Race Instruction Details

1. There will be no race packet pick up on race day. You must pick up your race number, timing chip, swim cap,T-shirt and other materials the day before the race at the Santa Cruz Sentinel newspaper office located in downtown Santa Cruz at 207 Church Street, Santa Cruz, click for map. Race Packet Pickup will be from 10 am to: 3 pm on Saturday, September 23.

2. Bring your valid USA Triathlon card to race number pick-up. If you do not have your valid USA Triathlon card with you, you will be required to sign up for a one-day license. A one-day membership is $9. This year each relay participant team member must pay for a one-day fee unless you have a USA Triathlon annual membership card.

3. There is no required bike check for the Sentinel Triathlon. All competitors are strongly urged to take advantage of a free bike inspections in advance at The Spokesman Bicycles, 231 Cathcart St., Santa Cruz, (831) 429-6062 starting on Sept. 1.

4. Make sure that you properly wear your race numbers and timing chip. You will receive a timing chip and two numbers at the packet pickup The bicycle frame number goes on your bicycle's top tube, just behind the handlebars. The bib number must be worn on the front of your body during the entire run portion of the event. You will be body marked on race morning before the swim. Body marking will start at 6 am.

5. Go over 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 AND DETAILS WILL BE COVERED IN THE MANDATORY PRE-RACE MEETING ON THE MAIN BEACH AT LIFEGUARD TOWER #3 AT 7:45 AM)
See course maps page

6. For safety reasons there will be a fenced-in area on the beach that you will enter into crossing over a timing mat to account for you going into and then you will cross over a timing mat leaving the water. If for some reason you drop out of the race please let a race official know so they know you are safe.

7. Wetsuits will be allowed and are strongly encouraged. The water temperature is expected to be between 50° and 60° degrees.

8. Racking of bikes in transition area is first come first serve. Your bike must be on a bike rack. Please do not use more than one 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.

9. Athletes can walk or run their bike through the transition area. Chip timing is being used and racers need to walk/run bike across the timing mat to record their time. This is also a safety issue in the transition area.

10. Please review the bike course map.

11. The roads are open to traffic. Ride on the right hand side of the road unless instructed otherwise by a police officer or race official.

12. There will be water available on the run course at mile 2, the turn around and mile 4.

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

Special Instructions for relay teams

1. Each relay team will receive 1 race timing chip.

2. Each relay team member must pay for a one-day USA Triathlon membership ($9.00) unless they have a USA Triathlon annual membership card.

3. The timing chip is passed on after team members finish their event.

4. The timing chip must be worn on the left ankle by each relay team member in order for timing mats to record the time.

5. The race timing chip must be relayed from swimmer to cyclist to runner during the race. The timing chip must record each split or relay team will not be eligible for award participation.

6. Relay teams will have a SEPARATE FENCED AREA outside of the main transition area to rack bikes. The racks will be located on Bay Avenue.

7. The Relay Team Transition area will open at 6:30AM.

Rules and Instructions

SWIM - Final instructions will be delivered on the Main Beach by Lifeguard Tower No. 3 at 7:45 a.m. sharp. This is a mandatory meeting for all individual and team competitors. Wave-start lineup begins at 7:55 a.m. and no warm-up in the water will be allowed after this time.

Make sure you cross over the timing mat on as you enter the wave start line-up.

The first wave of swimmers goes off at 8:00 a.m. and will proceed on time, with or without you. It is mandatory that you start only at your designated time. See schedule below: 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 50° and 60° degrees - but no other swim or flotation devices may be used. Do not dive into shallow water. Upon exiting water swimmers will be guided to finish chute. Swimmers must proceed up hill to transition area designated as the "tag zone."

BIKE - Cyclist are required to wear a bike helmet that compiles with USCPSC Safety Standards for bicycle helmets.

You must rack your bike in the transition area.

This is NOT a closed bike course, so 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. 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 drafting is allowed at any time (see below) and will be monitored. Cyclists must wear approved helmets, which must be fastened at all times when on the bike. Water will be available in Davenport at the turn-around 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.

DRAFTING - The drafting rule that will be enforced is a simple one: cyclists may not ride within 3 bike lengths of the rider in front of them or within three feet of 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 (or her) bike.

RUN - The run is on West Cliff Drive foot and bike paths to the turnaround/aid station on Delaware Avenue behind Natural Bridges State Park. To insure that everyone runs the same distance, running on the street (except in the start/finish area and in the bike lane on Swanton and Delaware Streets at Natural Bridges State Park) is prohibited and may result in disqualification. Stay to the right at all times and be aware of pedestrian traffic on paths. There will be water stations at the turnaround and at Stockton Ave. (both out and back).

NUMBERS - Only numbered athletes will be allowed in the transition area. Athletes must wear their race number on their upper left arm, upper right leg. Please identify all equipment, such as your wetsuit, with name or race number. Race committee and sponsors are not responsible for lost or stolen equipment. Only numbered athletes will be allowed to remove bikes from transition area. As stated earlier, bikes must have number tags and runner must wear bib number.

MEDICAL - Medical teams provided by Dominican Hospital will be located at the end of the swim in the transition. There will also be medical assistance at the bike turnaround provided by the Davenport Fire Department. If you witness an accident, or in case of emergency, notify race marshals or go to the nearest telephone and dial 911.

TIMING - All preliminary times will be posted in the finish line area on race day morning as soon a possible. Complete results of every official finisher will be published in the Monday, September 25, 2007 edition of the Santa Cruz Sentinel. Results will also be posted on this web site at www.sentineltriathlon.org.

AWARDS - Finishers medals will be awarded to all competitors in the finish line chute after they have completed the race. Awards will be given to the top three finishers of each age group.

NOTE - Athletes must arrive at transition area by 6:45 a.m. at the latest in order to guarantee enough time to be numbered and be able to attend final instructions on the beach at 7:45 a.m.

Finally...

Once the race starts, you may receive no outside help or assistance, unless you drop out of the competition. If you dropout, please do not cross the finish line. Please contact race officials as soon as possible.

Due to race permit requirements, cut-off times will be in effect. To be allowed to continue in the race, all swimmers must be out of the water by 10:00 am, all cyclists off the bike course by 11:30 am The race will officially end and the run course declared closed at 12:30 pm All equipment must be removed from the transition area by 1 pm.

The race will be governed by safety standards and competitive rules as set forth in the Tri-Fed/USA triathlon guidebook.

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.

The Sentinel Triathlon is a non-profit event. Proceeds from the event are donated to the athletic programs of UC Santa Cruz, Cabrillo College, Santa Cruz County high schools, Santa Cruz Track Club, Long Marine Lab and Santa Cruz Triathlon Association.

If you have any questions you can email us at sentineltriathlon@santacruzsentinel.com