With exactly two months to go until the start of Challenge Sanremo, the event’s steady growth in registrations continues ahead of the race weekend scheduled for October 3-4, 2026. Compared to the same period last year, overall registrations are up +55%. Growing trust from Italian and international triathletes in the event organized by Riviera Triathlon 1992, a desire to plan ahead for a late-summer race in an area with favorable climate and surroundings, and an accommodation offering well suited to multisport enthusiasts, are among the factors driving this growth.
THE NUMBERS
The move on the calendar, from September to the first weekend of October, has further encouraged prospective participants, drawn by conditions even better suited to triathletes, with greater hotel availability and ideal weather. At the moment, 29 nationalities are represented in the provisional start list. For the middle-distance triathlon, the flagship event of the weekend, registrations have already reached last year’s total, nine weeks ahead of schedule. In the sprint distance, registrations are currently double what they were in August 2025. There is also great anticipation for the youth race and for the Swim & Run “Side by Side”, the two events that will bring Saturday to life and represent a key step in promoting and spreading the sport. Interest is also growing in the Aquabike format (swim + bike), held on the same course as the middle-distance race, and in the Challenge Family Tri Together initiative, the perfect opportunity to share the challenge as a relay with friends, family or teammates and cross the finish line together after sharing the effort.
CONFIRMATIONS AND IMPROVEMENTS
Among the factors that have encouraged triathletes to sign up is certainly the confirmed race location: Portosole. Beyond the chance to swim in clear, calm waters, the challenging and varied bike course tracing the route of the Milano-Sanremo, and the appeal of the run course along the Riviera dei Fiori cycle-pedestrian path, the event’s headquarters, hosted at one of the most striking marinas in the Mediterranean, sparks athletes’ curiosity. Last year’s images were truly evocative, with the sunrise start, hundreds of triathletes bringing the streets and quaysides of Portosole to life, and the transition area and finish line framed by moored boats and yachts.
Furthermore, the organizational quality, which grows year after year through dedication and continued investment, makes this event increasingly sought-after among athletes from other countries, eager to experience a truly Italian sporting event.
Finally, thanks to close collaboration with local institutions, the process of renewing and maintaining the road surfaces used along the race courses continues, an aspect that makes the race safer and more enjoyable for all participants and represents a tangible benefit for the athletes who use these roads all year round.
