{{Short description|Very-long-distance triathlon}} An '''ultra-triathlon''' covers more distance than an ITU 'long course,' or Ironman triathlon. The term generally refers to all triathlon events with a distance that is a multiple of the Ironman Triathlon, which consists of {{convert|2.4|mi|km|2}} of swimming, {{convert|112|mi|km|2}} of cycling, and a full marathon ({{convert|26.2|mi|km|1|disp=or|abbr=on}}) of running.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://web.comhem.se/~u32749097/ultra.html |title=Ultratriathlon |publisher=Web.comhem.se |access-date=2018-09-16 |archive-date=2018-09-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180919191103/http://web.comhem.se/~u32749097/ultra.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> The most common distances are the double, triple, quadruple, quintuple and deca triathlon.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.iutasport.com/|title=IUTA &#124; International Ultra Triathlon Association|website=www.iutasport.com}}</ref> Unlike a standard triathlon event, an ultra-triathlon event may not necessarily involve the three component disciplines of triathlon (swimming, cycling and running) in direct consecutive order, but may instead consist of multiple consecutive individual triathlons performed on consecutive days,<ref>{{cite news | last =Murphy | first =T.J. | title =The Triple DECA Ironman: One Man's Journey Through 30 Days of Non-stop Ironman Racing | newspaper =LAVA Magazine | date =18 November 2013 | url =http://lavamagazine.com/the-triple-deca-ironman-one-mans-journey-through-30-days-of-non-stop-ironman-racing/ | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20131124023110/http://lavamagazine.com/the-triple-deca-ironman-one-mans-journey-through-30-days-of-non-stop-ironman-racing/ | url-status =usurped | archive-date =November 24, 2013 | access-date = 17 August 2014}}</ref> or may involve disciplines out of the usual order, such as the Enduroman that goes run-swim-bike to allow crossing of the English Channel.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://enduroman.com/|title=Arch to Arc Triathlon|website=Arch to Arc}}</ref>

The first ultra-distance race was held as a double in Huntsville, Alabama (USA) in 1985, and since then the distances have been expanding.<ref>{{cite book |last=Meier |first=Dani |date=2018 |title=Go Hard or Go Home |url=https://www.sportweltverlag.de/shop/ultratriathlon/#cc-m-product-11986732899 |location= |publisher=Sportwelt Verlag |page=224 |isbn=978-3941297432}}</ref> While 20x and even 30x events have been held, the DECA, or 10x event, either in the 'continuous' version (swim-bike-run), or in the 'one-per-day' version is typically the longest distance that can be found on the race calendar every year.<ref name="auto"/> In 2020 and 2022, the swissultra DECA continuous was the IUTA World Championship over that distance.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.swissultra.ch/en/ | title=Swissultra – the ultra triathlon race in Switzerland }}</ref><ref>[https://www.amazon.com/MASTERing-DECA-Martin-Gruebele/dp/B0BQ54168M M. Gruebele et al., 'Mastering the DECA'], {{ISBN|979-8368240114}}</ref>

The IUTA (International Ultra Triathlon Association) is the official governing body of Ultra Triathlon.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iutasport.com/ |title=IUTA &#124; International Ultra Triathlon Association |publisher=Iutasport.com |access-date=2018-09-16}}</ref>

==Standard distances== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Distances !! Swimming !! Cycling !! Running |- | Single Ultratriathlon ||{{convert|3.86|km|mi|abbr=on}}|| {{convert|180.25|km|mi|abbr=on|0}}|| {{convert|42.2|km|mi|abbr=on}} |- | Double Ultratriathlon || {{convert|7.6|km|mi|abbr=on}}|| {{convert|360|km|mi|abbr=on}}|| {{convert|84.4|km|mi|abbr=on}} |- | Triple Ultratriathlon || {{convert|11.4|km|mi|abbr=on}} || {{convert|540|km|mi|abbr=on}} || {{convert|126.6|km|mi|abbr=on}} |- | Quadruple Ultratriathlon || {{convert|15.2|km|mi|abbr=on}}|| {{convert|720|km|mi|abbr=on}}|| {{convert|168.8|km|mi|abbr=on}} |- | Quintuple Ultratriathlon || {{convert|19|km|mi|abbr=on}} || {{convert|900|km|mi|abbr=on}} || {{convert|211|km|mi|abbr=on}} |- | Deca Ultratriathlon || {{convert|38|km|mi|abbr=on}} || {{convert|1800|km|mi|abbr=on}} || {{convert|422|km|mi|abbr=on}} |- | Deca One-Per-Day (10 days) || every day 3.8&nbsp;km || every day 180&nbsp;km || every day 42&nbsp;km |- | Ultraman 3 days||Day 1 - 10km (6.25mi) | Day 1 - 145km (90mi), Day 2 - 276.1km (172.5 mi)|| Day 3 - 84.3km (52.7 mi) |- |Ultra 355 3 days |Day 1 - 5km (3.1mi) |Day 1 - 120km (75 mi), Day 2 - 180km (112 mi) |Day 3 - 50km (31.25 mi) |- | Double Deca Ultratriathlon || {{convert|76|km|mi|abbr=on}} || {{convert|3600|km|mi|abbr=on}} || {{convert|844|km|mi|abbr=on}} |- | Triple Deca Ultratriathlon || {{convert|114|km|mi|abbr=on}} || {{convert|5400|km|mi|abbr=on}} || {{convert|1260|km|mi|abbr=on}} |}

==World records== ===Men=== {| class="wikitable" |- !Distance!!Athlete!!Time!!Place |- |Single||{{flagicon|NOR}} Kristian Blummenfelt||7 h 21 m 12 s||2021 Cozumel<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.tri247.com/triathlon-news/elite/ironman-cozumel-2021-results-report-men |title=IRONMAN Cozumel 2021 results |date=21 November 2021 |access-date=2022-05-30 }}</ref> |- |Double||{{flagicon|POL}} Robert Karaś||18 h 44 m 38 s||2019 Panevėžys<ref name="triathlonweb1">{{cite web|url=https://www.iutasport.com/records/world-records |title=Records - IUTA &#124; International Ultra Triathlon Association |publisher=Iutasport.com |date=2016-09-16 |access-date=2018-09-16}}</ref> |- |3x||{{flagicon|POL}} Robert Karaś||30 h 48 m 57 s||2018 Lensahn<ref name="triathlonweb2">{{cite web |url=https://www.triathlonlensahn.de/der-triple/ergebnis-2018 |title=Ergebnis 2018 |publisher=Triathlonlensahn.de |access-date=2018-09-16 |archive-date=2018-07-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180730001127/https://www.triathlonlensahn.de/der-triple/ergebnis-2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref> |- |4x||{{flagicon|DEN}} Søren Højbjerre||53 h 41 m 00 s||1993 Szekesfehervar<ref name="triathlonweb1"/> |- |5x||{{flagicon|POL}} Adrian Kostera ||67 h 45 m 51 s||2022 Colmar<ref name="triathlonweb1"/> |- |5x Day||{{flagicon|EST}} Rait Ratasepp ||49 h 32 m 49 s||2022 Buchs<ref name="triathlonweb1"/> |- |10x||{{flagicon|POL}} Jurand Czabański||169 h 53 m 33 s ||2025 Búzios<ref name="triathlonweb1"/> |- |10x Day||{{flagicon|EST}} Rait Ratasepp ||99 h 49 m 47 s||2024 Vinni{{cn|date=August 2024}}<!-- <ref name="triathlonweb1"/> --> |- |20x||{{flagicon|LTU}} Vidmantas Urbonas||437 h 21 m 40 s ||1998 Monterrey<ref name="triathlonweb1"/> |- |20x Day||{{flagicon|AUT}} Norbert Lüftenegger||241 h 36 m 45 s ||2019 Buchs<ref name="triathlonweb1"/> |- |30x||{{flagicon|GER}} Dirk Leonhardt||959 h 03 m 00 s||2020 Bruchköbel<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tri-mag.de/szene/dirk-leonhardt-finisht-30-fache-langdistanz-und-holt-sich-den-triathlon-weltrekord/|title=Dirk Leonhardt finisht 30-fache Langdistanz und holt sich den Triathlon-Weltrekord|date=15 August 2020}}</ref> |- |30x Day||{{flagicon|HUN}} Jozsef Rokob||356 h 33 m 17 s||2013 Lonato del Garda<ref name="triathlonweb1"/> |- |Ultraman |{{flagicon|NZL}} Simon Cochrane |19 h 48 m 47 s |2023 Noosa Heads |}

===Women=== {| class="wikitable" |- !Distance!!Athlete!!Time!!Place |- |Single||{{flagicon|GER}} Anne Haug||8 h 02 m 38 s||2024 Roth<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.watchathletics.com/page/5775/results-challenge-roth-2024 |title=Results - Challenge Roth 2024 |access-date=2024-09-09}}</ref> |- |Double||{{flagicon|POL}} {{ill|Sabina Bartecka|pl}}||22 h 55 m 19 s||2024 Bad Radkersburg<ref name="triathlonweb1"/> |- |3x||{{flagicon|POL}} {{ill|Alicja Pyszka-Bazan|pl}}||36 h 13 m 55 s||2024 Lensahn<ref name="triathlonweb1"/> |- |4x||{{flagicon|GER}} Astrid Benöhr||59 h 15 m 00 s||1993 Szekesfehervar<ref name="triathlonweb1"/> |- |5x||{{flagicon|AUT}} {{ill|Alexandra Meixner|de}}||84 h 44 m 29 s||2018 Buchs<ref name="triathlonweb1"/> |- |5x Day||{{flagicon|SUI}} {{ill|Eva Hürlimann|de}}||66 h 52 m 22 s||2018 Buchs<ref name="triathlonweb1"/> |- |10x||{{flagicon|NZL}} Christine Couldrey||247 h 07 m 21 s||2018 New Orleans<ref name="triathlonweb1"/> |- |10x Day||{{flagicon|AUT}} Alexandra Meixner||137 h 23 m 43 s||2022 Buchs<ref name="triathlonweb1"/> |- |20x||{{flagicon|USA}} Laura Knoblach||633 h 41 m 39 s||2019 León<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.9news.com/article/news/local/boulder-woman-breaks-womens-world-record-for-a-double-deca-ultra-triathlon/73-7273b9c0-32e1-4036-9578-b2abeeae545d|title=Boulder woman breaks women's world record for a Double Deca Ultra Triathlon|website=KUSA|date=4 November 2019|access-date=2019-11-05}}</ref> |- |20x Day||{{flagicon|AUT}} Alexandra Meixner||279 h 37 min 48 s|| 2016 Buchs<ref name="triathlonweb1"/> |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [http://www.iutasport.com/ International Ultra Triathlon Association]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ultra-Triathlon}} Category:Endurance games Category:Individual sports Category:Triathlon Category:Multisports Category:Triathlon competitions