Giant Acorn Triathlon
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Giant Acorn Triathlon Festival
The Giant Acorn Triathlon Festival takes place at Lake Anna State Park on September 26-27, 2026. The event offers Olympic and Sprint distance races and aquabike options, staged from a sandy beach with a time trial swim start.
- Olympic Triathlon: 1.5K swim, 24.6 mile bike, 10K run
- Sprint Triathlon: 750 m swim, 15.5 mile bike, 5K run
- Aquabike options mirror the swim and bike distances for each day
The swim courses begin on the park beach and follow a rectangular layout with two right turns; sighting buoys are placed about every 75 meters. Water at this section of the lake typically averages in the low 70s Fahrenheit and is tested before the event. The bike routes are lollipop style on rural county roads with varied elevation and generally good pavement. The run courses are asphalt, heavily shaded, and remain inside the state park; the Olympic run is two loops of the Sprint course.
The park provides on-site amenities and scenery, including miles of trails, a playground, a swimming beach and a visitors center with a “gold mine.” Post-race features for athletes include race apparel, custom socks and a finisher’s medal, plus event entertainment and family activities. The event is USA Triathlon sanctioned; athletes must hold a current USAT membership or purchase a 1-day license. Packet pickup occurs at the race site and participants must present photo identification. Water quality is monitored and the swim will be canceled if conditions are unsafe. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
