Cocoa Beach Triathlon - TriathlonSprint

This is the second year this race has been run. I will not be returning for the third year. Organizer has tried to lure faster athletes by offering a series prize money. While this sounds like a good idea, the organizer has forgotten about what makes the races fun...the middle and end of the pack racers.

I had sent several e-mails to the organizer's posted e-mail address last year with no response...after this past race, I'm wondering if he even reads them?

The packet pickup is disorganized with poor parking. Packets have little to offer. This year we had a pamphlet from NASA and some stickers. No numbers for our helmets.

Transition is in a mosquito infested field when there is a perfect, lightly used parking lot 20 yards away from the entry and exit of the swim course.

The swim course is nice and wind protected in a river fed canal. There are enough lifeguards in the water.

The bike course is mostly pancake flake through residential streets and A1A. Nice and fast course. There were a few volunteers standing around at the bike dismount, but no signage or verbal warning that the bike dismount was approaching. The actual bike dismount was actually after you rode through grass and over a sidewalk (no thanks...I'll save my rims thank-you very much) and the first 10 feet of the run from bike dismount to the transition racks were over some very large gravel rocks. Those rocks felt awesome on my bare feet in case you were wondering.

The run out of T2 offered no water or Gatorade to begin the run. The run course has the portential to be a nice run on the Cocoa Beach Golf Course. It is ruined however by no mileage markers, very limited volunteers, no signage directing. After what I am guessing is around 1.25 miles based on my time you hit the only water station. Both water and Gatorade were offered, which is nice, but they are served in hard plastic cocktail cups. Next time you are out running, try to drink out of a cup like this that you can't squeeze to direct the water into your mouth...you'll end up wearing most of it. A small portion of the run is through residential streets and a few of the homeowners came to the endo fo their driveway to cheer the participants on which was nice.

After the race was over there was nobody checking numbers to verify that only participants were entering the transition area. Sort of a scary thought of someone walking away with your several thousand dollar bike unchecked.

I have two friends that entered for this race back in January when registration opened. Their credit cards were charged, but at packet pickup the weren't shown as registered. Makeshift numbers were given to them and they still after a week and a half do not have results. They have sent several e-mails to the organizer with no response. No offer of a refund...no nothing.

Overall assesment, the course is very nice to race. The organization is very very poor. I would not reccommend this race to anyone