The Sport · Multisport
Aquathlon
Run, swim, run — no bike, no hiding. World titles decided in barely half an hour.
The World Championship distances
2.5km
First run
1km
Open-water swim
2.5km
Second run
Cold-water variant (below 22°C): 1 km swim, then 5 km run — wetsuit required.
What is aquathlon?
Aquathlon is a continuous multisport race combining running and open-water swimming — with no bike leg. World Triathlon's standard format is run–swim–run, the swim sandwiched between two runs.
The official distances for the annual Aquathlon World Championships are a 2.5 km run, 1 km swim and 2.5 km run. If the water temperature is below 22°C, the race becomes a 1 km swim followed by a 5 km run — wetsuits are required, and starting in the water means nobody has to wrestle one on mid-race.
Introducing aquathlon
Aquathlon is an excellent way for newcomers to enter the world of multisport - and for experienced triathletes to add something different to their race routine. Races run all year round, from pool-based winter aquathlons to summer open-water series, with junior and youth distances to match.
Pure speed, stripped back
With no bike — and no equipment beyond shoes and goggles — aquathlon is multisport at its most elemental. Races are short, brutally fast and relentlessly close: two transitions, half an hour of racing, and nowhere to hide.
It is also one of the most accessible ways into multisport: if you can run and swim, you can race.
A world title since 1998
Aquathlon's modern roots trace to lifeguard racing in 1950s Australia. The World Championships arrived in 1998 in Noosa, Queensland — and have been held every year since, staged since 2017 within the annual World Triathlon Multisport Championships.
At Pontevedra 2025, Hungary's Márton Kropkó and Hanna Maksimava took the elite titles. Next stop: Abu Dhabi, 13–22 November 2026.
Latest news
Upcoming events
Photo galleries
2025 World Triathlon Aquathlon Championships Pontevedra
2024 AQUATHLON WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS TOWNSVILLE
2021 World Triathlon Aquathlon Championships El Anillo - Extremadura
2022 World Triathlon Aquathlon Championships Samorin
Where to watch
Stream World Triathlon championship racing live and on demand with TriathlonLIVE, and catch international television coverage produced with Infront across the world's biggest sports broadcasters.
Frequently asked questions
A continuous run–swim–run race with no cycling leg — one of World Triathlon's official multisport disciplines.
2.5 km run, 1 km swim, 2.5 km run.
If the water temperature is below 22°C the format changes to a 1 km swim followed by a 5 km run, and wetsuits are required — this avoids athletes having to put a wetsuit on mid-race.
In 1998 — the first edition was held in Noosa, Queensland, Australia, and the event has been held annually since.
As of the 2025 championships in Pontevedra: Márton Kropkó (Hungary) and Hanna Maksimava (AIN).
Aquathlon is on the programme of the 2026 World Triathlon Multisport Championships in Abu Dhabi, 13–22 November 2026.
Shoes and goggles. That's it.
Find a swim-run start line near you — or aim for a world title in Abu Dhabi.