DSW Swim & Run, Darmstadt

DSW Swim & Run in Darmstadt opens the triathlon season with a pool swim at the Nordbad and a run in Bürgerpark Nord. It is a compact swim-run race, not a full triathlon, featuring individual races, 2-person relays, and 3-person school teams. The fields are large for an early-season event, with over 600 starters anticipated. Junior teams hail from Hessen, Saarland, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Rheinland-Pfalz, and Baden-Württemberg, and DSW Bundesliga athletes will also compete. The swim consists of individual starts on a zigzag course in the pool. The run follows as a pursuit start, meaning athletes depart in the order and time gaps established during the swim. Distances are short and suitable for youth, ranging from 100 metres of swimming and 400 metres of running for Schüler C, up to 400 metres and 2.2 kilometres for Schüler A and Jugend B. Some state associations utilize the race for talent selection, adding significance to the junior races. Age-groupers and relay teams also draw strong fields, with the large men's age-group race divided into U40 and Ü40 categories, each with separate rankings and awards.