Catalina Island, USA

We do not have an officially scheduled awards ceremony, we give our awards out as the winners cross the finish line. 

top 3 awards – World Series & Sprint Teams:

• All Male Teams
• All Female Teams
• Mixed Teams

top 3 awards – World Series & Sprint Solos:

• Male Solos
• Female Solos

NO AWARDS GIVEN FOR THE Experience RACERS.

All distances have the same safety cut-offs:

• tba

We have cut-offs at our races to ensure a safer experience. These are in place so that everyone has the opportunity to finish before it gets dark and to avoid putting the safety of others at risk by overburdening the safety team. Please respect these cut-offs and the people in charge of enforcing them.

Packet Pickup Site

San Pedro / Mainland (exact location tbd) – For those that cannot make this because they are staying on the island and will be on island before mainland packet pickup, we do have a race morning packet pickup add-on option available for purchase during registration. This can also be added after you register by logging back into your registration via your RunSignup account.

Athlete FERRIES TO TWO HARBORS START/FINISH LINE

Mainland/San Pedro to Catalina Island/Two Harbors (Start Line)

Catalina Classic Cruises

• 05:30 Boarding
• 06:00 Departure
• 08:15 Arrival

Catalina Island/Avalon to Catalina Island/Two Harbors (Start Line)

Catalina Island Company Private Charter Ferry will be provided by Otillo. Boarding, departure, and arrival times into Two Harbors coming soon.

COMMON START/FINISH LINE LOCATION

Harbor Sands – Sandy beach area to the right as you get off the ferry dock at Two Harbors on Catalina Island.

In the event of severe weather like lightning, flooding, or hurricane force winds, we will delay the event in 20-minute increments. If the weather does not improve, we will assess the situation every 20 minutes to ensure the event can still take place in some form. Our priority is the safety of our athletes, and any decisions made during severe weather will be in their best interest.

MANDATORY – RACE PROVIDED

• Swim Cap – Color coded to the event distance.
• Number Bib (OSFA) – Each team has matching bib numbers color coded to the event distance.
• Restube (Solo Racers Only) – Auto inflating personal flotation device (emergencies only)
     Please return at the finish line. Athletes may also use their own auto inflating or tow-behind buoy (instead), if they would like.
• Timing Chip & Ankle Strap (1 Per Team, 1 Per Solo Racer)
     It does not matter which teammate wears the timing chip. Please return at the finish line.

MANDATORY – ATHLETE PROVIDED

• Shoes – To be worn the entire race. Look for a light shoe with support, lots of grip, and good drainage.
• Wetsuit – We recommend a Swimrun style wetsuit but any wetsuit is allowed. Please do not email us asking if a wetsuit is truly mandatory. It’s on this list, it’s mandatory for everyone.
• Whistle – One per team. If you’re a solo athlete there’s a whistle built into your Restube ripcord.
• Compression Bandage One per team. One per solo racer. We race in remote areas. This is required so that if you get cut and no one is around you can attempt to stop the bleeding. CLICK HERE to see how to use it.
• Tether One per team. This is a precaution in the case of bad weather OR becomes mandatory if you find yourself separating from your teammate during the swim.

DAY-BEFORE PACKET PICKUP LOCATION

San Pedro / Mainland (exact location tbd)

DAY-BEFORE PACKET PICKUP DATE & TIMES

SATURDAY, APRIL 26, 2025

• 13:00 – 14:00 – Sprint & Experience Pickup
• 14:00 – 15:00 – World Series Course Pickup
• 15:00 – 16:00 – Any Distance Can Pickup

PACKET PICKUP RULES

• It is mandatory to pick up your race packet the day before. 
• We prefer that everyone picks up their own packet the day before the race and that teams come together during this time, we understand that this may not always be possible. Therefore, we allow one team member to pick up an entire team packet, as well as family members and friends to pick up packets for racers, as long as they have the registrant’s permission and a valid ID.
• To make the check-in process quick and easy, please show your QR code at the packet pickup. We will email this to each racer the week of the event. Each QR code is specific to your registration. If you do not have your QR code, you can check in with a photo ID. You do not need to show a USA Triathlon Membership card, even though this is a USAT sanctioned event.

Can’t Pickup Your Packet the Day Before?

If you are unable to pick up your packet the day before the race, you have one more option. You can choose to pick it up on race morning by selecting “Race Morning Packet Pickup” during registration or by adding it to your RunSignup account later. This option is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Those who choose and pay for this option will have a pre-stuffed bag with their name on it ready for them before the race. Depending on the event, this pickup may be available before boarding a ferry to the start, or it may be at the common start/finish area. The add-on is per person, so each person on a team must select this add-on during or after they registration.

ALREADY REGISTERED AND NEED TO ADD-ON RACE MORNING PICKUP? – CLICK HERE

PACKET PICKUP ITEMS

The following items are given to each racer at packet pickup:

• Apparel Item
• Swim Cap
• Collapsable Cup
• Number Bib
• Timing Chip & Ankle Strap
  • It doesn’t matter which teammate wears it. Please return at the end of the race.
• Rest Tube (Solo Only)
  • Please return at the end of the race.

CLOSEST AIRPORT

• Los Angeles International Airport

RACE AREA

• Harbor Sands is our start/finish line area. This is the sandy beach area to the right as you exit the ferry dock at Two Harbors on Catalina Island. In the coming weeks/months we will post an interactive map that highlights not only the course but all important addresses and areas concerning the race.

RESTROOMS

• There will be restrooms available at the ferry terminals, on the ferry, and at the start/finish line. On course the only restrooms that will be available are those that are permanent and already on the course. These have nothing to do with the race and will be random.

Bag drop

• Everyone can drop a bag of their choice with dry clothes and belongings. Please bring this bag with you to the start/finish line and we will instruct you all where to drop it that morning. We do not manage and watch these bags. While we have never had issue with missing/stolen items, we are not responsible for your belongings so please do not put anything of real importance and/or value in your drop bag.

POST RACE FOOD & DRINK

• All finishers will have access to post race food and drink near the finish line area.

WE DO NOT ALLOW:

• Refunds on your race entry.
• Transfers of solo or full team entries to completely different athletes. As a team you’re allowed to swap out your teammate as long as one original member stays on the team.

WE DO ALLOW:

• Transferring to another ÖTILLÖ USA race within the same calendar year.
• Deferring to next year’s race. This MUST be done at least 2-weeks prior to the event. We will be stricter on this deadline in 2025 than we have been in previous years. 
• Changing teammates.
• Changing from team to solo.
• Changing distances.
• Splitting a team entry into two solo entries.
• Combining two solo entries into one team entry.
• Refunds on add-ons like wetsuits, race morning packet pickup, and spectator boat tickets as long as they are requested more than a week prior to the race.

How-To Make Changes to Your Registration

Racers have the ability to change events, transfer to a different race, or defer their entry if they would like. It’s as simple as logging into your RunSignup account and making the change(s) yourself. If you don’t know how to do it, checkout the short RunSignup tutorials below:

• How-To CHANGE EVENTS – CLICK HERE
• How-To DEFER TO NEXT YEAR – CLICK HERE
• How-To TRANSFER RACES – CLICK HERE
• How-To CHANGE BASIC INFO – CLICK HERE

All racers are required to wear a wetsuit during the swim. We suggest using a Swimrun wetsuit rather than a full-body triathlon style wetsuit because Swimrun wetsuits are lighter, more flexible, and easier to run in without overheating. However, any type of wetsuit is acceptable.

For those who do not own a wetsuit and prefer not to purchase one, we have a limited number of Ark Sports rental wetsuits available. These suits can be rented as an add-on during registration, or you can add them later by logging into your RunSignup account and editing your registration to include the rental suit.

ALREADY REGISTERED AND NEED TO ADD-ON A RENTAL WETSUIT? – CLICK HERE

If you have rented a wetsuit, you can pick it up during packet pickup. We may not have extra suits available for rent if you have not reserved one in advance, so please plan accordingly. If you rented a wetsuit and have opted for race morning packet pickup, your wetsuit will be available at that time.

After the race, please remember to remove any items from the wetsuit pockets and return it to the wetsuit tub at the finish line.

• Minors who are under the age of 18 must obtain permission from the race director before signing up. They also need their parents to sign them up.
• Mandatory gear is required and may be checked at any time during the race. Participants without the mandatory gear will be disqualified.
• Teams must have a tether with them at all times, but are only required to be tethered together under certain conditions:
  • if they want to
  • if they continuously separate during swims
  • if the race organizers announce that all teams must be tethered due to weather conditions.
• Teams must stick together at all times, and leaving a teammate behind is not allowed.
• Participants must stay on the marked course at all times. Going off course and returning to it is not allowed.
• Littering is prohibited, and participants should dispose of their trash in designated areas or with event volunteers.
• It is the responsibility of each individual participant to come to the start line fully prepared. This includes familiarizing themselves with all event information provided on the website, in emails, and in videos.

Volunteers are the backbone of the race. We could not do what we do for the athletes, without volunteers. We are always in need of volunteers that are ready and willing to help with various positions during race weekend. All registered volunteers receive a t-shirt, and meal after their shift concludes. All volunteers must register via our system and check in and out for their shift. Some volunteer positions even have stipends associated with them and groups that volunteer and identify themselves as such will be eligible for a donation.

READY TO VOLUNTEER? – Signup Coming Soon.

Every water stop will be equipped with a minimum of two coolers.

• One cooler will contain regular water.
• The other cooler will be filled with Precision Hydration electrolyte-infused water. You can identify this cooler by the “PH” marking on its top.
• Additionally, most, if not all, water stops will have a  container holding PH gels, extra silicone cups (if needed) and backup swim caps for anyone that may need one along the way.

Please ensure that any trash you have is disposed of in the designated trash bag, typically tied to the handle of one of the water coolers. Leaving trash on the course or failing to use the trash bags will result in immediate disqualification and a ban from all future races.