Multisport Formats and Distances
USA Triathlon sanctioned multisport races may have segments of any length, may have segments in any order, and may have repeating segments. A multisport race may follow the defined formats and distances listed here, but it may also receive sanction approval from USA Triathlon for any proposed number, order and length of segments, so long as the segment disciplines (e.g. swimming, cycling, running) are conducted in accordance with the Multisport Competition Rules.
Swim, Bike, Run. The most common multisport event, triathlons allow athletes of all ages to challenge themselves by covering various distances by swimming, biking and running.
Run, Bike, Run. In this most popular variant of triathlons, athletes complete two runs with one longer cycle leg in between. No water? No problem as no swimming is necessary in a duathlon.
Run, swim, run. Aquathletes don't need two wheels to compete, they just run and swim. The format of aquathlons may differ depending on water temperature. If the swim will require a wetsuit, athletes will swim first and run second. If no wetsuit is required, they'll do a short run, hit the water and finish back on the run course.
Swim, bike. Low impact, high fun! Aquabike allows athletes to compete in the two lower-impact multisport disciplines. Everyone everyone is welcome in aquabike waves, and this variation allows those who cannot run or prefer not to run to still participate in multisport.
Swap pavement for trails and get a little dirty with off-road races! Primarily triathlons, off-road events swap road cycling and running for mountain biking and trail running. Off-road races demand plenty of skill in navigating the course safely.
Gravel events are a variant of off-road events that feature gentler and, typically, wider trails. They can be mixed surface, dirt, gravel or other surfaces and typically won't have obstacles such as rocks, tree limbs or sharp turns to navigate over or past.
Run, Bike, Ski. Winter triathlons are by far the coolest multisport variant around (temperature-wise, at least). Leave the wetsuit at home and pack your ski poles as winter triathlons consist of running, mountain biking and cross-country skiing, all on snow. Not just a way to stay fit over the winter, World Triathlon has held world championship races since 1997.