Race number assignment policy is as follows.
Top 10 numbers are awarded to top ten finishers in previous years race.
All Tugs overall race winners, womens and mens are assigned a number for life. Similar to having a number retired for life.
The assigned number will not be used, if the person assigned the number does not appear.
These number assignments are only for the San Diego chapter of the Tugs race, the Hawaii chapter (if the race ever goes) will follow the same number assignment policy of the San Diego chapter.
These are the race number assignments for the 2012 Tugs Swim Run Swim Race. Race numbers are assigned as follows:
| Number | Name |
| 1 | Toma Majek |
| 2 | Andy Thacher |
| 3 | Dean Spraque |
| 4 | Bruce Rickard |
| 5 | Anna Quillotte |
| 6 | Lenka Majek |
| 7 | Not Assigned |
| 8 | Not Assigned |
| 9 | Not Assigned |
| 10 | Not Assigned |
| Following numbers assigned to former race winners forever | |
| 11 | Cindy Erck |
| 12 | Andy Miller |
| 13 | K Grady |
| 14 | Rick Kozdowski |
| 15 | Roxana Parnell |
| 16 | Tim Harvey |
| 17 | Caroline Hart |
| 18 | Bob Strickland |
| 19 | Jenny Lamott |
| 20 | Mitch Kahn |
| 21 | Leslie Mauer |
| 22 | Scott Tinley |
| 23 | Katherine Riddle |
| 24 | Roberta Troxell |
| 25 | Sheri Leorna |
| 26 | Jay Larson |
| 27 | Erin Merz |
| 28 | Andy Thacher |
| 29 | Tomas Majek |
| 30 | Anna Quillotte |