Skip the open-water swim and dive into adventure with these offbeat multisport races that swap the traditional swim leg for a kayak, canoe, or paddleboard.
You don’t have to swim to compete in a multisport event. These athletes competing in (clockwise from top left) Ski to Sea, Gut Check Cape Cod, The Great American Triathlon, and The Big Hurt get to paddle their way through the water on race day. (Photo: Clockwise from top left: Whatcom Events, Jittipong Rakritikul, Capital Road Race Management, Matt Sagen | Cascadia Films)
Published September 17, 2026 03:25AM
For most new triathletes, the open-water swim is the most intimidating discipline. If you’re not ready to take the plunge, you can still experience multisport adventures.
At most of these unconventional triathlons, the swim leg is replaced by a kayak, canoe, or stand-up paddleboard leg. Ranging from New Jersey to California, these fun adventure races give you a taste of the multisport experience without getting your feet (too) wet.
Pisgah 12-Hour Adventure Race
September
Nebo, North Carolina
North Carolina is home to a number of adventure races, but the Pisgah 12-Hour Adventure Race is truly unique. Unlike a traditional triathlon, athletes will embark on an orienteering adventure with the goal to gather as many punches as possible from checkpoints on the course within the allotted time. The team with the most points in the least amount of time wins.
It’s based around Lake James State Park at the edge of Linville Gorge in Nebo, North Carolina, and 2026 will be the seventh time the race has been held in this location.
Expect bushwacking, mountain biking on single track, and scenic paddling. You can race solo, but it’s more fun with friends, so create a team of 2-4 people. You’ll need to know how to read a map, use a compass, and even though you paddle, you’ll still get wet, so dress accordingly. Race with a head lamp in the dark and carry fluid and snacks for the duration. It’s the most fun you can have in the woods with a hundred of your newest friends.
Gut Check Cape Cod
September
Brewster, Massachusetts
Gut Check Cape Cod isn’t your typical triathlon. While it definitely falls into the “adventure race” category, this event is more of a point-to-point, outdoor quest. What’s unique is that each year, the course is different, so nobody knows exactly what they’re in for until minutes before the race start.
Gut Check began in 2019 and takes place in the 2,000-acre Nickerson State Park. Described as a “unique journey across land and water,” the race includes 1,000 vertical feet of trail running, 1,000 vertical feet of road cycling, and water crossings that can be completed by swimming or paddling. The number of checkpoints is kept a secret until race morning, but there’s an anticipated finish time of 1.5 to 3 hours.
There will be no more than four swim segments, and each is a half mile or less. If you choose to paddle, those segments may be a bit longer.
How do you prepare for a race like this? Organizers suggest being able to run 4-6 miles on trails, ride 5-10 miles, swim a total of 1,500 yards, and paddle up to 1.5 miles total.
This race involves orienteering by map, and you must reach several checkpoints along the way. The objective is to use “your wits and fitness to scramble your way to the last cliff climb.” You can race solo or in a 2-4-person team. In 2025, the race sold out, so don’t wait to sign up for this one.
The Great Josh Billings Runaground
September
Lenox, Massachusetts
The Great Josh Billings Runaground has a long and storied history (almost 50 years!) in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts. The race consists of a 27-mile bike ride, 5-mile paddle, and 6.4-mile run.
If you think you’re up for the challenge, the first step is to assemble a team. The Tin category consists of two athletes who divide the three legs between themselves. For example, one athlete rides the bike, both paddle, and the second athlete runs. The Iron category is for a single athlete who wants to complete all three legs of the race.
The cycling leg marks the start of the event in Great Barrington. Athletes will ride 27 miles through five different towns on the way to Stockbridge Bowl. Expect scenic country roads and rolling hills on this route with five climbs and 1,750 feet of elevation gain.
After the ride, the cyclist will hand off a wristband to the next teammate waiting at the lake. That athlete will use a canoe, kayak, or SUP to paddle 5 miles around the lake finishing at Camp Mah-Kee-Nac. After the paddling leg, that athlete must hand the wristband to a runner waiting on the beach. The final leg of the race is a 6.4-mile run around the lake to the finish line at the Tanglewood Main Gate.
So, who is Josh Billings? It’s actually the pen name of Henry Wheeler Shaw, a writer and noted humorist from the 19th century. Known as a “cracker-barrel philosopher,” he penned a number of sayings, such as “to finish is to win,” which is the motto of The Great Josh Billings Runaground.
This bike-canoe-run triathlon is one of the oldest and largest in the country. It’s fun-loving, eccentric, and a bit wacky, much like its namesake. After the race, stick around for “The Bash” to enjoy live music, a beer tent, massages, food, photo booth, and a kids race.
Bay City Morning Rotary Driathlon
September
Bay City, Michigan
If you had any doubts about whether or not this race involves swimming, the Bay City Morning Rotary put it right in the title for you. This is a “Driathlon,” which means you won’t get wet (unless you fall out of your kayak).
This year marks the 16th annual Driathlon in Bay City, Michigan. Described as a “triathlon with a twist,” the event includes a paddle, bike, and run. It’s a fundraiser for the Bay City Morning Rotary and allows the organization to distribute funds to local charities.
Groups of two can compete in either a relay format, in a team format where each athlete does all three events, or you can choose the individual kayak division. Athletes begin the race with a 5K paddle in a kayak or canoe on the Kawkawlin River. The second leg is a 20K, three-loop route on Bangor Township roads. The final leg is a 5K run along the river.
The transition area is located at Castaways Bay City where there will be pre-race coffee, donuts, and bagels available. Post-race, you can look forward to ShineWater, water, and fruit, as well as the musical stylings of the race DJ.
The Big Hurt
September
Port Angeles, Washington
This four-leg adventure race takes athletes from the foothills of the Olympic Mountains to the shores of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Home base is Pebble Beach Park in downtown Port Angeles.
Athletes begin their adventure with a 16-mile mountain bike on the Foothills Trail System. Then, they will transfer to a kayak to paddle 2.6 miles in Port Angeles Harbor. Next, hop on the road bike for 30 miles on rural roads in Clallam County. The final leg is a 10K run on the Waterfront Trail.
This race can be done solo or in a relay consisting of 2-4 people. With a central transition area, beer garden, and music, this is a very spectator-friendly event. Stick around the next day for The Little Hurt, a youth race for kids pre-K to eighth grade.
DQ Treasure Island Sprint Triathlon
September
Point Pleasant, New Jersey
The DQ Treasure Island Sprint Triathlon has something for everyone: a triathlon, duathlon, aquabike, relay, and kayak triathlon.
The kayak triathlon consists of a 1.5K paddle, 10.5-mile bike ride, and 3-mile run. Athletes will paddle into the Manasquan River and around Osborn Island before finishing at Maxson Avenue Beach. Then, there’s a four-lap bike ride, followed by an out-and-back run.
Because this is part of the DQ Grand Prix and Club Challenge, points accumulate throughout the series. Cash prizes are awarded to overall winners, and awards are presented to age group, Clydesdale/Athena, adaptive category, relay divisions, and more.
Ski to Sea
May
Whatcom County, Washington
Round up 2-7 of your most adventurous friends to compete in the original team relay race at Ski To Sea. This popular event takes athletes across snow, land, and sea from Mount Baker to Bellingham Bay. It started in 1973 and is held annually on Memorial Day weekend in Whatcom County, Washington.
The format involves teams of 3-8 athletes competing in seven different sports to cover a total of 91 miles. In order of event, athletes will complete a cross-country ski (5K), downhill ski/snowboard (4K), run (8 miles), road bike (41 miles), canoe (18.5 miles), cyclocross bike (11 miles), and sea kayak (5 miles). The course takes athletes through Glacier, Maple Falls, Kendall, Everson, Lynden, Ferndale, and finishes in the historic Fairhaven district of Bellingham.
Once the final athlete reaches the finish at Marine Park, they will hop out of their kayak, run up the hill, and ring the finisher’s bell. The afterparty includes an awards ceremony, Kulshan Brewing Beer Garden, and food from several local vendors.
The Great American Triathlon
July
Sacramento, California
The Great American Triathlon showcases the beauty of the American River Parkway in California’s state capital with a run/bike/paddle. The unique format begins with a 5.8-mile run, followed by a 12.5-mile bike ride, and a 6.1-mile paddle.
The entire route travels along the American River Parkway. The run begins at William B. Pond Park in Carmichael and heads downriver to Cal State University, Sacramento. The bike goes from Sacramento to the Sunrise Bridge in Fair Oaks. The paddle leg is a scenic route from the bridge to River Bend Park in Rancho Cordova.
You have the option to compete as an individual or part of a team. Space is limited to 250 teams and 600 individual racers. This event raises money to preserve the American River Parkway and benefits local children’s charities.
