A triathlon will take place in New York City on Oct. 10, bringing more than 2,000 athletes on a challenging course through the Hudson River, along the West Side Highway and into Central Park. The last time a triathlon was held in the city was in 2023, when the swimming portion was canceled after heavy rain impacted conditions in the Hudson River. The following year, the endurance event was canceled entirely after its previous organizer, Supertri, could not coordinate a date with the city. The multisport event, the Big Apple Triathlon in this case, features several race options. The sprint consists of a 1,500-meter swim, a 12.4-mile bike ride and a 2.5-mile run. For more experienced athletes, the Olympic-distance race extends the bike ride to 24.8 miles and the run to 6.2 miles. This fall, thousands of participants will represent 30 states and 13 countries. Among them is French Paralympian Grégoire Berthon, who acquired a disability after falling over 300 feet into a glacial crevasse while skiing in 2022, at age 30. He will make his triathlon debut in New York City. “Life is very short, and I just—I have a lot of luck to be here right now,” he said. “For the competition, I dreamt about it. I wanted to do it—it is New York.” Berthon suffered a head injury, spent a month in a coma, and remained in the hospital for seven months. After 18 months of rehabilitation, he joined the French team and competed at the 2024 Paris Paralympics. Finishing the race in iconic Central Park and biking along the West Side Highway as crowds cheer may sound inspiring, but the swim in the Hudson River could be the most intriguing part. “I think it’ll be a cool experience to say that I’ve swum in the Hudson River–I know it sounds a little weird, but I heard they cleaned it up–to bike the West Side Highway and run in Central Park,” said Abhinav Kasamsetty, 27, who signed up for his first triathlon. According to the Hudson River Park organization, water quality has “vastly improved” as a result of 40 years of environmental regulations. “There is not a stricter place to put on a race than New York City,” said Tommy Struzzieri, CEO of Alpha Win, the event’s organizer. “And we would never allow you to be unsafe in the water.” The Big Apple Triathlon joins a lineup of anticipated New York City sporting events, including the U.S. Open in August and September and the New York City Marathon in the first week of November. ...read more read less