Giant Acorn Triathlon
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Giant Acorn Triathlon Festival : Lake Anna State Park
The event is a two-day triathlon festival on September 26-27, 2026 at Lake Anna State Park in Spotsylvania, Virginia (6800 Lawyers Road). It offers Olympic and Sprint distance races plus relay and aquabike options. Distances include:
- Olympic - 1.5K swim; 24.6-mile bike; 10K run
- Sprint - 750 m swim; 15.5-mile bike; 5K run
The festival runs from the park beach and stays largely within the state park for the run course. All races are USA Triathlon sanctioned.
Course details, safety and race policies
Swims start from the sandy beach on a rectangular course with two right turns; sighting buoys are placed about every 75 meters. Water temperature at this section of the lake typically averages in the low 70s Fahrenheit; water quality is tested and the swim will be canceled if conditions are unsafe due to harmful algal blooms. Bike courses are lollipop-style on rural country roads with rolling terrain and good pavement. Run courses are on asphalt, heavily shaded, and include an initial climb out of transition and a downhill toward the finish; the Olympic run uses two loops of the same course.
Participants must collect their own race packet and provide photo ID. Registrations are non-refundable; insurance and a one-time deferral option are available. Races start with a time trial format (one-at-a-time starts) and a nervous-swimmer cap is available at packet pickup. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.