Hopkins Royal Triathlon

About the Event

The Hopkins Royal Triathlon takes place on Saturday, September 5, 2026, starting at 8:15 AM CDT at Shady Oak Beach on Shady Oak Road in Minnetonka, MN. This 12th annual event offers a traditional sprint distance triathlon and a famous mini-sprint (known as the US Mini-Sprint Nationals). The race sells out every year weeks in advance.

Sprint Triathlon
750 yd swim / 12-mile bike / 5K run • Start: 8:15 AM (time trial start)

Mini-Sprint Triathlon
Choose from 3 distance options per segment on race day • Start: 9:00 AM (time trial start)

VIP Charity Slot
Sprint or mini-sprint • Main lot parking • Prime bike racks • All money to volunteer youth group

Schedule:

6:45 AM — Transition area opens (body marking, timing chip pickup, setup)
7:00 AM — Pre-race meeting
8:15 AM — Sprint race begins (time trial start)
9:00 AM — Mini-sprint event starts (time trial start)
10:00 AM — Awards ceremony and door prizes (must be present to win)

Registration and Deadlines:

Online registration via Race Roster.
Sells out weeks in advance every year — register early.
Registration closes August 28, 2026.
VIP Charity Slot includes main lot parking and prime bike racks in transition area.

Course and Atmosphere:

Shady Oak Beach on Shady Oak Road, Minnetonka, MN.
Time trial start for both distances.
Mini-sprint lets you choose from 3 distance options for each segment on race day.
All participants treated like royalty.
Door prizes available — must be present to win.

The Hopkins Royal Triathlon 2026 is the 12th annual sprint and mini-sprint event that sells out every year. Choose your distance, enjoy time trial starts, and race like royalty on Shady Oak Beach.

Races Offered

Mini Sprint

Sep 05, 2026

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Distance — Swim 0.1K Bike 7.2K Run 2.8K

terrain

Type — Multisports

timer

08:15

sell

$60.83

Sprint

Sep 05, 2026

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Distance — Swim 0.7K Bike 20.9K Run 5K

terrain

Type — Multisports

timer

08:15

sell

$76.88

VIP Charity Slot

Sep 05, 2026

straighten

Distance — Swim 0.7K Bike 20.9K Run 5K

terrain

Type — Multisports

timer

08:15

sell

$120.75

Weather History

These values represent the 3-year monthly averages for September in Minnetonka.

thermostat Temperature

15.2° / 24.5°

wb_sunny Feels like

14.0° / 23.4°

light_mode Avg sunshine hours

10h 32m

water_drop Avg rainfall

2.6 mm

ac_unit Avg snowfall

—

air Avg wind speed

11.5 km/h (Light breeze)

opacity Sweat loss rate

Moderate

terrain Course conditions

Firm and slightly soft

sunny Max UV Index

Moderate (5.0)

humidity_mid Humidity

71.5%

wb_twilight Sunrise

06:53

nightlight Sunset

19:23

About Minnetonka

Learn more about the host city, Minnetonka.

Minnetonka is a suburban city of 54,000 people (2019) in the Twin Cities area. The city’s forests, wetlands, prairies and lakes give it a natural environment unlike that of other suburbs.