The standard distance world championship in Torremolinos was not only the largest race of the season but also the biggest event in the history of aquabike – by a significant margin. Unfortunately, the race didn’t provide a great experience for all athletes, and some issues remain unresolved. We’ll delve deeper into those in an upcoming article.

Unsurprisingly, the long-distance world championship in Townsville was the second-largest race of the year. However, what stands out is that it also ranks among the biggest aquabike races ever. This is especially noteworthy given that aquabike is still a relatively young discipline in Australia. A remarkable 367 athletes took to the start line Down Under, making it the third-largest race in aquabike history, surpassed only by Torremolinos and the 2019 world championships in Pontevedra.

Aquabike Long Distance Races with the Most Finishers in 2024

Long-distance aquabike races typically don’t see massive participation numbers, apart from the world championships, which is the major exception. In 2024, there were 21 long-distance events, three of which served as national championships. Surprisingly, the largest of these was held in Poland, drawing 59 participants to the start line. Spain’s national championship also experienced growth compared to the previous year. However, the debut of the long-distance US national championship at the Michigan Titanium saw a modest turnout, with only 20 athletes participating.

Half Distance Aquabike Races with the Most Finishers in 2024

The European Championships in Portugal were clearly the most attended middle-distance aquabike race in 2024. In France, the Ch´Tri Man and the Tours´n Man both hosted around 150 athletes. Unfortunately, the latter will transition into an Ironman event next year, meaning it will no longer feature an aquabike race.

In New Zealand, the Tauranga Half in January upheld its tradition as the country’s largest aquabike race, with a record 133 athletes crossing the finish line. This strong turnout was likely influenced by its status as a qualifying event for the world championships in Australia later in the year.

In the US, participation at the long-course national championships at CLASH Daytona dropped significantly, with only 117 athletes starting compared to nearly 200 the previous year. There were quite a lot DNS though – probably due to the cancellation of the swim segment, turning the race into a bike time trial. However, even by registrations, numbers were already down by about 25%.

In Spain, the ICAN Triathlon Gandia stood out as the most popular aquabike race, attracting more athletes than the national championships in Pamplona. This is particularly notable since Pamplona served as a final preparation event for the 2025 European Championships.

In the UK, the aquabike races at the Vitruvian Triathlon and the Outlaw Half Nottingham were the largest-ever non-championship middle-distance events, with three other 2024 races also making it into the top 7 of this category.

Standard Distance Aquabike Races with the Most Finishers in 2024

It’s no surprise that the World Championships top this list, followed by the US Championships in second place. However, there was a noticeable drop in participation numbers at the US Nationals compared to 2023. Across all three distances, fewer aquabike athletes competed, and the premier long-distance event saw fewer athletes than expected. Let’s hope this is not a trend that continues into 2025.

Looking ahead to next year’s Standard Distance World Championships in Wollongong, the qualification races in Australia saw strong participation numbers. Conversely, this led to lower turnout in the qualification races in the UK. This isn’t indicative of a broader trend but rather reflects the fact that more British athletes were willing to travel to Spain – a quick three-hour flight – for the World Championships compared to making the long journey to the other side of the globe.

Sprint Distance Aquabike Races with the Most Finishers in 2024

This was an unexpected development: the largest sprint aquabike race in 2024 took place in Kazakhstan. The country’s first aquabike race, part of the Almaty Triathlon League, attracted an impressive number of participants. However, this wasn’t a traditional sprint aquabike race. Instead, it was an indoor event featuring a pool swim and a bike leg on smart trainers. Still, it’s exciting to see this format gaining traction in an unexpected part of the world. Hopefully, we’ll see traditional aquabike races emerging in this region in the near future.

For the past two years, the title of the largest sprint aquabike race belonged to the Irish National Championships, held at the Fingal Skerries Triathlon. However, this year saw a slight decline in participants, and the event lost its podium spots to two US races, each with just one more finisher. Next year, the Irish Nationals will move to the Tribesman Triathlon in June for the first time. Let’s hope this change brings a boost in athlete participation.

 

In the fifth and final part of our 2024 season review, we’ll take a closer look at the closest race finishes and the most dominant victories of the year. Stay tuned!