The Coffin Races

Six pallbearers. One corpse. One clock.

2027 team registration isn't open yet.

Race Format

Seven-person teams race handmade coffins through a timed obstacle course. This is the 2026 format.

Teams: Seven racers: six pallbearers, three per side, and one corpse riding inside.
The Course: Two side-by-side lanes of obstacles, start line to finish line. Captains walk it before the first heat. Mid-race, the corpse jumps out for a challenge and dives back in.
Heats: Two teams race side by side, timed start to finish.
Rounds: Every team races round one. The 12 fastest reach the quarter-finals, 6 the semi-finals, 2 the final.
Timing: Times post on a scoreboard at the finish and a leaderboard on stage.
Race Day (2026): Check-in 10–11:30 AM · Gates 12 PM · Opening heats 1:15 PM · Finals from 3:15 PM

A summary of the 2026 Cold Hard Facts. 2027 rules arrive when team registration opens.

Eligibility. Seven racers, all 18 or older. Amateurs only; no professional athletes.
Coffin. Six side handles, three per side and none on the ends; four solid sides at least 8 inches high; no more than 10 feet wide with handles. Must pass safety inspection.
Helmets. A strapped ski or bike helmet for every racer, checked before each heat. No hard hats.
Footwear. No cleats, crampons, golf shoes or other metal-soled shoes.
Release. Every racer signs a Hold Harmless Agreement.
Check-in. Full team and coffin at the Coffin Club, Barn W, by 11:30 AM. Late teams are no-shows.

Read the full 2026 rules

Typically 5–8 feet long and 2–4 feet wide, and no more than 10 feet wide with handles, so two teams fit the course side by side.
Sturdy handles for six carriers, three on each side. No handles on the ends.
Four solid sides at least 8 inches high; tape or paper doesn't count. Sides may differ in height, and the coffin doesn't have to be rectangular.
Team name clearly written on the back.
Race officials inspect every coffin at registration and at lineup. A coffin that fails doesn't race.

Six pallbearers and one corpse, all 18 or older. IDs may be checked at registration.
Amateurs only; no professional athletes.
Every racer wears a strapped ski or bike helmet the entire time they race. No hard hats. Helmets are checked before each heat, and a team missing one can't race.
No shoes with metal on the bottom: no cleats, crampons or golf shoes.
Every racer signs a Hold Harmless Agreement. The captain receives a digital form to share; anyone without one on file signs at check-in.

All seven racers check in with the coffin at the Coffin Club in Barn W by 11:30 AM, before gates open at noon. Late teams are no-shows, with no exceptions.
Coffins can be stored at the Coffin Club before, during and after the races.
Team captains walk the course before the first heat.
Teams line up in race order, in pairs. A team that isn't complete or ready at its start forfeits that race and prize eligibility.
Each run is timed start to finish, and finish times decide who advances. If both teams in a heat post top times, both advance.
Until eliminated, racers stay with their coffin by the course for instructions.

Judges score theme and spirit at lineup, during the races and around the grounds, and vote after the competition.
Crash and Burn goes to the greatest mishap while racing.
Best Coffin is judged on design and function.