Hammerfest Triathlon Official Website

The "Nitty Gritty" Details (User Opinions)

alan m.
Branford, CT

  (08-18-2009)

"What you need to know:

Swim: Swim in Long Island Sound. The water is usually pretty flat but the tide is sometimes out and you'll need to walk a bit.

Transition: The run up to the bike is on cement and grass, which is better than many area races where it's gravel and tarmac.

Bike: A two loop bike.

Run: Single loop, no overlap with the bike.

Hammerfest is one of those great local races that is a lot of fun on a reasonably challenging course and as a bonus, it supports a great cause, the Myelin Foundation. The race is held at the O-Wen-E-Go club.

The swim: Hope the tide is in. The race organizers, like race organizers all over southern CT, cannot control this factor. They send you out on an angle to mitigate the low tide if there is one. Some years the swim is right on. Occasionally it's long. It's never that hard.

Bike: This is the course I do all my time trials on (I nearly live on the course). The two loop course is gently rolling with short hills. The turns are not technical. This bike course is accessible for all abilities and you can crank out a 24-25 mph time if you are a strong biker. If you race here, please, please, PLEASE, don't draft.

Run: The run is about 3.5 miles. It's one of those runs that isn't hard, but for some reason, it's not easy. If you are a good runner, this is the triathlon for you because the run is longer than most sprints and you will run people down.

Overall: It's a great venue with awesome views, a fast bike course and a solid run. This is a fair course that is accessible for first timers but will challenged experienced racers and it draws a strong field, especially for a September sprint."

Reviewed by a: Repeat Participant for 2008