Thank you
for entering the 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 £45.00, 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 Julie at julie@uktriathlon.co.uk
or call Keith direct on 07887 780553, they 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 8:00am).
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 2:15pm 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 or
visit triuk.com
BTF MEMBERS
We support membership of the BTF and therefore we recognise
BTF members. In order to verify your BTF Membership
please show your 2009 BTF licence at registration or
you will be required to pay the £5.00 difference.
The £5.00 extra that non BTF 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 09:00am. First
you must go to registration, located in the marquee
on the school field at the rear of the school, (Open
on Saturday 2pm-5pm & Sunday from 07:45am)
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.
| Sprint &
Relay Triathlon |
4
lengths in a clockwise direction in each 4 lanes
to total 16 lengths |
| |
|
|
| Fun Triathlon |
2
lengths in a clockwise direction in each 4 lanes
to total 8 lengths |
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 25k & Fun 12.5K)
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.
| Sprint
and Relay Triathlons |
2
laps of the course |
| |
|
| Fun Triathlon |
1 lap of
the course |
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.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Many thanks to all that have made this event possible
especially all at Gillotts School, TRI UK, 220 Triathlon,
Sundog, Gatorade, Asics, Henley-on-Thames Police, Henley-on-Thames
local council and anyone else that has helped in any
way.
