Naval Special Warfare
SUPERFROG XXXII & SUPERSEAL III
Triathlons - April 11, 2010

History of the SUPERFROG Triathlon

December 2010

The 32nd annual Naval Special Warfare SUPERFROG and the 3rd SUPERSEAL Triathlons will be held on Sunday, April 11, 2010.  Designed by Navy SEALS, the SUPERFROG is the first and longest running long distance triathlon.  Originally held on the beaches of Coronado and the roads of five south bay cities and later at the Naval Air Station at North Island and the Naval Amphibious Base, this SEAL Triathlon will start its second year at the Silver Strand State Beach in Coronado, California.

Hosted by Naval Special Warfare, the SUPERFROG is still considered one of the toughest long distance triathlons around.  The swimmers can expect high spring surf and unusually cold water.  Highway 75’s bike course is flat but windy in some sections.   The SUPERFROG run alternates between pavement and very soft sand.  

All thirty SUPERFROGs have been carefully monitored and supported by UDT-SEAL Association members and volunteers and officers and men of the Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) Training department from the Naval Special Warfare Center.  Both SUPERFROG and SUPERSEAL Triathlons are under the race management and coordination of KOZ Enterprises.

As the SUPERFROG and SUPERSEAL Triathlons move up to increase racer population in the highly competitive field of triathlons, the emphasis will be to support the Naval Special Warfare Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)3 organization that is close to the hearts and minds of all SEALs.  Both races will continue to build on the SUPERFROG’s history and tradition by being tough, grass-roots triathlons on the training beaches of past and current SEALs.

SUPERFROG and SUPERSEAL will attract top professional triathletes by offering a prize purse of $10,000.00 to the top finishers.  In addition to its newly established venue at the Silver Strand State Park in Coronado, sponsorship opportunities offer amenities and benefits such as title and presenting sponsors, print and electronic media coverage, pre-race day EXPO, VIP Reception, product/ info booths and more.  A race day Vendor Village will include bands, a food and drinks area as swell as a beer garden, product/ info booths, bike and triathlon sales booth and an on-going silent auction of SEAL and sports memorabilia.

As in the past, SUPERFROG will honor recent fallen SEALs and Medal of Honor recipients LT Mike Murphy and Petty Officer Mike Monsoor and the recent passing of SUPERFROG and San Diego’s favorite triathlete, Barbara Warren.

The SUPERFROG’s course is a traditional swim-bike-run event consisting of a 1.2 miles open ocean swim, a 56 miles bike course and a 13.1mile run.  However, combining the best of Tug's Tavern's Biathlon, the Horny Toad's Triterium and SEAL Team/ BUD/S training, the SUPERFROG course runs as follows:  Two 1000 yard open ocean swims separated by a two hundred yard run; Four 14 mile bike laps on Highway 75; Two 6.55 mile beach and base run laps.  This type of circuit-style racing allows for a central control point where start/finish lines, bike/run transition area, racer aid stations and spectators’ view are greatly enhanced.

The SUPERSEAL’s course runs as follows:  A 1.5 kilometer bay swim; a 40 kilometer bike ride (Two laps) on Highway 75; a 10 kilometer trail and pavement run.  SUPERSEAL will start 2 hours after and will run concurrent with SUPERFROG.

The original idea of the SUPERFROG was two-fold:  The first was to prepare SEALS to do the IRONMAN Triathlon in Hawaii.  The second was to encourage the sport of triathlons in the Navy’s Underwater Demolition (UDT) and SEAL Teams where physical training was multi-faceted and competitive spirit is high.  The SUPERFROG and SUPERSEAL is open to all racers and, as in the past, the SUPERFROG/ SUPERSEAL will continue to invite athletes with disabilities to participate in the triathlon as individuals or in relay teams.

All proceeds of SUPERFROG and SUPERSEAL, less operating costs, directly benefits the Naval Special Warfare Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)3 organization.  The NSWF provides educational and motivational support, promotes health and welfare programs for the Naval Special Warfare Community, and perpetuates the history and heritage of the U.S. Naval Commandos.

Aloha,

P.L. “Moki” MARTIN
Race Director

“See you at the ’Frog!”