1 and 2.