To help make your day more enjoyable, safe and hassle free, please read the following important information:

 

Courses

It is the racers responsibility to know the course. All course descriptions are identified under Events section. Please refer to the Events section and the coinciding event for detailed course descriptions and safety instructions.

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Race Morning Packet Pick Up

Opens at 5:30am to 8:45am. It is located adjacent to tansition in the Garden Project Building parking lot. All athletes must be present with a photo I.D. to receive a packet. NO I.D., no race. This is USA Triathlon rule in place for insurance purposes. There is a $20 cash or check convenience fee to pick up on race morning. Proceeds benefit the local high schools and collegiate sports. 

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OLYMPIC TRIATHLON, RELAY, AQUABIKE, OPEN WATER SWIM

Body-marking will start when transition opens at 6 a.m. Transition closes at 7:30 am for Olympic course.

Review the race course before the race. It is the responsibility of each athlete to know the race course and any potential hazards which may exist on it. Note: Any course changes will be covered pre-race on Main Beach at Lifeguard Tower #3 at 7:45 a.m.

Please review the bike course.

Highway 1 is open to traffic. Ride on the right-hand side of the road unless instructed otherwise by a police officer or race official.

Gatorade will be available on the bike course at the Davenport turn-around.

There will be water and Gatorade drink available on the run course at mile 1.5, the turnaround and mile 4.5.

Timing chips must be turned in at the finish line or athlete will be responsible for the cost of the timing chip.  All equipment must be removed from the transition area  by 1 p.m. Please enjoy the race amenities i.e. food, replenishments and awards ceremony, but do not leave the premises without your items. Although we try our very best to secure the transition area, racers are responsible for their personal items once their race is finished. Items left behind will be donated to charity. The race will be governed by safety standards and competitive rules as set forth in the Competitive Rules of USA Triathlon. USA Triathlon officials will enforce all rules. Under USA triathlon rules — any protest of a penalty must be filed within 60 minutes of the athlete’s completion of the race. The Rule violation report will be posted on the results board, which will be located in the finish line area. The Head Referee is responsible for addressing any rule protest.

 

SPRINT TRIATHLON, AQUATHLON

Body-marking will start when transition opens at 8 a.m. Transition closes at 9:00 am.

Review the race course before the race. It is the responsibility of each athlete to know the race course and any potential hazards which may exist on it. Note: Any course changes will be covered pre-race on Cowell Beach in front of the Dream Inn at 9:15 a.m.

Please review the bike course. The bike course has changed due to the storm damage on West Cliff Drive.

The bike course closes at the turnaround at 11 a.m. All cyclists must be returning on their second lap. There will be water and Gatorade drink available on the run course at the turnaround.

Timing chips must be turned in at the finish line or athlete will be responsible for the cost of the timing chip.

Due to race permit requirements, cut-off times will be in effect throughout the race. To be allowed to continue in the race, all swimmers must be out of the water by 10:30 a.m., all cyclists off the bike course by 11:30 a.m. The race will officially end and the run course declared closed at 12:30 p.m.. All equipment must be removed from the transition area  by 1 p.m. Please enjoy the race amenities i.e. food, replenishments and awards ceremony, but do not leave the premises without your items. Although we try our very best to secure the transition area, racers are responsible for their personal items once their race is finished. Items left behind will be donated to charity. The race will be governed by safety standards and competitive rules as set forth in the Competitive Rules of USA Triathlon. USA Triathlon officials will enforce all rules. Under USA triathlon rules — any protest of a penalty must be filed within 60 minutes of the athlete’s completion of the race. The Rule violation report will be posted on the results board, which will be located in the finish line area. The Head Referee is responsible for addressing any rule protest.

 

Don’t Forget…

Make sure that you and your equipment are properly identified with race numbers and that you are wearing your timing chip upon entrance of transition. Timing chip is worn on your left ankle. You will receive a timing chip and three number stickers at packet pick-up. The bicycle frame number sticker goes on your bicycle’s top tube, just behind the handlebars. The bib number goes on your shirt via safety pins or a race belt. The smaller sticker number goes on the front of your helmet. You will be body-marked on race morning before the swim. Please apply sunscreen/glide/lotion after you get body marked.

Racking of bikes in transition area is first come, first served, with special sections for Relay, Sprint, Aquabike and Olympic. Your bike must be on a bike rack, racked by the seat, not by the handlebars. Please do not use more than one space for your transition area. Racers transition equipment must be set up to the left of the bike. All bike racks must be used to maximum capacity. Your transition gear will be moved if you use more than your allotted room.

There will be a designated area in transition for Aquathlon racers near the Medical Tent.

Athletes can walk or run — NOT RIDE — their bike through the transition area.

Timing chips must be turned in at the finish line or athlete will be responsible for the cost of the timing chip.

No outside help or assistance is allowed while you are competing. Once the race starts, you may receive no outside help or assistance, unless you drop out of the competition. If you drop out, contact the race officials as soon as possible and do not cross the finish line. Please contact race officials as soon as possible. No private vehicles or assistance to riders will be allowed on the bike course, including Highway 1. Failure to obey this rule will result in disqualification.

 

SWIM RULES:

Final instructions will be delivered prior to race start. Make sure you cross over the timing mat on as you enter the wave start line-up. To begin your swim, you must cross over a timing mat in a fenced-in area on the beach. You must also cross over a timing mat leaving the water.

The first wave of swimmers goes off at 8 a.m. (Olympic) and 9:35 a.m. (Sprint) and will proceed at 5 minute intervals, with or without you. It is mandatory that you start only at your designated time. All swimmers must wear the official race swim cap of appropriate color provided and extra caps will be available on the beach.

If you need help during the swim, raise one arm or yell to a lifeguard for assistance.

Wetsuits are strongly recommended. Water temperatures usually range from 55° and 60° degrees. No other swim or flotation devices or snorkels may be used. Do not dive into shallow water. Upon exiting, swimmers will be guided to the transition area. Relay swimmers must proceed to the “tag zone” transition area. Aquahtlon racers must cross the timing mat in transiton before heading out onto the run.

 

BIKE RULES:

Cyclists are required to wear a helmet that complies with USCPSC Safety Standards for bicycle helmets.

The approved helmet must be fastened at all times while on the bike.

You must rack your bike in the transition area on a bike rack. Racking of bikes in transition area is first come first served. Your bike must be on a bike rack. Please do not use more than one rack space for your transition area. All bike racks must be used to maximum capacity. Your transition gear will be moved if you use more than your allotted room space.

The Olympic course is NOT a closed bike course. Cyclists should be aware of vehicular traffic, stay to the right, and stay in the bike lanes at all times where they are available. Upon exiting transition area, cyclists must obey ALL traffic laws.

Cyclists are reminded to follow all rules and traffic laws unless directed to do otherwise by a uniformed peace officer or race official. The USA Triathlon officials will be active on Hwy. 1 and will enforce all race rules.

Cyclists must follow instructions of race officials, volunteers and law enforcement officers at all times. No ear buds or personal audio devices are allowed on the course. (USAT rules and City of Santa Cruz requirement).

No drafting is allowed at any time (see below). USAT officials will monitor the course. Cyclists must wear approved helmets, which must be fastened at all times when on the bike. Plastic Water and Gatorade Endurance Formula will be available in Davenport at the turn-around point in plastic water bottles. No private vehicles or assistance to riders will be allowed on the bike course, including Highway 1. Failure to obey this rule will result in disqualification.

The drafting rule that will be enforced is a simple one: cyclists may not ride within three bike lengths of a rider in front of them or within three feet of from a rider to the side. Cyclists have 15 seconds to complete a pass through this “drafting zone”. A cyclist must back off 3 bike lengths as soon as the front wheel of the passing rider moves ahead of his/her bike.

 

RUN RULES:

The run is on West Cliff Drive foot and bike paths to the turnaround/aid station on Swanton Avenue near Natural Bridges State Park. To insure that every racer runs the same distance, running on the street (except in the start/finish area and in the bike lane on Swanton) is prohibited and may result in disqualification. Racers must run to the right at all times and be aware of pedestrian traffic on paths. There will be water stations will be available at mile 1.5, the turn-around point and at mile 4.5.

 

TRANSITION AREA:

There is a zero-tolerance policy for eating and drinking inside the transition area. No food or drinks may be consumed or opened within the fenced area of the soccer fields/transition area. If you are seen eating or drinking within transition, you will be disqualified. Athletes may have nutrition inside transition, but it may not be consumed. This is due to the turf grass and they City permitting rules. Only athletes, properly numbered and with an athlete's bracelet, will be allowed in and out of the transition areas. Athletes must be marked with their race number; on their upper left arm, on their left calf, front of their body during the run (bib pinned to shirt or attached to race belt) and on their bike frame with number sticker. Please identify all additional equipment, such as your wetsuits, with name or race number.

Race committee and sponsors to The Santa Cruz Triathlon are not responsible for lost or stolen equipment. Only properly identified athletes will be allowed to remove bikes from transition area. As stated earlier, bikes must have corresponding number tags and racers must be wearing their bib number.