North Pole Triathlon

The North Pole Triathlon is an Olympic distance race held in and around Chena Lakes Recreation Area in North Pole, Alaska.  Racers swim 1500 meters in the best open water area in the region and bike offroad 20K (13 miles) on beautiful wooded, flat, smooth park trails.  The 10K (6.2 mile) run is on a combination of paved and gravel trails within the Chena Lakes Recreation Area.  You couldn’t ask for better conditions:  smooth water, a scenic bike course with no traffic and a run with lots of shade add up to an event people return to year after year.  

 

If you’re on the fence, know that this race is a great introduction for anyone who has never swum in an open water race.

 

We also have a relay option.  Teams of two or three people may choose any combination of legs.

Event details and schedule

Registration opens Feb. 1 and will close when 99 participants have registered or at 5:00 pm AST on June 12, whichever comes first.

 

The North Pole Triathlon will be raced in and around Chena Lakes Recreation Area starting at 9:00 am on Saturday, June 15.  All transitions will occur at the first parking lot off of Lake Park Road.

 

Entry fees are listed below and also require USA Triathlon membership, including all relay team members.  If you are not a USAT member you will need to buy either a one-day membership pass ($23 adult/ $10 under 18) or an annual pass ($60 adult/$40 ages 18-23) to participate.  Minimum participant age is 16 as of 12/31/24.  Refunds are only available to those who purchase an ACTIVE Refund.  Transfers to another event are not available.  Note: it is not necessary to be an Active member to register.

 

Registration Prices

Feb. 1- May 28  $50

May 29 - June 11  $75

June 12  $100

 

Relay team fees: 

Feb. 1 – May 28 $90

May 29 - June 11 $120

June 13 $150

Each team member must have a current USAT membership.

 

Swim course

Water temperatures at Chena Lakes are on the cool side (55 to 65 degrees) so it is advised to bring a wetsuit.  Per USAT, these are allowed for all participants if the water temperature is 78 degrees F or lower.   The swim begins with a mass start (typically less than 50 people) along the shore.  The course will be marked with large orange floats at each corner.  The race will begin on the eastern shore at the first parking area on Lake Front Drive and proceeds counterclockwise in a large triangle around the lake where you will exit to transition to the bike. 

 

Bike Course

 

Due to construction at multiple sites at Chena Lake Recreation Area, we have been forced to reroute the 2024 bike and run courses.  The bike course will now be entirely within the park.  There is currently no safe way to bike out of the park along the dike road.

 

Not to worry, we found some sweet trails!  We recommend a gravel bike, cyclocross, or mountain bike for a nontechnical ride.  The trails are six feet wide or more, 98% on level ground, with grass or dirt surfaces.  No advanced mountain biking skills required (if Amber and Janna can ride it, you can too!).  Didn’t we record this on Strava?  Need a link on the website.

 

The course will involve leaving the transition area and riding the bike trail out to the dike road.  Instead of turning right at the intersection, riders turn left, toward the dam, and follow the bike trail where it turns left off the main road (this will be marked).  Take a very brief wooded trail onto the campground road then stay on the road to the intersection just across the bridge.  Per the map, you will now do one lap of the (brown) 1.5 km River Loop then one lap each of the (green) 5.7 km loop, (yellow) 4.0 km Nature Trail, and (black) 2.3 km cutoff loop.  Then retrace your route across the bridge, circle through the campground, and back onto the dike road.  Turn right onto Lake Park Drive and back to the transition area.

 

Disregard the pink Slough Loop trail on this map.  It is not part of the race.

 

The trails are very well marked, courtesy of Fairbanks North Star Borough.  We will follow the traffic flow arrows as indicated on their permanent signage.  We will also have a volunteer at the intersection of the three concentric trails (red dot nearest the pavilion on the map) to help guide racers.

 

The entire course will be open for public use during our race.  Please use caution and remain alert for pedestrians, loose dogs, toddlers, etc.

The bike course map and some trail photos are on our website, https://northpoletri.weebly.com.  We’ll also do an easy/slow course preview bike ride on Saturday, June 8 at 11 am starting at the East Lake Park parking area (our transition area).  Be ready to start at 11 am sharp.

 

Run course

 

The run course will involve leaving the transition area and running the bike trail toward the dike road.  At the bridge, turn right to cross the road and get on the bike trail that parallels the dike road.  You will run the entire length of the bike trail to the park entrance.  Run around the concrete jersey barrier at the end and come back the exact same route. 

 

Elevation change is at most five feet for the whole thing.  There is minimal shade.  This course is right at 6 miles, a tad shorter than the intended 6.2 miles.

 

There will be an aid station at that turnaround.  Another will be at the Corps of Engineers and Borough "project offices" side road which you pass twice.

 

The entire course will be open for public use during our race.  Please use caution and remain alert for pedestrians, loose dogs, toddlers, etc.

 

​All runners, solo or relay, will finish at the same location.

 

The run course map is on our website, https://northpoletri.weebly.com.  We do not plan to do a course preview run.