Garden Route Triathlon 2026

The Event

Welcome to the Garden Route Triathlon

The new Garden Route Triathlon on 20 September in Mossel Bay will include Sprint, Standard, and Ultra-distance races, making it accessible to both beginners and experienced athletes. This latest addition to the South African Triathlon Series will provide the same signature 'serious-fun', great value-for-money experience that athletes have grown to love at the Blue Lagoon, Cape Town, and Race2Hermanus triathlons.

After a magically scenic drive along the world-renowned Garden Route, you may be surprised to discover this quaint old town, tucked far away from the highway and industrial area, right on the water's edge below the iconic lighthouse that has warded ships from the rocky point for centuries. A delightful family-friendly weekend away: munching seafood and walking safely along the beaches at sunset. There's accommodation to fit every budget.

🏊

Swim — Santos Beach, Mossel Bay One or two laps of Indian Ocean waters in the clean, protected bay. Beautiful sandy shores offer great spectator points from seaside restaurants and raised areas around finish & transition, with an Aussie exit on two-lap courses.

🚴

Bike — Old Railway Corridor toward Herolds Bay A brand-new, tri-bike-friendly course that avoids the busy highway and steep hills. Follows the new road north along the old railway line — complete with a newly refurbished steam train — toward Herolds Bay and back. Fast, flat, and scenically iconic.

🏃

Run — Coastal Path through Mossel Bay Town One or two loops along the coastal edge walking path toward the camping site and zip line cave, then back on rolling hills through the quiet old town on a Sunday morning — finishing on the beach with the option of a celebratory dive into the sea.

Event Date20 Sep 2026

LocationMossel Bay

DistancesSprint · Standard · Ultra

SeriesSA Triathlon Series

OrganiserElectric Ink Media

Race Formats

Choose Your Distance

Ultra

Standard

Sprint

Ultra

🏊 2km Ocean Swim

🚴 80km Bike

🏃 20km Run

SoloTeamsAquabike

Solo & Aquabike entrants receive an event hoodie
Team entrants receive an event T-shirt
Must be turning 18 by 31 Dec 2026
Only solo entrants receive a finisher's medal
Merch deadline: 6 September 2026 — no merch on late entries

Early Bird

Opens when entries go live

R2,600

solo / team

Normal Entry

1 Aug – 6 Sep 2026

R2,950

solo / team

Late Entry

7 Sep – 14 Sep 2026 · No merch

R3,075

solo / team

🎽 Late entries (after 6 Sep 2026) do not include merchandise

Enter Ultra

Standard

🏊 1.5km Swim

🚴 40km Bike

🏃 10km Run

SoloTeamsAquabike

Solo & Aquabike entrants receive an event T-shirt
Team entrants receive an event cap
Must be turning 18 by 31 Dec 2026
Only solo entrants receive a finisher's medal
Merch deadline: 6 September 2026 — no merch on late entries

Early Bird

Opens when entries go live

R1,250

solo / team

Normal Entry

1 Aug – 6 Sep 2026

R1,475

solo / team

Late Entry

7 Sep – 14 Sep 2026 · No merch

R1,600

solo / team

🎽 Late entries (after 6 Sep 2026) do not include merchandise

Enter Standard

Sprint

🏊 750m Swim

🚴 20km Bike

🏃 5km Run

SoloTeams

Solo entrants receive an event T-shirt
Team entrants receive an event cap
Only solo entrants receive a finisher's medal
Merch deadline: 6 September 2026 — no merch on late entries

Early Bird

Opens when entries go live

R990

solo / team

Normal Entry

1 Aug – 6 Sep 2026

R1,150

solo / team

Late Entry

7 Sep – 14 Sep 2026 · No merch

R1,275

solo / team

🎽 Late entries (after 6 Sep 2026) do not include merchandise

Enter Sprint

Athlete Resources

Everything You Need

📋

Athlete Guide

All race day details, transition info, wave starts, swim routes and course specifics.

Coming soon →

🎬

Race Briefing

Watch the official briefing before race day. Covers swim routes, transitions, course markings and rules.

Coming soon →

✉️

Ask a Question

Submit your question and we'll include it in the race briefing. No question too small.

Email Us →

Course Maps

Route Maps

All distances share the same swim start and finish. Bike routes are progressive — each distance extends further along the Mossel Bay coastline. The run is a scenic loop through Mossel Bay town, repeated per distance.

Ultra

Standard

Sprint

🏊 Swim – All Distances

🚴 Bike – Ultra

🏃 Run – Ultra (3 loops)

⬇ Ultra Bike GPX ⬇ Ultra Run GPX

📍 Swim: Santos Beach, Mossel Bay · Bike: Old railway corridor to Glentana (Ultra Turn Around) and back · Run: 3 loops of the Mossel Bay coastal town course

🏊 Swim – All Distances

🚴 Bike – Standard

🏃 Run – Standard (2 loops)

⬇ Standard Bike GPX ⬇ Standard Run GPX

📍 Swim: Santos Beach, Mossel Bay · Bike: Old railway corridor to Standard Turn Around and back · Run: 2 loops of the Mossel Bay coastal town course

🏊 Swim – All Distances

🚴 Bike – Sprint

🏃 Run – Sprint (1 loop)

⬇ Sprint Bike GPX ⬇ Sprint Run GPX

📍 Swim: Santos Beach, Mossel Bay · Bike: Old railway corridor to Sprint Turn Around and back · Run: 1 loop of the Mossel Bay coastal town course

Race Rules

Know Before You Race

Garden Route Triathlon is sanctioned by Triathlon South Africa (TSA) and governed by World Triathlon Rules. All participants are bound by the EIM Terms, Conditions and Indemnity. The pre-race briefing on race morning takes precedence.

🪪 TSA Licensing ▼

All participants must hold a valid TSA licence
Annual licence holders are covered — no day licence fee charged
No annual licence? A day licence fee is added at registration
Day licences cover public liability for this event only
EIM strongly recommends personal accident and medical cover

🚴 Cycling Rules ▼

GRT is NON-DRAFT-LEGAL. TT bikes and tribars are permitted.

Maintain required draft zone distance at all times
All bar ends must be plugged
Drafting violations penalised by TSA Technical Officials
Approved hard-shell helmet mandatory — no helmet, no ride
Helmet clipped on for entire cycle leg
No cycling in or around transition area

🏊 Swim Rules ▼

Swim buoys (pull buoys) are not permitted
Race numbers may not be worn during the swim leg
A brightly coloured swim cap is mandatory
Bring your own cap if not confirmed in race pack
Cutting the course results in disqualification

🎂 Age Categories ▼

Age determined by athlete's age at 31 December of the race year.

Sprint: must turn 16 by 31 December 2026
Standard & Ultra: must turn 18 by 31 December 2026
Parental consent does not override TSA rules

⚙️ Equipment & Devices ▼

Headphones and earphones are strictly forbidden
Action cameras require prior written permission from EIM
Mobile phones for emergency use only — stored away
Each athlete is responsible for equipment roadworthiness

⏱️ Timing Chip ▼

A timing chip is issued to each participant
Chips must be returned at the end of the event
Lost or unreturned chips: R400 replacement fee

💳 Refund & Transfer Policy ▼

When	Refund
More than 6 weeks before	Full less 6% admin + R200
4 weeks before	50% of entry fee
Less than 4 weeks	No refund

Substitutions at no charge up to 4 weeks before
Category changes: R150 admin fee
All requests: events@electricink.co.za

🤝 Conduct & Safety ▼

Abuse of officials or competitors may result in disqualification
No unauthorised persons on the active race course
Transition restricted to registered participants and officials
TSA Officials' and race organisers' decisions are final
Race briefing takes precedence over all published rules

Competing under another athlete's name results in disqualification from all future EIM events.

📄 Download Full Terms, Conditions & Indemnity (PDF)

Garden RouteTriathlon

Welcome to the Garden Route Triathlon

Choose Your Distance

Registration

Mossel Bay — Venue TBC

Everything You Need

Athlete Guide

Race Briefing

Ask a Question

Route Maps

Photo Gallery

Know Before You Race

Ready to race the Garden Route?