Event Info

The Annual TriWaco Triathlon features both Sprint and Olympic Tri courses, which begin with an open-water swim in the Brazos River transitioning to a fast and flat bike course and ending with a beautiful run along the Brazos. View the Transition Map.

Sprint Tri

• 400m open-water swim (each participant has 30 minutes to complete). SWIM MAP
• 20K ride. Bike course closes at 10 a.m. BIKE MAP
• 3.5-mile run along the Brazos River. RUN MAP

Olympic Tri

• 1500m open-water swim (each participant has one hour to complete). SWIM MAP
• 40K ride. Bike course closes at 10 a.m. Intermediate cutoff: first loop completed by 9 a.m. BIKE MAP
• 10K run along the Brazos River and in Cameron Park. RUN MAP

Swimming

Sprint: Swimmers will start in age group waves for a 400-meter rectangular swim in the Brazos River. Despite being an open-water swim, the course will be very beginner-friendly with the swimmers never being more than 50 meters from land. City of Waco lifeguards will be posted onshore and on boats. The swimmers will cross beneath the Washington Street bridge before exiting, which will make the bridge an excellent viewing platform for spectators.

Olympic: The starting and ending points will be the same as the Sprint, but the distance will be a more challenging 1500 meters. The Olympic swimmers will pass underneath three additional bridges and spectators will have access to the concrete river-walk for the entire distance.

USAT Wetsuit rules: Each age group participant shall be permitted to wear a wetsuit without penalty in any event sanctioned by USA Triathlon up to and including a water temperature of 78 degrees Fahrenheit. When the water temperature is greater than 78 degrees, but less than 84 degrees Fahrenheit, age group participants may wear a wetsuit at their own discretion, provided however that participants who wear a wet suit within this temperature range shall not be eligible for prizes or awards. Age group participants shall not wear wet suits in water temperatures equal to or greater than 84 degrees Fahrenheit.

Official water temp will be posted in transition race morning.

Biking

After leaving the transition area, riders will leave downtown and quickly find themselves riding by the new McLane Stadium and Baylor University. The ride is moderately flat and very fast. SAG support will be provided for minor mechanical problems. The Olympic distance is 40K and the Sprint distance is 20K. There are no aid stations on the bike course.

Running

Sprint: Runners will be on a wide concrete trail that runs along the river into Cameron Park and is mostly shaded. The 5K run will be flat except for the ramp that leads up to the Herring Street bridge. After the protected bridge crossing, the runners will run on a concrete river trail before crossing the Brazos for the last time to finish on the Washington Street bridge. The route will have clearly visible distance markers and a water station at the halfway point.

Olympic: Olympians will get an additional 5K in Cameron Park by running on the pavement to the turn-around point. This is some of the most beautiful running in Texas and will include about 250 feet of total uphill climb! The Olympic route will rejoin the Sprint route at the ramp for the Herring Street Bridge. There will be four aid stations on the run course stocked with Powerade and water.

All Finishers receive a commemorative finisher medal!  

AWARDS
Your race age is based on your age on December 31, 2019.
The minimum age to participate:

• Sprint Distance: 13 years old
• Olympic: 15 years old

OPEN/ELITE WAVE (Olympic distance only)
This wave is an elite division. If you race in this category, you will not be eligible to receive age group awards (see below) – including overall, overall masters or overall grandmasters. If you want to compete for overall, overall masters or grandmasters awards, please sign up in the regular Olympic category.
Awards:
1st – 3rd Male
1st – 3rd Female

OVERALL AGE GROUP AWARDS:
The famous bronze cattle awards go to these overall categories:

• 1st Overall Male & Female
• 1st Overall Male & Female Masters (40+ years)
• 1st Overall Male & Female Grandmasters (50+ years)

AGE GROUP AWARDS
1st – 3rd Male and Female in each of the following age groups:

• 14 & under (racing sprint race)
• 15 – 17
• 18 – 24
• 25 – 29
• 30 – 34
• 35 – 39
• 40 – 44
• 45 – 49
• 50 – 54
• 55 – 59
• 60 – 64
• 65 – 69
• 70+

COLLEGIATE
This division is for actively enrolled college students. Requestors must submit a photo of their current/valid student ID before receiving a custom discount code. Submit requests to Debra@Tri-Now.com. Once registered, Collegiate participants will compete in their “Collegiate” division and are NOT eligible to transfer into other divisions.
Sprint and Olympic Collegiate Female: 1st – 3rd overall
Sprint and Olympic Collegiate Male: 1st – 3rd overall

CLYDESDALE/ATHENA
This is an optional division. Athletes must weigh in at packet pickup to stay in this division. Male 220+ lbs, Female 165+ lbs.
Sprint and Olympic Clydesdale: 1st – 3rd overall
Sprint and Olympic Athena: 1st – 3rd overall

RELAY
Sprint: 1st – 3rd overall
Olympic: 1st – 3rd overall

AQUABIKE
Sprint: 1st – 3rd Male; 1st – 3rd Female
Olympic: 1st – 3rd Male; 1st – 3rd Female

TriWaco is a USAT-sanctioned event and the following rules apply. There are no exceptions to these rules:

In accordance with USA Triathlon requirements, all competitors must hold a USAT membership. You may go to USATriathlon.org and purchase one beforehand. They will also be available with online registration or at packet pick-up. If your membership card has been lost, a replacement card can be printed from the USAT website.

ALL Athletes must bring Photo ID and current annual USAT membership card* to pick up a packet, OR athlete must purchase a one-day membership for $15/adult. One-Day Pass payable by cash or check only.

You may also purchase an annual membership at packet pickup, prices are as follows:

• Adult – $50, for all adults 18 and over.
• Youth – $10 for athletes 17 and younger, benefits are the same as adult membership

*If a single event permit was purchased with registration, there will not be a card to show. Packet Pickup staff will have this information noted on check-in forms. Single Day permit holders will still need to show Photo ID.

NOTE: You MUST pick up your own packet. We will not allow someone else to pick up your packet for you, no exceptions. Each member of a relay team must pick up their own packet. You must pick up a race packet in order to participate in the race.

TriWaco is a USAT-sanctioned event. Each competitor is responsible for knowing and following all USAT rules. Please refer to the USAT website for complete list of rules at www.usatriathlon.org.