Devil's Challenge Triathlon 2027
- Date
- Sunday, September 19, 2027
- Start time
- 8:00 AM start (Chicago)
- Location
- Baraboo, Wisconsin
- Entry fee
- From $74 · goes up to $79 on Jan 1, 2027
- Included with entry
- Includes a shirt
- Fundraising
- Takes optional donations when you register
Registration is open.
We earn a small commission when you register through this link, at no cost to you. Details
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Events and entry fees
| Event | Distance | When | Entry fee | Cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPRINT INDIVIDUAL | Sprint TriathlonSwim 400 m · Bike 15 mi · Run 3.1 miOpen water swim | Sep 19, 20278:00 AM | $74$79 after Jan 1, 2027 | – |
| SPRINT RELAY | Sprint TriathlonSwim 400 m · Bike 15 mi · Run 3.1 miRelay or teamOpen water swim | Sep 19, 20278:00 AM | $160$175 after Dec 1, 2026 | – |
| Wisconsin Triathlon Series | – | Sep 19, 20278:00 AM | $339$369 after Dec 1, 2026 | – |
Entry fees exclude processing fees. Prices and dates come from the race's registration page and refresh nightly.
The Sprint Triathlon fee goes up to $79 on Jan 1, 2027.
The swim at Devil's Challenge Triathlon
This is an open water swim at Devil's Lake.
From the organizer's own race information. Venues and rules can change from year to year; the race's current athlete guide decides.
Water temperature and wetsuits at Devil's Challenge Triathlon
Around September 19, Devils Lake typically runs about 69°F at the surface (65 to 73°F across 2011 to 2020). Wetsuits were legal every year at this date.
A model estimate from the USGS lake temperature model (daily surface temperatures for US lakes), not a measurement. Wetsuit cutoffs are USA Triathlon age-group rules. The race's own water temperature reading on race morning decides.
Race day planning
Entry fee schedule
- SPRINT INDIVIDUAL: $74 until Jan 1, then $79 until Feb 1, then $84 until Apr 1, then $89 until Jun 1, then $99 until Sep 18, then $109 until Sep 19.
- SPRINT RELAY: $160 until Dec 1, then $175 until Feb 1, then $185 until Apr 1, then $195 until Jun 1, then $205 until Aug 1, then $215 until Sep 18, then $230 until Sep 19.
- Wisconsin Triathlon Series: $339 until Dec 1, then $369 until Feb 1, then $399 until Mar 1, then $429 until May 1, then $449 until Jun 6.
Online registration closes Sep 19, 2027, unless the race fills first.
Light and altitude
Sunrise on race morning is at about 6:41 AM, and the SPRINT INDIVIDUAL starts at 8:00 AM. The start sits about 1,080 feet above sea level.
Fees exclude processing fees. Comparisons use current entry fees and published results from races nearby.
Start location and course
North Shore of Devil’s Lake – Rock Elm Shelter, Baraboo, WI 53913
The pin marks the address the race lists, which is usually the start. The organizers have not shared a course map with us yet.
Where Devil's Challenge Triathlon ranks
- No. 5 of 50 on Largest triathlons in the US
- No. 5 of 50 on Largest sprint triathlons in the US
- No. 45 of 50 on Coldest triathlon swims
National lists computed from results, entry fees, course maps and water temperatures; they refresh through the day.
2026 results
All results (6 years)SPRINT INDIVIDUAL
SPRINT RELAY
Aggregated from official results (Race Day Events) for Devil's Challenge Triathlon. Individual finisher names are not stored here.
How fast do you need to be at Devil's Challenge Triathlon?
At the 2026 SPRINT INDIVIDUAL, the fastest tenth finished in 1:35:44 or better, the top quarter in 1:45:01, and half the field in 1:56:24; the last tenth came in after 2:30:20.
At the 2026 SPRINT RELAY, the fastest tenth finished in 1:46:41 or better, the top quarter in 1:52:20, and half the field in 1:58:55; the last tenth came in after 2:25:59.
| Age | Women | Men |
|---|---|---|
| Under 20 | 1:47:28 | 1:40:17 |
| 20-29 | 1:30:24 | 1:23:27 |
| 30-39 | 1:36:07 | 1:20:03 |
| 40-49 | 1:32:29 | 1:26:01 |
| 50-59 | 1:51:22 | 1:31:10 |
| 60-69 | 1:55:11 | 1:36:11 |
| 70+ | n/a | 1:58:01 |
Groups with fewer than five finishers are left out. Awards vary by race; check the race's rules.
What would my time get me?
Where a finish time would have placed in 2026.
Swim, bike and run splits at Devil's Challenge Triathlon
At the 2026 SPRINT INDIVIDUAL, the bike decided the most: the middle of the field lost about 12:07 to the top quarter there, 61% of the gap across the three legs.
Compared with a typical sprint triathlon in Wisconsin, the median swim here was 0:54 faster, the bike 16:32 slower and the run 2:45 slower (swim lengths differ from race to race).
| Leg | Top 10% | Top 25% | Median | Slowest 25% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swim | 8:11 | 9:20 | 10:36 | 12:15+ |
| T1 | 1:46 | 2:22 | 3:06 | 4:10+ |
| Bike | 57:34 | 1:03:26 | 1:10:26 | 1:20:18+ |
| T2 | 0:56 | 1:18 | 1:45 | 2:21+ |
| Run | 25:45 | 28:26 | 32:22 | 37:24+ |
Each column ranks finishers on that leg alone, from the race's published results. T1 and T2 are transitions.
At the 2026 SPRINT RELAY, the bike decided the most: the middle of the field lost about 14:28 to the top quarter there, 84% of the gap across the three legs.
Compared with a typical sprint triathlon in Wisconsin, the median bike here was 23:32 slower and the run 1:34 slower.
| Leg | Top 10% | Top 25% | Median | Slowest 25% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swim | 7:43 | 9:56 | 11:26 | 12:09+ |
| T1 | 0:40 | 0:46 | 0:51 | 0:59+ |
| Bike | 1:04:00 | 1:10:34 | 1:17:26 | 1:30:15+ |
| T2 | 0:33 | 0:36 | 0:40 | 0:45+ |
| Run | 24:32 | 26:05 | 31:11 | 35:35+ |
Each column ranks finishers on that leg alone, from the race's published results. T1 and T2 are transitions.
Finishers by year
Up 27 percent since 2021.
All events combined, from official results.
Devil's Challenge Triathlon Sprint Triathlon year by year
From 2021 to 2026, the field went from 548 to 694 finishers, and the median time rose from 1:45:32 to 1:56:24.
| Year | Finishers | Median | Fastest tenth | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 694 (+1%) | 1:56:24 | under 1:35:44 | 1:12:44 |
| 2025 | 687 (+13%) | 1:46:31 | under 1:28:00 | 1:06:53 |
| 2024 | 607 (+1%) | 1:48:05 | under 1:28:02 | 1:08:05 |
| 2023 | 603 (+18%) | 1:44:22 | under 1:26:23 | 1:06:41 |
| 2022 | 510 (-7%) | 1:44:48 | under 1:24:41 | 1:07:16 |
| 2021 | 548 | 1:45:32 | under 1:24:37 | 1:07:30 |
From each year's official results for the Sprint Triathlon; virtual options are left out.
How fast is it?
Slower than most Wisconsin sprint triathlons
The fastest quarter of the 2026 sprint triathlon field finished under 1:45:01, against 1:29:49 in a typical Wisconsin sprint triathlon, so times here run 17 percent slower.
Compares the fastest quarter of each field, so walkers and first-timers do not skew it. It reflects the course and the field together: a flat course, cool weather, or a competitive crowd all make times faster.
Typical race-day weather
Around September 19 the day usually runs from 57°F at dawn to 74°F in the afternoon, with measurable rain on about 28% of days. Cold snaps dip to 47°F and hot years reach 83°F.
Based on 76 days within a week of the date over the last 6 years, from historical weather for the start area. Not a forecast.
Race details
- Where
- North Shore of Devil’s Lake – Rock Elm Shelter, Baraboo, WI 53913Map
- Course
- Road
- Start elevation
- About 1,080 feet
- Included with entry
- Official Devil's Challenge Tri Participant Shirt
- Donations
- Accepted when you register
- Distances
- Sprint Triathlon
- Editions
- 2027 (Sep 19, 2027), 2026 (Sep 20, 2026), 2025 (Sep 14, 2025), 2024 (Sep 15, 2024), 2023 (Sep 17, 2023), 2022 (Sep 18, 2022)
Organize this race? Add details or a correction
Quick answers
- When is Devil's Challenge Triathlon?
- Sunday, September 19, 2027, starting at 8:00 AM.
- How much does it cost?
- Entry starts at $74 before processing fees, and rises to $79 on Jan 1, 2027.
- When does registration close?
- Online registration closes Sep 19, 2027, unless the race fills first.
- Do athletes get a shirt or medal?
- Entry includes a shirt, according to the race's registration page. Check it for sizes and whether kids' races get the same.
- Can I donate to a cause when I register?
- Yes. The registration form offers an optional donation, usually for the charity or nonprofit the race supports. The race's own page names the cause.
- What distances are offered?
- Sprint Triathlon.
- How big is it, and how fast?
- In 2026, 694 athletes finished the SPRINT INDIVIDUAL; the median finish was 1:56:24 and the winner finished in 1:12:44.
- Is it a fast course?
- The fastest quarter of the 2026 sprint triathlon field finished under 1:45:01, against 1:29:49 in a typical Wisconsin sprint triathlon, so times here run 17 percent slower.
- Where does it start?
- North Shore of Devil’s Lake – Rock Elm Shelter, Baraboo, WI 53913.
From the organizers
Devil's Challenge Triathlon