2026 Chicago triathlon highway closures: Supertri Chicago occasions kick off at Foster Beach; road closures to impression Chicago site visitors

CHICAGO (WLS) — Chicago’s lakefront was full of younger opponents Saturday morning as athletes of all ages gathered for Supertri Chicago weekend, starting with the 2026 Supertri Chicago Kids Triathlon at Foster Beach.

The race bought underway with a countdown of “three, two, one,” adopted by the sounding of horns as members entered the competitors.

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Some of the town’s youngest athletes took on the waters of Lake Michigan after which transitioned to biking and operating within the triathlon problem. Among them was 12-year-old Brooke Casey, a veteran participant who mentioned the occasion stays a spotlight.

“It’s just fun. And I like when I see other people doing it like I see like little kids doing it and it’s really fun,” Casey mentioned.

For Casey and her brother Kyle, the occasion has turn into a household custom. Their father, Brendan Casey, mentioned the household’s involvement spans greater than a decade.

“It’s cool because we’ve got our oldest son to be here racing again tomorrow, so the three of them have been doing that since they’re little, like 5, we’ve been doing this for 10+ years now watching it. So, obviously I’m proud of my kids. It’s great to see him compete,” Brendan Casey mentioned.

Organizers mentioned the Supertri Chicago Triathlon, previously often called the Chicago Triathlon, is the biggest occasion within the sequence. More than 9,000 members are anticipated to swim, run, and cycle over the two-day competitors.

“Chicago is just a sports city and it embraces this,” mentioned Michael D’Hulst, founder and CEO of Supertri.

Roughly 700 youngsters, starting from grade faculty college students to youngsters, competed Saturday morning within the endurance occasion, which mixes swimming, biking, and operating.

Arya Bommi, 12, mentioned competing within the race offers him confidence.

“Makes me feel proud of myself. It makes me feel like I can do stuff,” Bommi mentioned.

Bommi hoped to enhance on his time from final yr. His mom, Himabindu Chittamuru, mentioned she has watched his dedication firsthand.

“I’m so proud. He’s practicing running every day before school starts at 8. He wakes up at 6, and then, he runs a mile,” Chittamuru mentioned.

Supporters mentioned Supertri Chicago is about greater than competitors. Organizers mentioned the occasion generates tens of millions of {dollars} for the Chicago financial system and goals to lift lots of of hundreds of {dollars} for Lurie Children’s Hospital for pediatric most cancers and blood dysfunction analysis.

Justin Law, who’s collaborating within the occasion together with his 9-year-old son Joey, mentioned the trigger motivated their participation.

“So, I work at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. I work in the cardiothoracic ICU. We have a lot of us actually taking care of it tomorrow, so we did it as a group. Joey saw me training, said he wants to do it,” Law mentioned.

The day’s actions continued with a brilliant dash race designed for newcomers to the game.

The weekend’s fundamental competitors is scheduled for Sunday at Monroe Harbor, the place hundreds of athletes are anticipated to compete in dash, relay, and Olympic-distance races starting at 6 a.m.

List of highway closures

Saturday, 8/22

• 5 a.m. 8/22; reopens 7 p.m. 8/23: E. Balbo Dr., DuSable Lake Shore Dr. to S. Columbus Dr.




• 10 a.m. 8/22; reopens 5 p.m. 8/23: N. Lake Shore Dr. / NB Randolph exit ramp.




• 4 a.m.-1 p.m.: Simmonds Dr., from Montrose Harbor Dr. to Foster Ave.

Sunday, 8/23

• 2 p.m.-7 p.m.: S. Columbus Dr., E. Balbo Dr. to E. Roosevelt Rd.




• 5 a.m.-noon: Lake Shore Dr. SB lanes, E. Randolph St. to W. Hollywood Ave.




• 5 a.m -12:30 p.m.: E. Randolph Lower St., S. Columbus Dr. to lakefront.




• 5 a.m.-noon: E. Lower Wacker Dr., Randolph to State.




• 5 a.m.-noon: W. Lower Wacker Dr., State to Lake.




• 5 a.m.-noon: N. Wacker Lower Dr., State to Madison.




• 5 a.m.-noon: S. Wacker Lower Dr., Madison to Jackson.




• 6:30 a.m.-11:45 a.m.: N. Columbus Dr., E. Randolph St. to Lower Wacker.