Behind the Finish Line: An Inside Look at the Planning for USA Triathlon Nationals in Milwaukee
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by USA Triathlon
This weekend’s USA Triathlon Sprint and Olympic National Championships and Paratriathlon National Championships are the culmination of months of training and sacrifice for thousands of triathletes from across the country. For families and spectators, the event in Milwaukee is an unforgettable three days of cheering, celebrating the sport, and exploring Milwaukee’s scenic lakefront and vibrant downtown.
But long before the first wave of triathletes begins swimming on Friday afternoon in Lake Michigan, an extraordinary team effort is already well underway behind the scenes.
From safety planning and road closures to medical readiness and accessibility for all athletes, hosting a National Championship at this scale is a massive logistical operation that takes over a year of planning and dozens of partners working in perfect coordination.
Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes for USA Triathlon to bring Sprint and Olympic National Championships and Paratriathlon National Championships to life in Milwaukee.
Safety First
Every city presents a unique environment. In Milwaukee, USA Triathlon’s safety and medical operations are built hand-in-hand with more than a dozen local agencies, as with all cities USA Triathlon partners with, said USA Triathlon Director of Events Brian D’Amico.
From early planning stages through race weekend execution, USA Triathlon’s events team collaborates with city officials, emergency responders, public works departments, and more agencies to create a comprehensive safety plan tailored to the venue and surrounding area. This includes detailed contingency plans for nearly every scenario imaginable, including weather events like lightning, high-wind, or extreme heat, air quality or water quality concerns, and even large-scale evacuations or threats.
Each element of race weekend, from packet pick-up to awards ceremonies to the race itself, has a dedicated scenario plan to ensure the experience is as safe and seamless as possible, no matter what obstacles come our way.
Water Quality & Swim Readiness
Milwaukee’s scenic lakefront views and the protected bay in Lake Michigan — with water temperatures of 64-76 degrees Fahrenheit — make for an idyllic location for triathletes to swim.
In the months leading up to race weekend, USA Triathlon closely monitors the water in Lake Michigan, reviewing historical water quality data to identify potential trends and prepare accordingly.
In partnership with the local governing jurisdiction over the swim course, final water testing is conducted in the days before competition, ensuring athletes are cleared to swim only under safe, swimmable conditions.
USA Triathlon has even deployed a real-time water temperature buoy in the swim venue that provides invaluable water data and trends for athletes and spectators. Check out the live water temperature tracking here.
This live tracking of the water temperature and trends is particularly valuable for athletes as this body of water in Lake Michigan, while protected by a breakwater, has a tendency to “turn over,” meaning drastic temperature changes — rising or falling — overnight. So, athletes are encouraged to pack a wetsuit and be prepared for both cool and warm water temperatures.
For USA Triathlon National Championships, wetsuits are not allowed if the water temperature is 76.2 degrees Fahrenheit and higher, and wetsuits are mandatory if the water temperature dips to 60.6 degrees and below.
A Route Through Three Cities
Race weekend in Milwaukee doesn’t just touch one neighborhood, it spans multiple municipalities and requires intricate coordination with officials across the City of Milwaukee, the City of Cudahy, and the City of St. Francis. For example, Saturday’s Olympic Distance National Championship race course (1500-meter swim, 40-kilometer bike, 10k run) runs through all three cities.
Securing race routes means working with police, fire, EMS, and public works from each municipality, often starting over a year in advance. Permits span dozens of agencies, including the U.S. Coast Guard, Milwaukee County Parks, Port Milwaukee, the Department of Transportation, the State Department of Natural Resources, the Department of Public Health, and many others.
Business owners and residents impacted by road closures are informed as part of the process, ensuring the race supports the local community, while limiting disruptions.
Building an Accessible Race Experience
Inclusivity is a core value of USA Triathlon, and for the first time, USA Triathlon Sprint and Olympic National Championships includes the annual Paratriathlon National Championships, giving athletes and spectators the opportunity to watch elite paratriathletes push the limits of what’s possible.
This weekend’s races will feature major accessibility upgrades for para and able-bodied athletes alike. That includes a brand-new swim exit system developed in partnership with EZ DOCK and ABC BOAT DOCKS to allow easier, safer access out of the water.
Athletes competing in the Paratriathlon National Championships will also benefit from an Access Trax system, ensuring smooth, stable movement across all transition points, from swim to bike to run. These accessibility enhancements are the result of months of research, testing, and planning to ensure every athlete can perform at their best.
Insurance for When the Unexpected Happens
Athletes can race in Milwaukee with peace of mind knowing that, if the unexpected happens, USA Triathlon has your back.
USA Triathlon annually invests in a variety of insurance products to protect and cover athletes, clubs, coaches, race directors and other event staff if an accident were to occur at a race.
And while we hope not to have to call upon our policies, if USA Triathlon were forced to make the difficult decision to cancel a USA Triathlon National Championship event based on one of the circumstances described in our policies, we would work with our insurance carriers to refund participants their registration fees.
It Takes a Team
While the athletes are the stars of the show, USA Triathlon National Championship events would not be possible without the tireless work of USA Triathlon’s team of race directors and events support staff, medical personnel, volunteers, city officials, and countless community partners such as Sports Milwaukee, the City of Milwaukee, Milwaukee Police Department, Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office, Milwaukee County EMS and Milwaukee Fire Department. Their dedication ensures that USA Triathlon Sprint and Olympic National Championships and Paratriathlon National Championships runs smoothly.
So, the next time you see a barricade, a first responder on standby, or a volunteer handing out water, know that they’re part of a massive, coordinated effort to keep you safe, supported, and set up for success.
Because behind every finish line, there’s a story of planning, passion, and people who make it all possible.
About USA Triathlon
USA Triathlon is proud to serve as the National Governing Body for triathlon, as well as duathlon, aquathlon, aquabike, winter triathlon, off-road triathlon, paratriathlon, and indoor and virtual multisport events in the United States. Founded in 1982, USA Triathlon sanctions more than 3,500 events and races and connects with and supports more than 300,000 unique active members each year, making it the largest multisport organization in the world. In addition to its work at the grassroots level with athletes, coaches, and race directors — as well as the USA Triathlon Foundation — USA Triathlon provides leadership and support to elite athletes competing at international events, including World Triathlon World Championships, Pan American Games and the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
