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Official race websiteThis is a pool swim at Palmer Pool.
From the organizer's own race information (source). Venues and rules can change from year to year; the race's current athlete guide decides.
1170 W. Bogard Rd, Palmer, AK 99654
The pin marks the address the race lists, which is usually the start. The organizers have not shared a course map with us yet.
National lists computed from results, entry fees, course maps and water temperatures; they refresh through the day.
Aggregated from official results (Skinny Raven Events & Timing) for The Why Not Tri. Individual finisher names are not stored here.
At the 2026 Solo, the fastest tenth finished in 1:05:39 or better, the top quarter in 1:14:45, and half the field in 1:25:25; the last tenth came in after 1:55:45.
At the 2026 Kids Race, the fastest tenth finished in 28:57 or better, the top quarter in 32:21, and half the field in 37:14; the last tenth came in after 48:14.
At the 2026 Team Relay - 2 Member, the fastest tenth finished in 1:05:23 or better, the top quarter in 1:06:38, and half the field in 1:24:50; the last tenth came in after 1:37:23.
| Age | Women | Men |
|---|---|---|
| Under 20 | 1:24:53 | 1:02:03 |
| 20-29 | 1:08:31 | 1:02:31 |
| 30-39 | 1:09:07 | 1:02:51 |
| 40-49 | 1:04:21 | 57:41 |
| 50-59 | 1:16:54 | 1:03:58 |
| 60-69 | 1:30:39 | n/a |
Groups with fewer than five finishers are left out. Awards vary by race; check the race's rules.
Where a finish time would have placed in 2026.
At the 2026 Solo, the bike decided the most: the middle of the field lost about 7:52 to the top quarter there, 63% of the gap across the three legs.
Compared with a typical sprint triathlon in the US, the median swim here was 2:34 faster, the bike 9:16 faster and the run 18:03 faster (swim lengths differ from race to race).
| Leg | Top 10% | Top 25% | Median | Slowest 25% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swim | 6:39 | 7:51 | 9:36 | 11:38+ |
| T1 | 1:37 | 2:20 | 3:15 | 4:32+ |
| Bike | 28:29 | 32:22 | 36:29 | 41:48+ |
| T2 | 0:52 | 1:08 | 1:31 | 2:23+ |
| Run | 8:17 | 9:28 | 11:02 | 13:34+ |
Each column ranks finishers on that leg alone, from the race's published results. T1 and T2 are transitions.
At the 2026 Kids Race, the bike decided the most: the middle of the field lost about 3:37 to the top quarter there, 49% of the gap across the three legs.
| Leg | Top 10% | Top 25% | Median | Slowest 25% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swim | 2:06 | 2:47 | 3:30 | 4:23+ |
| T1 | 1:48 | 2:15 | 2:43 | 3:21+ |
| Bike | 12:21 | 13:56 | 15:42 | 18:37+ |
| T2 | 0:38 | 0:46 | 0:57 | 1:21+ |
| Run | 8:50 | 10:05 | 11:36 | 13:40+ |
Each column ranks finishers on that leg alone, from the race's published results. T1 and T2 are transitions.
Up 10 percent since 2025.
All events combined, from official results.
From 2025 to 2026, the field went from 255 to 279 finishers, and the median time dropped from 1:29:37 to 1:25:25.
| Year | Finishers | Median | Fastest tenth | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 279 (+9%) | 1:25:25 | under 1:05:39 | 52:58 |
| 2025 | 255 | 1:29:37 | under 1:10:00 | 55:01 |
From each year's official results for the Sprint Triathlon; virtual options are left out.
Faster than most US sprint triathlons
The fastest quarter of the 2026 sprint triathlon field finished under 1:14:45, against 1:24:09 in a typical US sprint triathlon, so times here run 11 percent faster.
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.
What the organizers of The Why Not Tri cover on their registration page, in brief.
Shirt and medal
Step 1. You will need to follow this link to log into your RunSignup account, https://runsignup.com/Profile. Step 2. In your Upcoming Events find the Why Not Tri and select "Manage Registration". Step 3. You will be brought to your Why Not…
Rules and FAQ
Step 1: You will need to follow this link to log into your RunSignup account, https://runsignup.com/Profile. Step 2: In your Deferrals tab find the Why Not Tri and select "Complete Deferral". Step 3: You will be brought to your Why Not Tri…
Rules and FAQ
Step 1: You will need to follow this link to log into your RunSignup account, https://runsignup.com/Profile. Step 2: In your Upcoming Events find the Why Not Tri and select "Manage Registration". Step 3: You will be brought to your Why Not…
Rules and FAQ
Step 1. You will need to follow this link to log into your RunSignup account, https://runsignup.com/Profile. Step 2. In your Upcoming Events find the Why Not Tri and select "Manage Registration". Step 3. You will be brought to your Why Not…
Rules and FAQ
Step 1. You will need to follow this link to log into your RunSignup account, https://runsignup.com/Profile. Step 2. In your Upcoming Events find the Why Not Tri and select "Manage Registration". Step 3. You will be brought to your Why Not…
Organize this race? Add details or a correction
About the Why Not Tri
We're a great local triathlon to welcome beginners to the sport but also challenge the experienced athlete. Racers will complete a 400 yard swim, 8.5 mile bike, and a 5k cross country run. Join us for our adult solo or team relay race or get the little ones involved with our Kids Race for the budding triathletes ages 6-12.
Why Not Tri was started to promote healthy lifestyles and introduce the fun sport of triathlon to the community. We couldn't have made it possible without our racers, volunteers, and sponsors over the last several years. Thank you!