Swim
The Catalina Channel swim is one of the triple crown open water marathon swims. It is 20 plus miles of open ocean starting at Doctors Cove on the Northeast side of Catalina Island and ending at Rancho Palos Verdes at Terranea Beach. It can be calm as glass but more often than not it is quite wavy with currents. It is a channel!! The swim starts just before midnight in darkness. There is plenty of sea life in the pacific and dolphins quite often accompany the swimmers. Nausea and vomiting are a common event. The water is cold and gets colder at the end of the swim near the California coast when you are at your weakest. The Terranea Beach is rocky and wavy, and it is hard to get in safely. A kayaker and escort boat is a must which you obtain on your own. Pace/escort swimmers are recommended especially for safety at the finish.
Swim Map and Rules
Swim Rules
- Open water swim rules with the only exception: a wetsuit is allowed as it is a triathlon
- Wetsuit and non wetsuit races are different divisions
- Nothing on the hands or feet, no gloves or booties
- You must get your own boat pilot, crew, and kayaker
- You cannot ever reach out and grab the boat or kayak: no touching unless it is inadvertent
- Pace swimmers are allowed in accordance with open water swim rules, no drafting
Bike
The 358 mile bike starts at the swim end. You walk up from the Terranea Beach to the Trail parking lot and begin. Following the coast of California you bike North through beach communities of Manhattan Beach, Santa Monica, Malibu, and Santa Barbara. Urban biking quickly becomes the Pacific Coast Highway until you turn off and head North. A massive 5 mile ascent tests your toughness before making it to Santa Barbara wine country. Rolling fast hills and vineyards are a pleasant break until you make your way back to the PCH. There you realize why people typically bike from North to South and not vice versa. The wind is in your face the entire way riding through Cambria, San Simeon, Ragged Point, Big Sur and finally Monterey where you end at Old Fisherman’s Wharf. Typically the wind is so strong it stands you up and stops you. The roads are windy and hilly near Big Sur with stunning beauty of cliffs and oceans at your side. The nearly 24,000ft of gain will shred your quads!!
Bike Map and Rules
Bike Rules
- No drafting
- No e-bikes, no motors
- You must wear a helmet
- High visibility gear and lights should be worn, especially at night
Run
The 132 mile run starts at Old Fisherman’s Wharf in Monterey and doesn't end until the famous crab sign at Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco. The course heads North through farmland to Santa Cruz where you run by the beach, the boardwalk, and on cliffs overlooking surfers below. Next there is a significant stretch continuing North on the PCH to Half Moon Bay where you get off the road for some trails, elevation change, and gorgeous views. You then continue North through Pacifica, Daly City, Lake Merced in San Francisco, and finally turning east into Golden Gate park. The final beat down for the legs happens in the last few miles, when you go down the famous Lyon Street steps, 332 of them, only to go up again at the Presidio before finally descending to aquatic park and Fisherman’s Wharf. There is just under 7500 ft of elevation gain and descent on the run, not the most change but when it comes it is at steep inclines and descents.
Run Map and Rules
Run Rules
- No carrying or muling, you must move forward under your own power
- Trekking poles are allowed
- High visibility gear and lights should be worn, especially at night
The Clock
Start
Start
Start
The clock starts when you get into the water at Doctors Cove, Catalina Island.
End
Start
Start
The clock stops at Fisherman's Wharf under the Crab sign in San Francisco.