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Long Course (Half) / Olympic Distance. Sprint Distance.
Waterman's Triathlon Festival 2027
- Date
- Race weekend: Saturday to Sunday, October 2 to 3, 2027
- Start time
- 8:00 AM start (New York)
- Location
- Rock Hall, Maryland
- Entry fee
- From $114 · goes up to $124 on Dec 16, 2026
- Included with entry
- Includes a shirt
- Fundraising
- Takes optional donations when you register
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Registration is open.
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Events and entry fees
| Event | Distance | When | Entry fee | Cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, Oct 2, 2027 | ||||
| Waterman's Long Course (Half) Aquabike (Individual) | AquabikeBike 1.2 mi | Oct 2, 20278:00 AM | $265$275 after Dec 16, 2026 | – |
| Waterman's Long Course (Half) Triathlon (Individual) | Half Iron TriathlonSwim 1.2 mi · Bike 56 mi · Run 13.1 miOpen water swim | Oct 2, 20278:00 AM | $265$275 after Dec 16, 2026 | – |
| Waterman's Long Course (Half) Triathlon Relay | Half Iron TriathlonSwim 1.2 mi · Bike 56 mi · Run 13.1 miRelay or teamOpen water swim | Oct 2, 20278:00 AM | $315$325 after Dec 16, 2026 | – |
| Waterman's Olympic Aquabike (Individual) | AquabikeBike 0.9 mi | Oct 2, 20278:30 AM | $139$149 after Dec 16, 2026 | – |
| Waterman's Olympic Triathlon (Individual) | Olympic TriathlonSwim 1,500 m · Bike 25 mi · Run 6.2 miOpen water swim | Oct 2, 20278:30 AM | $139$149 after Dec 16, 2026 | – |
| Waterman's Olympic Triathlon Relay | Olympic TriathlonSwim 1,500 m · Bike 25 mi · Run 6.2 miRelay or teamOpen water swim | Oct 2, 20278:30 AM | $189$199 after Dec 16, 2026 | – |
| Sunday, Oct 3, 2027 | ||||
| Waterman's Sprint Aquabike (Individual) | AquabikeOpen water swim | Oct 3, 20279:00 AM | $114$124 after Dec 16, 2026 | – |
| Waterman's Sprint Triathlon (Individual) | Sprint TriathlonSwim 750 m · Bike 15 mi · Run 3.1 miOpen water swim | Oct 3, 20279:00 AM | $114$124 after Dec 16, 2026 | – |
| Waterman's Sprint Triathlon Relay | Sprint TriathlonSwim 750 m · Bike 15 mi · Run 3.1 miRelay or teamOpen water swim | Oct 3, 20279:00 AM | $164$174 after Dec 16, 2026 | – |
Entry fees exclude processing fees. Prices and dates come from the race's registration page and refresh nightly.
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The Aquabike fee goes up to $124 on Dec 16, 2026.
Water temperature and wetsuits at Waterman's Triathlon Festival
Around October 2, the water at NOAA's Tolchester Beach station typically runs about 71°F (64 to 75°F across 2016 to 2025). Wetsuits were legal every year at this date.
Measured by the NOAA tide station nearest the race's listed location, about 9.6 km away; open beaches and sheltered bays nearby can differ by a few degrees. 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
- Waterman's Long Course (Half) Aquabike (Individual) and Waterman's Long Course (Half) Triathlon (Individual): $265 until Dec 15, then $275 until Jan 31, then $279 until Mar 15, then $284 until May 31, then $289 until Jul 31, then $294 until Sep 27, then $299 until Oct 2.
- Waterman's Long Course (Half) Triathlon Relay: $315 until Dec 15, then $325 until Jan 31, then $329 until Mar 15, then $334 until May 31, then $339 until Jul 31, then $344 until Sep 27, then $349 until Oct 2.
- Waterman's Olympic Aquabike (Individual) and Waterman's Olympic Triathlon (Individual): $139 until Dec 15, then $149 until Jan 31, then $159 until Mar 15, then $169 until May 31, then $174 until Jul 31, then $184 until Sep 27, then $194 until Oct 2.
- Waterman's Olympic Triathlon Relay: $189 until Dec 15, then $199 until Jan 31, then $209 until Mar 15, then $219 until May 31, then $224 until Jul 31, then $234 until Sep 27, then $244 until Oct 2.
Online registration closes Oct 2, 2027, unless the race fills first.
Light and altitude
Sunrise on race morning is at about 7:00 AM, and the Waterman's Long Course (Half) Aquabike (Individual) starts at 8:00 AM. The start sits about 10 feet above sea level.
Fees exclude processing fees. Comparisons use current entry fees and published results from races nearby.
Start location and course
21096 W. Sharp St., Rock Hall, MD 21661
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 Waterman's Triathlon Festival ranks
- No. 5 of 50 on Largest olympic triathlons in the US
- No. 40 of 50 on Largest sprint triathlons in the US
- No. 42 of 50 on Largest triathlons in the US
National lists computed from results, entry fees, course maps and water temperatures; they refresh through the day.
2026 results
All results (6 years)Waterman's Sprint Triathlon (Individual)
286
finishers
1:45:17
median
1:10:43
winning time
46% / 54%
women / men
Waterman's Olympic Triathlon (Individual)
250
finishers
3:05:42
median
2:12:32
winning time
45% / 55%
women / men
Waterman's Long Course (Half) Triathlon (Individual)
195
finishers
5:53:53
median
4:22:32
winning time
27% / 73%
women / men
Aggregated from official results for Waterman's Triathlon Festival. Individual finisher names are not stored here.
How fast do you need to be at Waterman's Triathlon Festival?
At the 2026 Waterman's Sprint Triathlon (Individual), the fastest tenth finished in 1:25:47 or better, the top quarter in 1:34:12, and half the field in 1:45:17; the last tenth came in after 2:12:32.
At the 2026 Waterman's Olympic Triathlon (Individual), the fastest tenth finished in 2:37:17 or better, the top quarter in 2:48:09, and half the field in 3:05:42; the last tenth came in after 3:42:11.
At the 2026 Waterman's Long Course (Half) Triathlon (Individual), the fastest tenth finished in 4:58:15 or better, the top quarter in 5:28:08, and half the field in 5:53:53; the last tenth came in after 6:57:36.
| Age | Women | Men |
|---|---|---|
| Under 20 | n/a | 1:28:56 |
| 20-29 | 1:41:09 | 1:26:49 |
| 30-39 | 1:27:46 | 1:23:27 |
| 40-49 | 1:26:48 | 1:22:53 |
| 50-59 | 1:39:25 | 1:21:18 |
| 60-69 | 1:44:07 | 1:25:25 |
| 70+ | n/a | 1:38:46 |
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 Waterman's Triathlon Festival
At the 2026 Waterman's Sprint Triathlon (Individual), the bike decided the most: the middle of the field lost about 8:05 to the top quarter there, 47% of the gap across the three legs.
Compared with a typical sprint triathlon in Maryland, the median swim here was 2:55 slower, the bike 5:47 slower and the run 1:00 faster (swim lengths differ from race to race).
| Leg | Top 10% | Top 25% | Median | Slowest 25% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swim | 15:27 | 17:22 | 20:04 | 23:33+ |
| T1 | 1:47 | 2:26 | 3:14 | 4:14+ |
| Bike | 42:40 | 46:30 | 51:27 | 56:41+ |
| T2 | 0:48 | 1:05 | 1:28 | 2:11+ |
| Run | 22:12 | 24:47 | 28:08 | 32:30+ |
Each column ranks finishers on that leg alone, from the race's published results. T1 and T2 are transitions.
At the 2026 Waterman's Olympic Triathlon (Individual), the bike decided the most: the middle of the field lost about 11:04 to the top quarter there, 41% of the gap across the three legs.
Compared with a typical olympic triathlon in Maryland, the median swim here was 3:05 slower, the bike 1:50 slower and the run 1:11 slower (swim lengths differ from race to race).
| Leg | Top 10% | Top 25% | Median | Slowest 25% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swim | 30:08 | 34:24 | 39:00 | 42:58+ |
| T1 | 1:52 | 2:27 | 3:11 | 3:59+ |
| Bike | 1:12:29 | 1:16:34 | 1:23:47 | 1:31:33+ |
| T2 | 1:23 | 1:54 | 2:34 | 3:32+ |
| Run | 45:24 | 49:57 | 56:18 | 1:03:42+ |
Each column ranks finishers on that leg alone, from the race's published results. T1 and T2 are transitions.
Finishers by year
Up 22 percent since 2021.
656
2021
548
2022
829
2023
772
2024
863
2025
803
2026
All events combined, from official results.
Waterman's Triathlon Festival Sprint Triathlon year by year
From 2021 to 2026, the field went from 209 to 286 finishers, and the median time rose from 1:40:17 to 1:45:17.
| Year | Finishers | Median | Fastest tenth | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 286 (-12%) | 1:45:17 | under 1:25:47 | 1:10:43 |
| 2025 | 326 (+12%) | 1:44:29 | under 1:23:52 | 1:01:45 |
| 2024 | 291 (+8%) | 1:44:26 | under 1:23:57 | 1:03:31 |
| 2023 | 270 (+53%) | 1:41:46 | under 1:21:41 | 1:00:06 |
| 2022 | 176 (-16%) | 1:42:47 | under 1:22:35 | 1:02:18 |
| 2021 | 209 | 1:40:17 | under 1:22:18 | 1:07:48 |
From each year's official results for the Sprint Triathlon; virtual options are left out.
How fast is it?
Slower than most Maryland sprint triathlons
The fastest quarter of the 2026 sprint triathlon field finished under 1:34:12, against 1:24:58 in a typical Maryland sprint triathlon, so times here run 11 percent slower.
- Olympic Triathlon: About average for US olympic triathlons. The fastest quarter of the 2026 olympic triathlon field finished under 2:48:09, against 2:43:48 in a typical US olympic triathlon, so times here are about average.
- Half Iron Triathlon: About average for US half iron triathlons. The fastest quarter of the 2026 half iron triathlon field finished under 5:28:08, against 5:34:45 in a typical US half iron triathlon, so times here are about average.
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 October 2 the day usually runs from 60°F at dawn to 73°F in the afternoon, with measurable rain on about 24% of days. Cold snaps dip to 52°F and hot years reach 79°F.
Based on 75 days within a week of the date over the last 5 years, from historical weather for the start area. Not a forecast.
From the race's page
What the organizers of Waterman's Triathlon Festival cover on their registration page, in brief.
Shirt and medal
Race more get cool gear! 2027 SWAG
2027 Kinetic Cup Series: Race More, Earn More! Complete three or more 2027 Kinetic Multisports events to start earning qualifier rewards. Complete at least five events to qualify for Kinetic Cup Series scoring and awards! Stage 1 — Q3…
Rules and FAQ
USA Triathlon (USAT) Sanctioned Event
The Competitive Rules are intended to provide for the orderly and consistent administration of events sanctioned by USA Triathlon and are not designed to establish standards of care for the safety of participants or other persons. Every…
Race details
- Where
- 21096 W. Sharp St., Rock Hall, MD 21661Map
- Course
- Road
- Start elevation
- About 10 feet
- Included with entry
- Technical Race Shirt
- Donations
- Accepted when you register
- Distances
- Sprint Triathlon, Olympic Triathlon, Half Iron Triathlon, Aquabike
- Editions
- 2027 (Oct 2, 2027), 2026 (Oct 3, 2026), 2025 (Sep 27, 2025), 2024 (Sep 28, 2024), 2023 (Sep 30, 2023), 2022 (Oct 1, 2022)
Organize this race? Add details or a correction
Quick answers
- When is Waterman's Triathlon Festival?
- It is a race weekend, Saturday to Sunday, October 2 to 3, 2027: Aquabike, Half Iron Triathlon, Olympic Triathlon on Saturday; Aquabike, Sprint Triathlon on Sunday.
- How much does it cost?
- Entry starts at $114 before processing fees, and rises to $124 on Dec 16, 2026.
- When does registration close?
- Online registration closes Oct 2, 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, Olympic Triathlon, Half Iron Triathlon, Aquabike.
- How big is it, and how fast?
- In 2026, 286 athletes finished the Waterman's Sprint Triathlon (Individual); the median finish was 1:45:17 and the winner finished in 1:10:43.
- Is it a fast course?
- The fastest quarter of the 2026 sprint triathlon field finished under 1:34:12, against 1:24:58 in a typical Maryland sprint triathlon, so times here run 11 percent slower.
- Where does it start?
- 21096 W. Sharp St., Rock Hall, MD 21661.
From the organizers
The Waterman’s Triathlons are nestled on the Eastern Shore of Maryland in picturesque Rock Hall, MD. Just 18 miles from Baltimore “as the fish swims” (put your bike rack on a boat!), Rock Hall is one of the friendliest, most laid back towns anywhere…and is full of history. George Washington took the Annapolis Ferry to Rock Hall nearly ten times before heading to Philly on horseback to work out America’s Independence! The time trial swim takes place in Rock Hall Harbor on the Chesapeake Bay, protecting athletes from any serious wind or chop. The bike course is a triathlete’s dream with beautiful ribbons of pavement and wide shoulders throughout most of the rural course.