Giant Acorn Triathlon
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Event overview
The Giant Acorn Triathlon Festival takes place September 26-27, 2026 at Lake Anna State Park in Spotsylvania, Virginia (6800 Lawyers Road). The weekend includes Olympic and Sprint distance events, aquabike options and relay teams. The race is USA Triathlon sanctioned and serves as the USA Triathlon Virginia State Championships; age group placings qualify athletes for national championships (top 35% or top five finishers in an age group, whichever is greater). Categories scored include Overall, Masters, Age Group, Aquabike, Military, Clydesdale, Athena, Collegiate and Relay Teams. Registration is open to athletes aged 12 and older. Registration is non-refundable; options for race insurance and a one-time deferral are available. Race registration includes a finisher medal, long-sleeve tech shirt, custom race socks, packet bag, timed results, age group awards, post race meal, finisher certificate and free finish-line photos. A weekend discount ("Do the Double") applies when registering for both days.
Courses and logistics
Distances for the main events:
- Olympic: 1.5K swim, 24.6 mile bike, 10K run
- Sprint: 750 m swim, 15.5 mile bike, 5K run
- Aquabike options**:** swim + bike at the corresponding distance
Swims start from a sandy beach using a time trial format (two athletes every few seconds). The swim course is rectangular with two right turns and sighting buoys approximately every 75 meters; water temperatures in this lake area are typically in the low 70s in late September. Bike courses are lollipop-style on rural country roads with varied terrain; map references list elevation totals (Olympic bike 932.1 ft, Sprint bike 565.0 ft). Run courses stay entirely within the state park, are asphalt surface and are heavily shaded; both courses feature an initial climb out of transition and a downhill section toward the finish. Packet pickup requires personal photo ID; bicycles are held in transition until the bike cutoff (2 hours from the last wave for the Sprint, 3 hours for the Olympic) or until the last runner exits transition. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
