Celebrating its 40th edition, the Chicago Triathlon, produced in 2023 by Life Time and billed as one of the largest urban triathlons in the world, took place on August 26-27. The event organising team reported approximately 8,000 participants, ranging in age from 7 to 86 years old and representing 44 US states and 23 countries.
Now part of the ‘Tri Majors’, the Chicago Triathlon sits alongside the New York Triathlon and Malibu Triathlon. This follows the Super League Triathlon (SLT) acquisition of the New York and Chicago triathlons earlier this year. SLT acquired the New York and Chicago events from Life Time, which will produce the two events this year ahead of handing over event production to SLT in 2024. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
This year’s race weekend spanned throughout two days of racing, including three different distance races and a kids triathlon event. The Kids Triathlon kicked off proceedings with two different course distances for Juniors (7-10 years) and Seniors (11-14 years), followed by the SuperSprint race that included a 0.23 mile swim, 6.2 mile bike and 1.5 mile run.
Sunday featured the International distance race (0.93 mile swim, 24.8 mile bike and 6.2 mile run) and Sprint distance race (0.47 mile swim, 15 mile bike, 3.1 mile run). The weekend also featured the Triple Challenge, where 116 participants completed all three distances (SuperSprint, Sprint and International) over the two days.
The marquee events of race weekend, the Chicago Triathlon Sprint and International races featured an urban experience with access to the city of Chicago. This year’s event had to cancel the swim component of the traditional triathlon the morning of the races due to unfavourable swimming conditions and a beach hazard issued by the City of Chicago.
As a result, Life Time pivoted the event into a mandatory duathlon (run-bike-run) format for all participants on Sunday. The races started in the heart of downtown Chicago featured a multi-level, scenic, flat ride (100% traffic-free )on iconic Lake Shore Drive, followed by a run through the Museum Campus and the Lake Front Path and culminating with a finishing festival at Grant Park.
“Over the past 40 years, the Chicago Triathlon has become a testament to the power of pushing one’s limits and embracing a journey of growth,” said Allison Humbert Wilkinson, Senior Marketing Manager for Life Time Athletic Events.
“This morning we witnessed first-hand how resilient our athletes are as we had to cancel the swim for their safety. We’ve witnessed countless athletes cross the finish line for the first time, each with their own story of triumph, resilience, and inspiration.
“Despite the disappointment of the unforeseen circumstances, this event has evolved into an annual celebration of community, camaraderie, and the pursuit of a healthier life and it symbolizes the vibrant spirit of Chicago and the steadfastness of human will. Today was especially a beautiful display of this.”
www.triathlonmajors.com/chicago-triathlon
