Athletes brave icy cold water in San Francisco’s grueling Escape From Alcatraz triathlon

Nearly 2,000 athletes competed on Sunday in the 40th-anniversary Escape From Alcatraz triathlon, known for the iconic scenery of the route and tough conditions.

Footage shows participants starting the course by plunging into frigid waters from a boat off Alcatraz Island and swimming 1.5 miles to San Francisco. They then cycled 18 miles through the hilly city, before completing an 8-mile run that took them across the Golden Gate Bridge.

US Olympian Ben Kanute won the triathlon for the fourth consecutive time, while South Africa’s Emma Pallant-Browne nabbed the women’s title.