PTO adds Escape from Alcatraz to T100 Triathlon World Tour

It was about the worst kept secret in the sport, but now it’s official – the California leg of the new PTO T100 Triathlon World Tour will take place in San Francisco as part of the Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon on June 9.

Just like the rest of the athletes in the Escape from Alcatraz event, the 20 female and 20 male competitors in the T100 race will jump into the “icy water adjacent to Alcatraz Island,” according to a release from World Triathlon.

PTO Tour becomes T100 Triathlon World Tour and offers 8 races in 2024

“Escape From Alcatraz is one of the world’s most celebrated triathlons and on any self-respecting triathlete’s bucket list of races,” said PTO CEO Sam Renouf. “So to secure it as one of the eight stops on the new T100 Triathlon World Tour is a huge coup for us. When we sat down to discuss the opportunity with IMG, they immediately understood our vision for these races representing the very pinnacle of our sport, which is why they wanted to get involved and work with us to secure the necessary permissions from the City.”

The Escape from Alcatraz event is owned by IMG.

“Seeing the Escape course attempted at the elite level will only solidify the perseverance and tenacity the race requires from our age group athletes, inspiring past, present and future competitors to reflect on and re-imagine what their limits are,” said Jennifer Lau, the Vice President of Action Sports Events at IMG. “We’re excited to see how our partnership with PTO will help to redefine triathlon.”

As you can read from our feature on the Alcatraz event below, some version of the race has taken place since 1981, making the race one of the oldest running triathlon events in the world.

What makes the Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon one of the sport’s most iconic races?

There won’t be any PTO age group racing at the California event, but the regular Escape from Alcatraz racing will be in place, with age group athletes competing in the 1.5-mile (2.4-km) cold-water swim, 18-mile (30-km) technical and hilly bike, and 8-mile (12.9-km) run that includes a challenging 200-step Sand Ladder.

Here’s the full T100 calendar, with one event, the “Grand Final,” still be to be announced:

9-10 March – Miami T100 at CLASH Endurance Miami
13-14 April – Singapore T100
8-9 June – San Francisco T100
27-28 July – London T100
28-29 Sept – Ibiza T100
19-20 Oct – Lake Las Vegas T100
16-17 Nov – Dubai T100
29-30 Nov – Grand Final – location to be announced