Distances
Point to point Olympic distance course:
- Swim: 1.5K (.9 miles) at Venice Beach
- Cycle: 40 Kilometer (24 miles) through Venice, Koreatown, and surrounding areas
- Run: 10 Kilometers (6.2 miles) Through Downtown and ending at LA Live
Point to point Sprint Course:
- Swim: .4 miles at Venice Beach
- Cycle: 14.1 miles through Venice, Koreatown, and surrounding areas
- Run: 3.3 miles Through Downtown and ending at LA Live
Google Maps of the start and finish:
PDF files of the course maps:
- Sprint Run Course (Link Here)
- Sprint Cycle Course (Link Here)
- Olympic Run Course (Link Here)
- Olympic Cycle Course (Link Here)
- Swim Course Map (Link Here)
Course Maps: (Click on images for larger views)
Swim Start
Sprint Cycle Course
Sprint Run Course
Olympic Cycle Course
Olympic Run Course
GPS Swim Map
Chick Hearn Court Map
- Click here for a larger image of Chick Hearn Court Map
- Click here to download a PDF file (2 MB file)
Venice Beach Parking
- Click here for a larger image of the parking map
- Click here to download a PDF file of Transition #2 (2 pages)
- DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
(Route and Traffic Crossing Points)
- Click here for a larger image of the 2008 DOT map
Click here to download a PDF file (8 MB)
- DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION WEBSITE
http://trafficinfo.lacity.org/index.html
(List crossing points and other pertinent information) - DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION HOTLINE #
(323) 224-6534 - 2008 Metro Bus Detours (PDF file)
Sprint Course
SWIM:
Athletes will swim an L-shaped course at Venice Beach. The course begins heading out perpendicular to the shore, due west for 150 meters before turning left to swim south for 190 meters. Competitors will then turn toward the shore for 50 meters before turning left to head north for 130 meters. The final leg of the course will be a 100-meter swim toward the shoreline.
Participants will exit the water onto the sand and into the first transition area. As the participants exit the water, their time will be recorded for the finish of the swim using computer chip timing (a small Velcro band attached around the ankle of each participant) as they cross a small scanner on the beach (in the shape of a large area rug).
BIKE :
Out of the transition area, athletes will begin the bike course on Venice Blvd and travel for seven miles to Fairfax Ave. After riding up the Fairfax District, bikers will turn onto Olympic Blvd. just past the eighth mile for a scenic tour of Koreatown. Athletes will continue on this mix of residential and commercial areas along Olympic Blvd. for approximately six miles. At this point, sprint course athletes will turn right onto Cherry St. toward Chick Hearn Ct. and into Transition 2.
RUN:
All athletes will head out of Transition 2 back onto Cherry St. and take a right on Olympic Blvd., passing the sights and sounds of L.A. Live on their right. Runners will turn left onto Grand Ave. to head north. This run through downtown will give athletes an up-close view of many of the soaring skyscrapers that make up the Los Angeles skyline. After running on Grand Ave. for just over one mile, all runners will turn around at the majestic Disney Concert Hall. Athletes will head back down Grand Ave. until 11th street, where they will turn right. Sprint course athletes will continue onto Chick Hearn Ct. to the finish line at L.A. Live!
Pro/Olympic Course
SWIM:
The Pro/Olympic swim is an L-shaped course. Participants will swim perpendicular to the shore, due west for 150 meters. Turn left to swim south for 630 meters, another left turn to the east for 50 meters (toward the shoreline), then another left, turning north, for 570 meters. Right turn and swim towards the shore for 100 meters. The start and the finish will be about 60 meters apart.
Participants will exit the water onto the sand and into the first transition area. As the participants exit the water, their time will be recorded for the finish of the swim using computer chip timing (a small Velcro band attached around the ankle of each participant) as they cross a small scanner on the beach (in the shape of a large area rug).
BIKE:
Out of the swim, athletes will begin the bike course on Venice Blvd. and travel for seven miles to Fairfax Ave. After riding up the Fairfax District, bikers will turn onto Olympic Blvd. just past the eighth mile for a scenic tour of Koreatown. Athletes will continue on this mix of residential and commercial areas along Olympic Blvd. for approximately six miles. Athletes will turn around at the Cherry & Olympic intersection to head west for a second lap on Olympic Blvd. The second lap takes competitors back on Olympic Blvd for just over five miles, where they will turn around at Olympic & Alandele. After this turnaround, Olympic athletes will continue back eastward on Olympic Blvd. and turn right onto Cherry St. toward Chick Hearn Ct. and into Transition 2.
RUN:
All athletes will head out of Transition 2 back onto Cherry St and take a right on Olympic Blvd, passing the sights and sounds of LA Live on their right. Runners will turn left onto Grand Ave to head north. This run through downtown will give athletes up-close views of many of the soaring skyscrapers that make up the Los Angeles skyline. After running on Grand Ave. for just over one mile, all runners will turn around at the majestic Disney Concert Hall. Athletes will head back down Grand Ave until 11th street, where they will turn right. Olympic Course runners will turn around at 11th and Figueroa to begin the second lap. Athletes head east on 11th and head back up Grand Ave., continuing until the Disney Concert Hall where they will turn around for the final leg of the course. Runners turn right at 11th, continuing onto Chick Hearn Ct. where they will finish at L.A. Live!
Transition information
Swim-to-Bike Transition (T1)
The swim-to-bike transition will be located in the parking area near the end of Venice Blvd. Athletes will finish the swim and traverse 100 yards to the asphalt parking lot, which will serve as the transition. Hard fencing will surround the transition for safety and security. After completing necessary activities to begin the cycle portion of the course (changing clothes, putting on cycling shoes, helmets, etc.) the athletes will head out the north exit of the transition area and onto Venice Blvd., heading east. Transition times will be 15 to 30 seconds for professionals and up to 4 minutes for amateurs.
Bike to Run Transition (T2)
Transition 2 will be located at Lot W, adjacent to L.A. Live on Chick Hearn Ct. Athletes will dismount shortly before the bike racks and enter into the transition area. Competitors will place their bikes onto the racks and complete any necessary adjustments for the run course (changing clothes, removing helmets, etc). The run-out will place runners back onto Chick Hearn Ct. to head west.
Traffic Issues:
The Triathlon will begin at Venice Beach at 6:45 am with the swim segment. The bike course will proceed through the Fairfax District, Museum Row, Hancock Park, Hollywood, Downtown, Chinatown, and Elysian Park areas. Crossing points are listed for intersections that cars can cross at the direction of DOT traffic personnel, considering the safety of the bikers or runners. All streets will be opened by noon.
It is advised that persons with unessential travel avoid driving in areas affected by the event. Vehicles will not be allowed on the course at any time. However, several crossing points have been designated to allow traffic to cross the route.
The Department of Transportation will be aggressively enforcing all temporary parking restrictions for this event to secure the safety of the participants and to facilitate the movement of traffic around road closures. Typical vehicle recovery costs are in excess of $130, which does not include the $60 citation fee.
Thank you for your cooperation in helping the Kaiser Permanente LA Triathlon become one the World’s premiere athletic events.