The Schools Triathlon Challenge - QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
A. Triathlon South in conjunction with T3 events have collaborated with the various school sporting associations to bring this event together.
A. To give school students the opportunity to take on a personal fitness challenge at their individual level of fitness through a healthy, active and social event. This event is totally focused on participation, fun, enjoyment, getting kids active and providing an individual challenge in a safe environment.
A. NO, this event is there for people of any fitness level and sporting background. We encourage all students to take on the Schools Triathlon Challenge.
A. All children are encouraged to participate and be involved in this event.
Event Entry / Registration
A. Yes. For safety reasons, and to ensure a quality race experience for all participants, the venue will have a predetermined limit on participation. The course limit is 1000. Once the course limit is reached at the venue, registration will close for the event.
A. NO, schools can enter as many students as they would like as individuals or in the relay teams category. Schools who register early will be given preference.
A. The relay team category is a great way to participate with your mates. You can get a team of 2 or 3 students together and complete the whole Triathlon doing 1 or 2 legs each. This is a great way to give the Schools Triathlon Challenge a go if you don’t want to complete the whole course as an individual.
A. A relay team consists of 2 or 3 students competing in separate segments of the race. Typically, one team member swims, a second rides, and the third runs. However relay teams can have 2 people with 1 person completing 2 legs.
A. A holding pen will be set up on the beach as swimmers run out of the water. The bike rider will be waiting in this holding pen. The Swimmer will run into the holding pen and tag the rider’s hand. The rider then runs from the holding pen into the transition area, puts on their bike helmet, un-racks bike and leaves transition for the bike leg. Swimmers must remain in the waiting pen until asked to leave by officials.
A. When the rider re enters transition after completing their bike leg, the runner must be waiting next to the marked team number on the bike rack. Riders must rack their bike and then tag the runners hand. The runner then runs out of transition to complete their leg. Once the runner has left transition, the bike rider must leave the transition area with caution.
A. The easiest and quickest way to enter is by down loading the entry form off the website or asking your school / physical education teacher for an entry form.
A. Entry forms will need to be given to your Physical Education Teacher, (or the person in your school organizing your team). They will then forward them on to the race organizers for you. You must enter through your school as this is a schools event.
A. The entry fee is $5 per student, whether competing as an individual or in a relay team. This money must be paid to your school. Schools will then be invoiced for entry fees after the event.
A. Participants will receive full insurance by Triathlon Australia for the event, you will also receive a participants back pack containing, swim cap, race numbers, sunscreen and a water bottle along with a finishers cap presented to you as you cross the finish line.
A. It may take several days from the time we receive your entry until your name appears on the updated entry lists on the website, if it is not on the website 48 hours prior to event day please contact us via the website.
A. Schools in training is a tab you can click on the website, which will be updated regularly, to show those schools that have already entered students in the Schools Triathlon Challenge. Keep check to see if your friends schools will be taking on the challenge.
Event Day Procedure:
A.
- Your first stop after getting off the bus will be to go to your schools allocated area
and drop off all your gear, (someone will show you to your area)
- Your supervising teacher will then go directly to the registration tent / table and
collect your school’s participants packs.
- Each student receives their pack from supervising teacher at their allocated area.
- Pin large number onto the shirt you will be running in
Place the small sticker on the head stem of your bike.
Place the larger sticker on the front of your bike helmet.
- Body mark students number on to both upper arms and front of right thigh.
- Body mark students category (Grade level) on right calf ie: 3, 4, 10 etc
A. Once all your numbers are attached, take your bike and any gear you need to the entry point of transition for check in. Please wear your bike helmet as a technical official will check all gear in and out of transition. NO stickers, NO entry or exit.
A. You need to find your number on the bike racks and rack your bike at the correct number, then set up your riding / running shoes, sunglasses, caps etc for your race. Once this is done leave the transition area and return to your schools allocated area to wait for your call up, (announced over the P.A. system)
A. NO, only participants and supervising teachers are allowed in the transition area. Your individual event number on your shirt, bike and helmet must match in order to enter and exit the transition area.
A. The times that the transition area opens and closes will be listed in “Event Information” on the website and the event notice board near transition on the day. Make sure to arrive early so that you can be organized in transition well before events start.
A. A bag compound will be provide, this is somewhere safe that you may leave your bag while you complete the event. Alternatively, you may leave it in your schools allocated area with your supervising teacher.
A. NO, but there are public toilets at the race site.
A. Water only will be available before and after the start of each event. Fruit will be available in the recovery area after each event. NOTE: A BBQ also will be available on site all day with Gluten free 100% beef sausages and hamburgers, powerade and fruit juice. This will be a user pays set up. More details regarding this will be available closer to the event.
A. NO. Triathlon is an individual sport. No one other than competitors and officials are allowed on course during an event.
A. We'd love them to help out and be involved, please contact us through the Schools Triathlon Challenge website OR sign in at registrations on the day. It would help to let us know beforehand, so that we know how many volunteers we have, please drop an email to info@tritasschoolschallenge.com
Note: Individual Schools will also need parental assistance with the transport of bikes to and from the Schools Triathlon Challenge. Parents with trailers, vans or who can help transport are asked to contact their child’s school and let them know if you can help out.
A. No traffic will be able to access the roads being used for the Schools Triathlon Challenge. Full road closures will be in place for both days of events to ensure the safest and most enjoyable experience for all students and spectators.
A. There will be a large number of volunteers and marshals on course to make sure all participants complete the correct course.
Event Information:
Swim Leg
Swim / Wade Leg
## IMPORTRANT NOTE## SWIM OR WADE
The swim leg will be held in waist to shoulder depth water. It is encouraged that participants swim where possible, but as participation is the focus, we encourage all non swimmers to enter this event and wade the entire swim leg if required. You do not need to be a swimmer to enter this event.
A. Salt water, Bellerive Beach
.
A. Water testing has already been performed at this beach. Additional water tests are performed during the summer period. In the unlikely event that water tests show it is unsafe for swimming, a short run leg will be substituted for the swim.
A. The swim leg will start in waves determined by age (eg: Grade 6 boys, Grade 10 Girls). The number of waves for each group will also be determined by the overall number of entries in an age category.
A. The swim is organized by “waves” that is one or more divisions starting at specific times with a period of time in between. Wave start times are posted at the registration area and on the website. You must start in your correct wave so please make sure you have checked.
A. NO, swim caps will be provided in your participant pack. All participants must wear the swim cap provided.
A. YES, if you have one. As the swim leg will only be short however, they are not compulsory.
A. No, Triathlon rules don’t allow for the use of snorkels or flippers while swimming.
Bike Leg
A. NO, you can use any type of bike in good working order. Road bikes, BMX’s, Mountain Bikes etc are all welcome. NOTE: You cannot use Scooters in this event.
A. A. Bike Ride located in the centre of the city (74aLiverpool street, next to the mall) is a sponsor of the event and looks forward to dealing with questions you may have regarding servicing or purchase of bikes. Please make sure that your bike is in good working order prior to race day. The following bike maintenance Checklist will provide you with some tips about preparing your bike for the event..
A bike mechanic will be on site on race days. The bike mechanic will be available to do minor repairs and located near the transition area beginning at 8.30am on each morning. The bike mechanic will be available until the last participant is off the bike course.
A. After the last cyclist comes into the transition area. The transition manager will make a public announcement to notify athletes that it is OK to retrieve their bike and gear.
Run Leg
A. Yes all participants must wear closed shoes (preferably sandshoes) during the run leg. NO thongs or sandles may be worn during the run leg.
A. Yes, It is Triathlon Australia rules that all participants must have their torso covered on the run and ride portions of the triathlon. Your individual number should be pinned to the front of your running top.
Event Timing
A. There will be no official timing for this event as the emphasis is on participation, rather than competition. Participants may time themselves if they wish.
A. Once you cross the finish line, you will be given the Schools Triathlon Challenge Finishers Cap. You can then move to the recovery area where water and fruit will be available to refresh your self.
Information for Schools and Supervising Teachers
A. It is the school supervisor’s job to notify the bus driver of the drop off and pick up procedure to ensure the traffic management plan runs effectively. There will be officials present on the day to show you where to move to when you get to the event site at Bellerive Beach (behind the Cricket ground).
A. The events start / finish and transition area is located in the car park and park area opposite Bellerive Beach. The “Drop off Zone” is in Derwent Street on the park (cricket ground) side.
It is critical that once students have been dropped off at this location the bus leaves the immediate area and parks in the adjoining streets or in the car parks located in and around Bellerive Shopping village.
Parents attending the event are to do the same and walk to the event. There is plenty of parking in the streets around the event area.
Please keep Derwent Street and the transition area clear of traffic at all times. It is a “drop off zone” only, not to be used for parking thankyou.
While it is encouraged that each participant has their own bike for the event, where possible students may share a bike.
A. There are a number of ways we suggest you go about this.
- Encourage sharing of bikes between students (as long as they are not in the same race)
- Some bikes may be taken on the bus with students, (check with the bus company your school uses regarding their policy on bike transport, and how many they can fit underneath the bus etc)
- Parents may drop bikes directly to the event site on event day and leave them in transition (Transition will be open from 7.30am on event days)
- Some parents may choose to bring students directly to the event, minimising the number of students and bikes on the bus. (this must be arranged by individual schools)
- Organise a couple of parents to bring trailers to school on event day and have them take all the bikes to the event. They can then met you on site and help unload for students to move to transition.
- If the transport of bikes is a big issue in your school environment, encourage students to enter more relay teams than individual entries, thus lowering the number of bikes required.
- Please contact the organizers via the website if you would like to discuss the issue of bike transport further.
The Schools Triathlon Challenge now has the full support of the various School Sports Associations, many sponsors and supporters and the long term goal is that this event will become the premier school based lifestyle event for students in Hobart.
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