Kinetic Multisports

Premier Triathlons on the east coast, offering exceptional quality and value


The Smith Mountain Lake Triathlon is the first triathlon of the year in the western part of the state of Virginia. Staged out of beautiful Smith Mountain Lake State Park this triathlon classic has clear water, mountain views and fun courses. The swim features a sandy beach start and a crisp, clear lake. The bike and run courses are rolling, but not too challenging. This is a great race if you are just starting out in the sport, or have been racing for 20 years. Smith Mountain Lake is home to numerous lodging options and attractions. There is great trail running in the park and plenty of  rural country roads for biking.  For the cyclist in the family be sure to head into Roanoke, the Blue Ridge Parkway isn’t too far away if you want to stay the night and ride again on Sunday.  There are also numerous B&B’s, breweries and wineries in the area.  The area is worth exploring and the race needs to be on your “racecation” bucket list.

On the fence about registering? Watch our Smith Mountain Lake Triathlon preview, then sign up below.

Smith Mountain Lake Triathlon

Saturday, May 2, 2020 at 9:00 AM
Triathlon: 750 Meter Swim (Lake); 20K Bike (Rolling Hills); 5K Run (Flat)
Aquabike: 750 Meter Swim (Lake); 20K Bike (Rolling Hills)
Course Details & Course Maps

Swim Course: The 750 meter swim begins with with athletes lining up on the white sand SML State Park Beach.  Athletes will swim a rectangular shaped course and exit the water onto the beach followed by a short run to transition. The course will have 2 right turns and sighting buoys will be located approximately every 50-75 meters. We expect the water at this time of year to be in the low to mid 60’s. A temperature reading will be taken and posted the Thursday prior to the event. The swim is super spectator friendly as the beach sits on an elevated hillside affording sweeping views of the lake. Family and friends can cheer you on as you finish the swim and get ready to crush the bike! The water temperature in 2015-59, 2016-65, 2017-65, 2018-71, 2019-75.

Bike Course: The bike course is a super fun, rolling  12 mile course. Athletes will run their bikes up a short hill out of transition and mount their bikes in the upper parking lot. The first 5 miles of the bike course is all inside the park, this section is super fast, well paved and technical in sections.  The section outside the park is “big ring” ready as you can really get some speed as you head to the turnaround point. After the turnaround, athletes will ride back to re-enter the park and ride all the way back to the transition area.  This is a beautiful course and a lot of fun to ride.

Run Course: The sprint run course is a pure out and back. The run course leaves transition by winding though a cheering crowd of spectators as you follow the first 1.55 miles of the run course.  It’s a lot of fun to tackle the same route on 2 feet vs. 2 wheels and you’ll see returning cyclists and the occasional turkey or deer as you run along the State Parks main road.  This surface is well paved and features a nice, rolling topography with views of the lake on both sides.  Once you hit the turnaround, you’ll reverse course to finish where you can get something to eat and cheer on your fellow athletes. This is a nice event to add to your early season schedule.

Course Maps
DetailsPacket PickupLodgingNovice AthletesTrainingVolunteerCharities

Race Information

  • You’ll love our swag! All athletes receive a tri-blend race shirt, a finisher’s medal.
  • Race categories available for this race are Age Group, Aquabike, Relay Teams, Clydesdale,  Athena, Military and Novice (No awards). All categories are scored 3 deep.
  • All Kinetic Multisports races are USA Triathlon sanctioned events. Click HERE for a brief description of common USAT racing rules and how you can avoid getting a penalty in this event.
  • All Kinetic Multisports race registrations are non-refundable.  There are however options for race registration insurance and a one time deferral.  Visit our FAQ’s for more details.
  • Are you new to the sport of triathlon and a bit nervous?  Check out our training page so we can get you connected with a coach, club or training group to get you to the finish line.
  • All registered athletes will receive an email on the Wednesday or Thursday before the race with all the information pertaining to their entry to include bib numbers, wave start list with start times and any last minute details to make your race weekend go smoothly!
  • Please do not exceed the speed limit inside the park (25 mph)! The speed limit is STRICTLY enforced!
Race Policies Directions 2020 Athlete Guide Participant list FAQs

2 Options for Packet Pick Up

1. Date: Friday
Time: 5-7 PM
Location: Smith Mtn. Lake State Park
Swim Area Pavilion (Race Site)
Pre-Race Meeting: 6PM – Race Site

Race Site Address: Smith Mountain Lake State Park
1235 State Park Road
Huddleston, VA 24104-9547

2. Date: Saturday (Race Day)
Time: 7-8:15AM
Location: Smith Mtn. Lake State Park
Swim Area Pavilion (Race Site)
Pre-Race Meeting: 8:45 at the beach

Please Note: All participants must collect his/ her own event packet. Photo ID is required in order to collect event materials. NO ID = NO EVENT.  HINT if you take a photo of your ID with your phone, that will be sufficient for photo ID purposes.

Please do not exceed the speed limit inside the park (25 mph)! The speed limit is STRICTLY enforced!

Pre-Race Meeting: An extensive pre-race meeting will take place at 6 PM on Friday. If this is your first race, come to this meeting to have your questions answered. A second brief meeting will occur 15 minutes prior to the first wave on race morning.

Official Housing/Host Hotel

Mariner’s Landing Resort (2 miles from event site)

Toll-free: (855) SML-VACA
(Say you are with the triathlon to get the group rate)

Thank you for making this event your first triathlon! There are many more people like yourself who will be racing this type of event for the first time. Please note that if you register as a Novice, you will be scored in the Novice division, not your Age Group. By registering as a Novice you will start the race in the last wave of athletes if the race is an open water swim.

USA Triathlon requires each triathlete to either have a current membership or purchase a 1-day license. The 1-day license can be purchased when you register. The cost of a 1-day license is $15, an annul membership is $50 for adults and $10 for kids under 18.

Below are links to additional information that you will want to review before race weekend.

Find a Club: Are you looking for a fun group of athletes to work out with? Find a club near you using the USAT Club Finder.

Training Articles

 

Volunteers are the lifeblood of any successful event.

If you would like to volunteer for this race just fill out the form below and we will put you to work!

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Affiliated Charities

VAS with tagline - med - webThis event benefits Virginia Amateur Sports and the ALS Foundation.  Virginia Amateur Sports, a Roanoke based non-profit group works to promote access to sporting events of all kinds to Virginia residents. Please consider making a donation to this worthy cause during the registration process.
Longtime Roanoke resident and triathlete Dick Kelley passed away in 2009 after a battle with ALS. If you would like to make a donation to the cause you can do so when you register or by clicking HERE.