In this section you will find all the information you need about the courses used for Tri Santa Cruz.  All of the events will use either a sprint or international (Olympic) distance for any combination of events.  This is a very fast paced and spectator friendly race course for all segments with it's looping format. 

Sprint Triathlon will swim one loop of the swim course, two loops of the bike and an out and back along West Cliff Drive for the 5K run.  Similarly, the Sprint Aquabike will only use the swim and bike courses, while the Sprint Aquathlon will use the swim and run course only.

International (Olympic Distance) Triathlon will swim two loops of the swim course, four loops of the bike and an out and back along West Cliff Drive for the 10K run.  Similarly, the International Aquabike will only use the swim and bike courses, while the Aquathlon will use the swim and run course only.

The Duathlon Courses will use the run and bike courses only. 

Swim Course

All swims will start on the west side of the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf. Swim buoys will be set based on currents and position of the fixed finger buoys. All swimmers will swim in a clockwise direction around the buoys, keeping the buoys to their right shoulders. At the completion of the swim course swimmers will exit onto the beach and run up the beach through the marker flags and up the boardwalk path to the Cowell Beach parking area. From there they will be directed up to Depot Park on the trail that starts at the National Marine Sanctuary Building. 

Bike Course

As many of you know the Santa Cruz area and particularly West Cliff Drive were severely impacted by the January through March storm in 2023.  This created a significant impact to both run and bike courses in the area.  The alternatives were 1) cancel the event or 2) create some new courses that would enable the event to be held this year. 

We have been working very hard with the City of Santa Cruz and the Santa Cruz Police Department to create some courses that are safe but will still deliver a great race experience for all athletes.  Is it perfect? No but it's as close as we can get given the extent of damage in the area and continuing street closures and detours.  West Cliff Drive is still closed for traffic and there are detours through neighborhoods that everyone is living with.  There are portions that just cannot be accessed by vehicle or by foot. 

What's different? The outbound and inbound along West Cliff Drive for the bike course has been moved to Delaware Street.  The course required a design that would allow the neighborhoods some kind of ingress/egress to their houses via Swanton Blvd and some controlled access points.  They have been living with disruption since January 1 and it was essential that we try and accommodate their needs and sensitivities to the best of our ability.

• Exit and entry to the transition area will not change.
• The end of the course closest to transition will not change because that is required to make a loop to go back out to Delaware. 
• All riders will ride on Delaware Avenue out to Swanton Blvd, make a U-Turn and return back down Delaware to Santa Cruz Avenue, making a right turn on Santa Cruz, a left turn onto West Cliff and then a left turn onto Bay Street to create the loop.

This is the area of the new bike course.  Note that Delaware Avenue will be totally closed to traffic.  The course is a bit shorter and more compact than the other course so the number of loops will increase.  The sprint will do three loops and the international race will do 6 loops in order to accommodate the distance.  The sprint will be 11.4 miles long and the international will be 22.4miles long (including in and out of Depot Park).

This  is an animated link for the course so you can see directional changes.  The animation is for the Sprint Course with only 3 loops.  The international course will need to double this distance >> Animated Bike Course

Run Course

As many of you know the Santa Cruz area and particularly West Cliff Drive were severely impacted by the January through March storm in 2023.  This created a significant impact to both run and bike courses in the area.  The alternatives were 1) cancel the event or 2) create some new courses that would enable the event to be held this year. 

We have been working very hard with the City of Santa Cruz and the Santa Cruz Police Department to create some courses that are safe but will still deliver a great race experience for all athletes.  Is it perfect? No but it's as close as we can get given the extent of damage in the area and continuing street closures and detours.  West Cliff Drive is still closed for traffic and there are detours through neighborhoods that everyone is living with.  There are portions that just cannot be accessed by vehicle or by foot.

Thankfully we are able to access West Cliff Drive as far as Columbia Street.  This allows us to have a one loop 5K course and a two loop 10K run course.  That means the originally planned 5K course will not have any significant changes but the 10K will.  There are two links listed below with an animated diagram of each course. 

Sprint Run Course - will be 3.05 miles.  Runners will make a single loop of the course and then return to Depot Park. >> 

Animated Sprint Run Course

International Course - will be 5.7 miles long.  Runners will make a second loop at the Whale Tale in front of the National Marine Sanctuary Building and head back out for a second loop of the course.

Animated International Run Course

There will be an aid station placed for two stops on the Sprint Course and 4 stops on the International Course.

Transition

Depot Park is race central!  All race services, Transition, and the Finish Line are all located at Depot Park.   Transition will be totally fenced for the event, with only one entrance and exit for athletes.  In order to enter transition you will need to have your "registered athlete" wristband.  Spectators and coaches are not permitted in transition.  When you exit transition you will need to show your wristband and your race numbers to ensure that you are removing only your gear.  Please do not lift your gear or bags over the fences to or from spectators or coaches. 

2023 Results at: svetiming.com 
2022 Results at: runsignup.com 
2021 Results at: runsignup.com 

2020 Results: not available ??? 
2019 Results at: runsignup.com 
2018 Results at: runsignup.com 
2017 Results at: runsignup.com 
2016 Results at: runsignup.com