Valley View

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH WEST DES MOINES PARKS AND RECREATION

Valley View Aquatic Center | West Des Moines Parks and Rec

June 14th, 2025 | 8:00 AM

We’re thrilled to announce the launch of a brand-new race experience! RipRoar is partnering with the City of West Des Moines Parks and Recreation to bring you the inaugural RipRoar Valley View Triathlon - our official kickoff to summer!

Most triathletes will just be getting into their training for the season, so instead of jumping straight into racing, we’re building this event to be all about the love of youth triathlon! Including RipRoar’s first-ever lazy river swim - complete with a “twirly” waterslide start for our Intermediates and Seniors, a full weekend access to Valley View Aquatic Center and awards for athletes who embody RipRoar’s values and have the most fun!

First Time Triathletes

If you are new to triathlon and have never raced in a USAT-Sanctioned event before, please contact info@riproarevents.com for a FREE annual membership code!

Please note this is for first time USAT members only

All registered RipRoar Triathletes will receive FREE access to the Valley View Aquatic Center on Friday and Saturday!

Swim

Valley View Aquatic Center

JUNIORS: 50 METERS

INTERMEDIATES: 100 METERS

SENIORS: 200 METERS

Bike

Closed loop on 81st & Bridgewood Blvd

JUNIORS: 2 MILES

INTERMEDIATES: 4 MILES

SENIORS: 6 MILES

Run

Paved Trail around Aquatic Center

JUNIORS: 0.5 Mile

INTERMEDIATES: 1 MILE

SENIORS: 1.5 MILES

The Course

The Swim

Athletes will kick off their race (and our 2025 Summer Series) with a one-of-a kind swim in the Valley View Aquatic Center lazy river! Seniors and Intermediates will make a splash with a “twirly slide” entry, while Juniors begin with a feet-first entry. Expect some blazing fast swim splits because we are turning the lazy river ON! Get ready to ride the current, have a blast, and power through your swim like never before!

The Bike

Athletes will hit closed roads for a smooth, fast ride. The bike course, sponsored by Scheels Des Moines, starts with a right turn out of the parking lot onto 81st Street, followed by another right onto Bridgewood Blvd. After a U-turn on Bridgewood, they’ll race back along the same route, with a turnaround near Brookview School Park. Seniors will complete three laps, Intermediates two laps, and Juniors one lap before heading back into transition for the run. With plenty of spectator-friendly spots, expect cheers, high energy, and an exciting ride.

The Run

The run course, sponsored by Certified Piedmontese, takes athletes through the Valley View Aquatic Center parking lot before turning right onto the sidewalk along 81st Street, followed by another right onto Bridgewood Blvd sidewalk before looping back into the parking lot. Seniors will complete three laps, Intermediates two, and Juniors one. With the course passing by the finish line and transition area, athletes will feel the energy of the crowd pushing them to run faster than they thought possible as family and friends cheer them on to their first RipRoar finish line of the summer!

COURSE MAP COMING SOON

We will start the summer with early packet pick-up the day before the event. Join us the Friday afternoon before the race to pick up your packet, check out your transition spot, and find some new RipRoar swag for the season. Packets will include a swim cap, bike number, race bib, and $10 in RipRoar Rewards.

If you registered for the 2025 Summer Series Pass, your Summer Series Shirt will be in your packet.

After you pick up your packet, join our course talk where triathletes of all ages and ability levels can learn about how triathlons work - all about transition, gear, and the course that you’ll race the next day!

The course will be marked on Friday afternoon for those that would like to visit the course individually. However, please keep in mind that we do not recommend touring the bike course as it is open to regular traffic.

At 6:30 a.m. on race morning, transition will open for all athletes.

It is RipRoar’s policy that all athletes (including intermediate and junior division athletes) must set up their bikes, and transition areas between 6:30 am and 7:45 am on race morning. All bikes must be racked by either the seat of the bike or by using a kickstand. Please note that we do not allow bike stands in transition due to space. Parents are welcome in transition prior to the race, but will not be allowed in during the running of the events. Don’t worry- RipRoar staff and volunteers are trained and ready to help all athletes as they work their way through transition.

It is a RipRoar policy that athletes need to wait to remove their belongings from transition until the entire race is over.

Athletes will be lined up based on their assigned bib number. We assign bib numbers based on age and gender so that all athletes competing in the same division are grouped together. The order of athletes within these divisions is solely at the race director’s discretion and will not be lined up based on swimming ability.

Please note: Athletes will not be allowed to wear a life vest during the swim, due to USAT regulations

Seniors and Intermediates - get excited for your waterslide start!

The RipRoar finish line is unlike anything else, especially during the junior division event. Our belief is a straightforward one: triathlon is a hard sport, and we want to positively reinforce a child’s desire to do hard things. Therefore, we build a massive finish line chute, line it with red carpet, and strongly encourage all athletes and spectators to help make it something special. If we all do our part, we can get these kids addicted to the feeling of crossing difficult finish lines.

Triathlon represents a big challenge for our athletes and we give out big hardware. Every finisher, regardless of place will receive a super sweet finisher medal. In addition, we highlight the top five boys and girls from every age (6, 7, 8 etc.). In an effort to make this event welcoming and fun, we’ve decided to not count it toward RipRoar Leaderboard- instead, we’re “awarding” athletes who embody RipRoar’s values and have the most fun!

The award ceremony is held approximately 20 minutes following the final finisher crossing the line. During this time we invite all athletes to remove all their items from transition. Those looking to leave the venue are welcomed to do so.