Henley-on-Thames Triathlon

Gillotts School, Gillotts Lane, Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, RG9 1PS

Sunday 13th July 2008

Thank you for entering the inaugural Henley-on-Thames Triathlon!

Please take some time to read all the information on this sheet, it will make the race far more enjoyable for you and reduce the need to ask many questions on the day.

Please click here for course maps

Good luck and have a great race! Vic Bickerton, Event Director.

DIRECTIONS
From the M40 north or south use Junction 6, (if you take Junction 4 through Henley town centre, you will encounter long delays due to the Henley Festival!) follow signs for Watlington on the A4009, at Watlington follow the B480 that changes to the B481 to Nettlebed. Stay on the A481 heading toward Highmoor Cross, Rotherfield Peppard and Sonning Common. At Rotherfield Peppard turn left following the “Triathlon Parking” signs onto Dog Lane heading toward Henley. From this point follow signs for “Triathlon Parking”.

From the M4 head into Reading centre and take the B481 heading to Sonning Common. Immediately after Sonning Common you will come to Rotherfield Peppard where you turn right heading for Henley following the “Triathlon Parking” signs.

PARKING
There is strictly no parking at the school itself! Follow the signs for "Triathlon Parking". There is a voluntary donation of £3 for all day parking that will be donated to local charities. It is a 15 minute walk from the car park to registration and will be signposted. You must not park on the main road or any residential streets. If you wish to park elsewhere, please continue straight on into Henley and park at one of the towns pay and display car parks.

VOLUNTEERS WANTED
Do you have family or friends supporting you at the Henley-on-Thames Triathlon? We are always recruiting volunteers for the race, on all areas from timing through to finish line refreshments. No experience is necessary and every volunteer receives a pair of designer Sundog sports sunglasses worth £35.00, the official race T-shirt, food and drink for the duration and lots of thanks as we rely so much on volunteers to make the event possible. If you would like to help out please email Keith at keith@uktriathlon.co.uk or call him direct on 07887 780553 he will be delighted to hear from you.

RACE DAY PHOTOGRAPHY
The official race photographers are Sportcam and they will be positioned around the course. Please make sure you have your race number clearly visible so you can check out your photographs on the website at www.sportcam.net a couple of days after the race.

REFRESHMENTS
There is on site catering at the event serving hot & cold food & drink.

FACILITIES
Toilets and showers are available at the leisure centre (Open from 9:00am).

HOTEL, B&B & CAMPING
For hotel, guesthouses, B&B & camping contact Henley Tourist Information on 01491 578034 or http://www.visithenley-on-thames.co.uk/
There is camping and caravanning on the school field for Saturday night only. Just turn up and pitch behind the large white registration marquee! There is a voluntary donation for parking and pitching of £5.00 that will be donated to local charities. Please make your donation in the marked box at registration. Please note you cannot drive your vehicle off the field until the last cyclist has completed the course. Estimated time for this is 1:30pm and there will be no exceptions.

MASSAGE
Pre and post race massage will be available on race day.

TRI UK Retail Stand
For all the best in triathlon bikes, clothing and equipment look no further. TRI UK will be located next to the registration marquee from Saturday afternoon through to Sunday for those last minute emergencies or just to treat yourself! For sales, product information, wetsuit hire or a mail order catalogue call 07000 874 854

BTA MEMBERS
We support membership of the BTA and therefore we recognize BTA members. In order to verify your BTA Membership please show your 2008 BTA licence at registration or you will be required to pay the £5.00 difference. The £5.00 extra that non-BTA members have already paid is the cost of a PRO TRI day licence that allows you to compete.

THE RACE IN GENERAL
It is recommended that competitors arrive as early as possible to familiarise themselves with the layout of the event. The race is run from the indoor swimming pool at the leisure centre next to Gillotts School in intervals throughout the day, starting at 10:00am. First you must go to registration, located in the marquee on the school field at the rear of the school, (Open on Saturday 1pm-4:00pm & Sunday from 08:30am) to register and collect your race numbers.
Your race numbers must be worn on your front and back and are not to be mutilated or re-sized in any way, they must be pinned in all four corners. Number belts are permitted but both numbers must be displayed front and back and pinned in the top left and right hand corners.
It is good practice to write your name, blood group and any allergies you may have on the back of your race number in the unfortunate case of an accident! Please note, for yours and other competitors safety, mobile phones, MP3 or any type of personal music system that restricts your hearing is not permitted whilst competing in the event.

Register at least 60 minutes before your start time. You cannot change your start time!

Once registered, lay out anything you require for the final run section of the triathlon in the transition area next to the registration marquee (any position is fine) such as running shoes or maybe a cap. Then take your cycle to the pool (Please note that the swimming pool is located within the leisure centre at the front of the school and is sign posted) and rack it along with items you require for the cycle section of the triathlon such as helmet, sunglasses, shoes, vest or T-shirt (with your number pinned on it!).

Please do not rack your cycle in the swim to bike transition area outside of the swimming pool earlier than 15 minutes prior to your start time.

Make sure you have your race number with you to enter either of the transition areas, as security will require it. When leaving equipment in the transition area, please note that we cannot be responsible for any items lost or stolen, although we are allocating security staff to specifically watch the transition area. Please be on the poolside 10 minutes before your start time (late comers will regretfully be turned away).

SWIM (Sprint & Relay 400M/Fun 200M)
The pool is 25 metres long, 16 lengths for the Sprint & Relay, 8 lengths for the Fun. Tumble turns are not allowed. Competitors will be started at 20 second intervals for the Sprint and Relay Triathlons and 15 second intervals for the Fun Triathlon.

The swim course is very straightforward and there are signs and stewards to help if you get confused, don’t worry it’s easy! You swim the required number of lengths in each lane and then switch into the next lane and so on. It is up to you to count your own lengths, there will be spot checks throughout the course of the race. A swim cap will be allocated to you at the poolside which you must wear, please take it off when you exit the pool (please don’t make us chase you for it!). If you have your own swim cap you may use it. Please take extra care on the poolside floor and steps with wet feet, as it will be slippery!

When you finish your swim, change into your cycling gear in the transition area (make sure your torso is covered for the cycle section). Use the TRI UK carrier bag with your race number on that you received at registration to put any items in from the swim (such as goggles or a towel), leave it next to where your cycle was in the transition area and a marshal will return it to the registration marquee for you to collect after completing the race (you must show your race number to retrieve your bag!).

BIKE (Sprint, Relay & Fun 20K)
You must fasten your helmet before taking your cycle off the rack. Walk or run to the cycle mount line where you commence the cycle section of the race.

The course is mainly flat with some undulations. Follow the signs around the course and do not turn until you see a marshal and or a sign. Please take extra care at all junctions although there are marshals present, they are not there to stop the traffic. There is a very narrow section of the course at the end of the lap. Please take extra special care along this section and keep well in to the left to avoid any potential oncoming traffic. The final 200 metres of the course is inside the school grounds. Please also take extra special care on this section as there will be general public walking alongside with only cones to separate you.
Dismount your cycle at the end of the cycle course, a marshal will tell you, do not unfasten your helmet until you have racked your cycle and do not ride your cycle in the transition area.
Important! You will not be allowed to take part without a cycle helmet (NO HELMET NO RACE).

Ride your bike in a responsible manner and obey the Highway Code, please consider other road users and above all RIDE SAFELY. Irresponsible cycling will constitute an immediate disqualification and possible prosecution from the Police!

DRAFTING
Cyclists must maintain a forward distance of 5 metres between each other at all times except when overtaking when it is the responsibility of the overtaken rider to drop back to maintain this gap. Drafting marshals will strictly enforce this rule and offending cyclists will receive a time penalty then disqualification on the second offence.

RUN (Sprint & Relay 5K/Fun 2.5K)
When you finish your cycle, change into your running kit in the transition area (make sure your torso is covered for the run section). The run is on grass (4 laps for Sprint & Relay) (2 laps for Fun). Follow the posts and tape around the course. It is up to you to count your laps on the run, marshals will be taking numbers as a check in the case of suspected insufficient laps completed. There is a feed station on each lap that will be serving Gatorade isotonic sports drink and water. When you have finished the run filter into the finish area which is signed!

RELAY TEAMS
Each member of the relay team completes one of the disciplines in the triathlon. At registration you will be given a wristband that you have to relay to the finish line. After completing the swim, the swimmer then passes the wristband to the cyclist inside the swim to cycle transition area next to where the cycle is racked, the cyclist must not take their cycle off the rack until receiving the wristband. The cyclist completes the cycle course and passes the band over to the runner in the cycle to run transition area only when the cycle has been placed on the rack. The runner completes the run and hands in the band at the finish line. Relay awards are based on all male and all female teams.

RESULTS
Results will be available to view shortly after the event has finished and published on the website at www.uktriathlon.co.uk on Monday 14th July.

PRIZES
There are prizes for top 3 male & female in both races. In addition there will be prizes for all age groups in the Sprint Triathlon as well as spot prizes from our sponsors, so stay around for the prize giving which will take place shortly after the last competitor has finished.

Important note to all competitors as your safety is paramount to us.
The Henley-on-Thames Triathlon is registered, sanctioned and governed by PRO TRI a none bias association dedicated to delivering professional health and safety, risk assessment, rules and refereeing guidance to the UK Triathlon Race Series.
Whether you are a BTA member or not, you are covered by The UK Triathlon Race Series public liability insurance.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Many thanks to all that have made this event possible especially all at Gillotts School, TRI UK, 220 Triathlon, Sundog, Gatorade, Saucony, Henley-on-Thames Police, Henley-on-Thames local council and anyone else that has helped in anyway.