Race Start

Click here for a Google Map to the wild park in Blue Diamond where the swimming pool and race start are located.  Parking is a few blocks away near the NW entrance to Blue Diamond and will be directed with signs and volunteers on race day. 

Swim Course

Starts

We will be starting the triathlon by age groups and self-estimated swim times, beginning with the oldest and fastest and ending with the youngest. The Long Course racers will go first, followed by the Sprint Course. The Parent-Assist category will go last. At 7:30 all athletes are required to be in the pool area to line up in their assigned start rows. Once everyone is lined up, parents will be asked to leave and the announcer will go over the rules with the racers. We suggest the athletes enter the pool area wrapped in a large towel.

The parent/guardian is responsible for getting the athlete to the event with sufficient time to be completely set up before the 7:30 athlete orientation meeting at the pool. Swimmers are started and timed by pre-assigned numbers. Missing the start time will mean missing the event. The organizers will try to accommodate any unusual circumstances but there is no guarantee that such can be done.

Long Course Swim

Long Course swimmers will line up along the NE wall and start one at a time in 20 second increments. After the first swimmer starts, the next swimmer will get in and get ready for his/her start in 20 seconds. They will be swimming 250 yards, serpentine-style, across the pool and back 10 times (5 x 50 yds) as such: up the right (NE) side of lane one, turn, down the right (SW) side of lane one, go under the lane divider, then up and down lane two, repeated for four lanes. NO DIVE STARTS.

Short Course Swim­­

Short Course swimmers will line up in four lines approaching the SE wall of the pool, behind four cones. Each lane will have an attendant to help the kids get in and out of the pool and get started on time. There are 5 lanes in the pool. All lanes will be used simultaneously. Short course swimmers will start in 30 second increments, swim to the far end of the lane, turn around, and swim back. Swim aids may be used so long as they don’t provide a time advantage. For example, fins are not allowed because they make you faster, but floaties and kickboards may be used if needed.

Swim Aids

Swim aids such as kickboards or flotation devices will be allowed. No performance enhancing devices such as fins or noodles (pulled by someone else) will be allowed, except for athletes in the parent-assist category where anything goes.

Parent Assist Swim

The parent-assist swimmers will follow the same route as the short course swimmers, but with the assistance of a parent in the water.  There will be no penalties for assistance of any type in this category.