Winterlude Triathlon

The Most Canadian Event Around:

An event so unique that it could really only be hosted in Ottawa! Here's your chance to participate in the World's Oldest Winter Triathlons.

This event has been going on since 1984 and it's part of the annual Winterlude Festival. This winter triathlon is made up of skating, running, and cross-country skiing.

Pre-Race Newsletter:

Already signed up? Please read out the Pre Race Newsletter. It has all the last-minute info that you'll need to get the most out of the event.

Participants love:

Skating on the Rideau Canal.
The unique event! Doing a Winter Triathlon is a rare opportunity!
The sense of accomplishment from participating in a race as crazy as this.

Included in your registration is:

Bragging rights! Seriously, a triathlon in the middle of winter!?
A personalized race bib.
Professional timing.
On-course nutrition from XACT.
Race Photography.
Post-Race snacks.
Post-Race hot chocolate.
Podium Prizes for the top 3 male, female, and non-binary athletes, from Bushtukah.
Memories that you won't soon forget.

Important Deadlines:

Shirt Deadline - December 20th. If you're interested in ordering an event shirt for this race, be sure to register and add a shirt to your order before the Shirt Deadline. After that date, we won't be able to add shirts to our order.
Medal Deadline - January 1st. We keep our prices low and make the finisher's medal an optional add-on. If you want to commemorate this achievement with a finisher's medal, make sure to register before January 18th and add the medal to your order. After this date, medals will be available to order subject to availability.
Online Registration Deadline - January 28th at 6pm. If you don't sign up by then, you can still sign up in person on race day, or at bib pick-up, subject to availability. Some of our races sell out, so make sure to sign up early!

Bib Pick Up:

Friday, January 31st from 4 pm to 7 pm. Pickup will be at Bushtukah, in Westboro. They're located at 203 Richmond Rd, Ottawa, ON K1Z 6W4.
Saturday, February 1st, starting at 6:30 am. At the Terry Fox Facility.
If you pick up your bib at Bushtukah on Friday, February 1st, you'll get a 25$ gift card to Bushtukah, valid on any purchase over 100$.

Race Details:

This event is a mass start, and the first one to the finish line wins! When the race starts, you'll:

Skate 8K on the Rideau Canal
Run 5K, from Dow's Lake to the Terry Fox Facility
Ski 6K at Mooney's Bay, finishing at the Terry Fox Facility.

Race Day Schedule:

6:30am to 7:00am: Participants will set up their ski equipment at Mooney’s Bay
7:00am to 7:20am: Athletes will get on the shuttle buses, with their skates, and be bused to The Rideau Canal.
8:00am: The 2026 Winterlude Triathlon BEGINS!

Relay Team:

Signing up for a Relay Team means that you'll have 3 people who complete the race together. One person will skate, one person will ski, and one person will run. Only one person needs to sign the team up, meaning that the 120$ entry fee covers all 3 people doing the relay. It's our best value option and great for those who might not want to do all 3 sports solo.

When you see "name on bib" during check out, you'll be putting your team name into that field.

Note that there is only room for 40 relay teams at this event, so if you have a group that you want to participate with, get in early!

Weather Note:

This event has been going on for 42 years, and has had 29 different variations over the years. The exact course is up to Mother Nature and the route/distances/sports are subject to change. In the event of a course change, refunds will only be given to those who opted into the cancellation insurance. Part of the fun is handling the conditions that are given to you on race day, so be sure to factor in some flexibility based on the weather we get.

Strava Files:

Looking for more course details, including elevation, and direction? Click the links below to see details maps for each sport.

Skating Route

Running Route

Skiing Route