Challenge Sir Bani Yas, live.

Racing around an island with a floating hotel

Challenge Sir Bani Yas is a triathlon on Sir Bani Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, with its races on 30 January 2027.

The race calls itself the first long distance triathlon in the Middle East, and it is built around the island. Athletes and their families stay on what Challenge Family describes as the only floating race hotel on the calendar, with sea travel, accommodation, meals and entertainment included in the cabin price, and the race village is billed as the most compact on the calendar.

The long distance is 3.8 km of swimming, 180 km of cycling and a 42.2 km run, and the middle distance is 1.9 km, 90 km and 21.1 km. A standard distance, separate swim and bike races and a fun run complete the programme. The swim loop lies on the south east side of the island in the Arabian Gulf, sheltered from swell, with water usually between 18 and 22 degrees.

The bike uses the island ring road with no traffic, but the connecting roads climb up to 100 m above sea level, so the long course gathers real climbing. The run is flat and coastal, with several loops through the heart of the race village and frequent aid stations.

Average air temperature in late January is around 25 degrees. Supporters are never far from the action, since every run loop passes the village, and between races there are excursions into the island's nature reserve.

On Livebib you can follow a participant who chooses to share their own live position from the phone they carry during the race. That is the athlete's own sharing and not the organiser's timing, and the official results come from the organiser.