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YMCA Wrightsville Beach Sprint Triathlon

Saturday, September 27th, 2025

Events

Individual

$75 6:50AM EDT - 5:00PM EDT Price increases after December 31, 2024 at 11:59pm EST
Open to ages 10+.

Relay

$120 6:50AM EDT - 5:00PM EDT
75 spots left. Price increases after December 31, 2024 at 11:59pm EST
Open to ages 10+.

Aquabike

$55 7:00AM EDT - 5:00PM EDT
15 spots left. Price increases after December 31, 2024 at 11:59pm EST
Open to ages 10+.

Youth Triathlon

$45 7:30AM EDT - 10:00AM EDT
75 spots left. Price increases after December 31, 2024 at 11:59pm EST
Open to ages 7 - 15.

Schedule

THURSDAY: PACKET PICKUP
3:00pm to 6:00pm - Two Wheeler Dealer Pre race Party with Beer

FRIDAY: PACKET PICKUP AND BIKE CHECK

2:00pm-7:00pm: Packet Pickup
4:00pm to 7:00pm: (RECOMMENDED) Optional Bike Check In Wrightsville Beach Park (321 Causeway Dr, Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480)
5:00pm: Youth Triathlon Walkthrough
6:00pm: Pre-Race Q&A Meeting

SATURDAY: RACE DAY

5:00am-6:45am: Transition Opens
5:00am-6:30am: Packet Pick-Up
5:00am-6:30am: Chip Pickup (athletes will be required to self body mark on hands only)
6:45am: Transition Closes
6:50am: Sprint Triathlon Starts
8:00am: Youth Triathlon Start
9:00am: Lighthouse beer and wine open for post race beer
10:00am: Awards Ceremony

About the Event

Founded in 1979, as the Pepsi Triathlon, the YMCA Wrightsville Beach Sprint Triathlon is a favorite event among locals and triathletes near and far. This event creates a lot of excitement and enthusiasm within the race community because of its scenic location in beautiful Wrightsville Beach. The course is flat and the distances are short, making it a great first event for new triathletes, and a great time trial for more experienced racers.  

In recent years, the YMCA has added a Youth Triathlon event in addition to the traditional Sprint Triathlon, increasing the participation in younger athletes. The Y has also added a Corporate Relay Division to encourage local businesses to come out and compete for a very large trophy to display in their business, not to mention bragging rights for the year! 

Today the event is comprised of the traditional sprint triathlon and a youth triathlon, increasing the participation in younger athletes. We've also introduced a corporate relay division to encourage businesses to come out and compete for a very large trophy to display in their office, not to mention bragging rights for the year! 

 

Race History

The YMCA of Southeastern North Carolina's Wrightsville Beach Sprint Triathlon first held in 1979, was the brainchild of Karl Sutter, a then resident of Wrightsville Beach. Karl was competitive by nature and had been college swimmer. A few years after college, Karl had taken up running to get back in shape, and one day sprained his ankle and then turned to cycling as an outlet for fitness while his injury healed. When reading Sports Illustrated in the spring of ‘79 he noticed a small article about the first Ironman triathlon with it’s 12 participants that was held in Hawaii the prior fall. Karl approached the local YMCA which was under the direction of Jack Morris at the time, and a new event for the area was born. This triathlon originally named the Pepsi YMCA Triathlon would become the first and longest running triathlon on the east coast of the US with its start of 99 participants that September, 1979.

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