Nuun partners with Hydrapak at first cupless race series

Will we see a cupless triathlon any time soon? Nuun partners with Mascot Sports and Hydrapak on the first cupless road race series in Oakland, California.

Triathlon Magazine January 16, 2020

Is this in triathlon’s future? Nuun will partner with Hydrapak and Mascot Sports to make the Oakland Run Co. events cupless in 2020, eliminating over 100,000 single use cups.

So how are race organizers Mascot Sports going to hydrate thousands of runners at four Oakland Run Co. events – the Bay Bridge Half, Livermore Half, Oaktown Half and Oakland Turkey – without using cups at the aid stations? Each race participant receives a HydraPak SpeedCup, a lightweight, easy to hold, reusable and collapsible cup that can be easily tucked away or clipped to your race clothing or number belt. Runners in the series will use their own personal cups at Nuun hydration stations, eliminating tens of thousands of cups at each event.

It seems like triathlon events, where much of the field aren’t going as fast as those participating in run-only races, and the numbers aren’t typically as large, would be a logical next-step for cupless racing.

When they launched 15 years ago, Nuun strove to be a healthier choice for runners who needed more than water by replacing unnecessary ingredients, but maintained the vital electrolytes athletes need during training and racing. This new program continues the company’s goal towards healthier athletes and a healthier planet.

Adding to the “clean planet” concept of the race series, Mascot will also replace bib-affixing safety pins with snap and lock reusable fasteners by the East Bay’s BibBoards.