2,000 athletes to push through land and sea at Newport Beach triathlon

Event organizers expect around 2,000 athletes to descend upon Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort & Marina next weekend to push themselves through as many as 32 miles on land and sea in one of the world’s longest running triathlons.

The annual Optimism Cal Tri Newport Dunes is scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 3 beginning at 7 a.m. The triathlon has been held at the Newport Dunes Marina since 1978, making it the world’s oldest still operating from its original location, event organizers said in a news release.

“They shut down Back Bay for one blessed morning,” Thom Richmond, president of the nonprofit Cal Tri Events, told the Daily Pilot over the phone Thursday.

Participants range from 7 to 82 years old and come from over 30 states and seven countries. They’ll have the option to sign up for 21 different events designed for all skill levels. Registration in youth competitions for athletes between the ages of 7 and 17 is free.

Athletes swim along Newport Dunes in the 2023 Optimism Cal Tri Newport Dunes. The annual triathlon is one of the longest running in the world and returns to Newport Beach Sunday, Nov. 3

(courtesy of Cal Tri Events)

The full Olympic triathlon begins with a 1,640-yard swim along the dunes. From there competitors ride 24.4 miles down Mountains to the Sea Trail and Bikeway as well as Eastbluff Drive. It concludes with a 6-mile run around the resort.

“We’ve got some real killers, athletes who come out every year and put down pro performances,” Richmond said. “But we’re really about encouraging people to live a healthy and active lifestyle. And we’re growing because we’re not judging.”

The festivities will be the largest short track event on the West Coast, in terms of number of participants, Richmond said. About 40% of them are new athletes competing in their very first triathlons.

There’s no prize pool for top finishes, so those who endure to the finish line do so purely out of love for competition, self-improvement and fitness. However, the person who comes in last is awarded a bottle of wine, with fans and organizers “there for them to the bitter end, cheering,” Richmond said.

“We’re participation over performance,” he said. “We want people to come out.”

The Triathlon in Newport Beach serves as the championship capping a season featuring 20 races across the country. A portion of the proceeds it generates will be donated to support UC Irvine Sailing and Rowing.

Other races held by Cal Tri have raised $21,000 for Canyon High School in Castaic and about $10,000 for Windsor High in Sonoma County. hope to donate about $50,000 for local groups by the end of the season.