Birds Hill Park (overall course map | race campus map)
The diversity of pristine landscapes, extensive trail system, swimmer-friendly beach, and proximity to Winnipeg make Birds Hill Park a fantastic location for triathlons (and duathlons and aquabikes).
Safety first
Early June weather in Manitoba means anything from close to freezing to very hot. Be well-prepared for cold or heat.
Severe weather or other conditions that cause unreasonable safety risks may force race officials to modify or cancel events. For example, unsafe swimming conditions may result in a shortened swim course or changing the race to a duathlon.
It’s the athlete’s responsibility to know the course and be familiar with race rules. But our friendly Triathlon Manitoba officials and race volunteers are there to help.
Transition (map)
Transition is located on the grassed area on the west side of the East Beach parking lot.
Swim (map)
The swim course is in Birds Hill Park Lake, with the start at East Beach.
It’s a spring-fed, man-made lake with a gentle slope, sand bottom, and a maximum depth of about 2 m.
Water temperatures range from 16 – 20C in early June. Wetsuits are optional but may be required by weather or water temperature.
There’s a standing start/finish, and buoys mark the course, with one loop for Sprint distance, two loops for Olympic, and one short loop for Super Sprint.
Bike (overall map | Cross loop map)
- The bike course has rolling hills with alternating sections of lush forest and open meadows.
- It uses the bike lane of the complete North Drive / South Drive loop. From Transition, athletes cycle up Festival Drive and turn right at the stop sign onto South Drive.
- Olympic distance is three loops (40 km), Sprint distance is two loops (26.6 km), and Super Sprint is one loop (13.3 km).
- Each loop requires athletes to return to the East Beach parking lot before heading back up Festival Drive and out onto South Drive again.
- For the cross triathlon and cross duathlon, the course consists of the 13.3 km regular loop plus two 7.5-km loops of the Oak Ridge mountain bike trail.
- The course is not closed to vehicle traffic. Athletes must cycle in the bike lane and keep 12 m from other cyclists.
Run (Olympic/Cross map | Sprint map | Super Sprint/Super Du map)
The run course is mainly on Lakeside Trail, a scenic, rolling, and paved cycling/walking trail passing through forest, meadows, and wetlands.
It starts at the NW exit of Transition, heads east on the grass to where Lakeside Trail intersects Festival Drive at the East Beach parking lot, then turns north onto the trail, where you’ll soon find the first aid station.
It finishes at the Birds Nest.
There are three routes:
- A 3.25 km loop continues along the trail until just past the West Beach parking lot, where it turns east to the finish line on a multi-surface path (grass, gravel, asphalt) north of the beach.
- A 5 km loop follows the same path but includes an out-and-back extension down Lakeside Trail.
- A 1 km loop for the Super Du is an out-and-back from Transition to West Beach.
For triathlons:
- Olympic distance is two 5 km loops (10 km).
- Cross distance is two 5 km loops (10 km).
- Sprint distance is one 5 km loop.
- Super Sprint is one 3.25 km loop.
For duathlons:
- Cross Run 1 is one 5 km loop and Run 2 is two 5 km loops (10 km).
- Sprint Run 1 is the 3.25 km loop and Run 2 is the 5 km loop.
- Super Du Run 1 is the 1 km loop and Run 2 is the 3.25 km loop.
Aquabike
Aquabike athletes complete the swim and bike portion of the course.
When returning from the bike, athletes rack their bikes in Transition, exit Transition, follow the chute toward the finish line, then celebrate. A course volunteer will guide you.