2024 Race Briefing

Welcome to the pre-race briefing for the 2024 Victoria Youth Triathlon. The race takes place this Sunday, June 9th, at the McKinnon building at the University of Victoria.

Race package pick up is on Saturday at the Trek Store, 332 Catherine Street in Victoria from 2 to 5 pm. There is a mandatory bike safety and helmet check during RPP. Stickers will be affixed to bikes and helmets that have passed inspection. Athletes will need to match race numbers to the bike stickers to remove their bike from transition following the race on Sunday. There will be limited package pick up available from 6 to 7 am on race morning for out of town athletes who are not able to pick up packages on Saturday.

Parking for the event on Sunday is available at the CARSA parkade off McKenzie Avenue, just west of Gabriola Road. Gabriola Road and Lot 2 (McKinnon) will be closed as of 5:30 am on Sunday.

Transition opens at 6:30 am on Sunday morning. Racks are assigned first come, first served by age group. Bikes should be racked eight to a rack, alternating side to side, hanging from the nose of the saddle. Bikes that are too small to hang from the racks may be placed on the ground under the appropriate rack. Each athlete should place their cycling and or running gear to the non-drive side of their bike. All gear must be stored so that it does not extend beyond the front wheel of the racked bike. There will be marshals and officials in transition during set up to assist athletes. Only athletes are allowed in transition with the exception of one adult to assist athletes in the 6-7 and 8-9 age groups. Only registered athletes are allowed in transition after 7:15 am. Transition closes for set up at 7:15.

After placing their bike and gear in transition athletes should proceed to the east entrance of the McKinnon pool for body marking and timing chip assignment. Timing chips may be secured to either ankle. Once you have your timing chip do not return to transition or cross any timing points. Athletes will cue outside the pool until their group is called into the pool by marshals. The swim starts with Super Series athletes at 7:30. Each Super Series athlete is assigned a lane and position for the swim and will complete 12 lengths of the pool, staying to the same lane and staying on the right side of their lane.

The age group swim swill start at 8:00, starting from the oldest age group and finishing with the youngest. Each age group swimmer will be started by the starter at 5 second intervals. Each age group will be directed to start in the appropriate lane with each swimmer doing one lap in each lane, staying left, and passing under the lane rope at the end of each lap so that they complete the correct swim distance in the last lane adjacent to the pool exit.

After completing the swim each athlete will proceed to the transition area and collect their bike and cycling gear. Your helmet must to secure on your head before you touch your bike. Each bike lap is 1.5K and each athlete will complete the correct number of laps for their age group according the chart below. Once you complete the correct number of laps you will return to transition and rack your bike in the same manner that it was previously racked. Do not undo your helmet until your bike is racked.

The run course is 500m or half a kilometre long. Each athlete will complete the correct number of run laps according to the chart below, On completing the last lap you will turn right into the finish shoot and cross the finish line. Do not enter the finish shoot until your last lap as doing so may result in disqualification.

Distances by age group:

6-7 – 50m swim, 1.5K bike, 500m run
8-9 – 100m swim, 3K bike, 1K run
10-11 – 150m swim, 4.5K bike, 1.5K run
12-13 – 200m swim, 6K bike, 2K run
14-17 – 300m swim, 7.5K bike, 2.5K run
Junior relay – 150m swim, 4.5K bike, 1.5K run
Senior relay – 300m swim, 7.5K bike, 2.5K run

Super Series – 300m swim, 9K bike. 3K run

Relay team members will exchange in transition next to their bike. The swimmer will start with the timing chip, passing it to the cyclist after the swim. The chip must be secure to the cyclist’s ankle before their bike is unracked. Once the cyclist has complete the bike they will rack their bike before passing the chip to the runner who will secure the chip to their ankle before leaving transition.

Awards will be at 10:30 am adjacent to the finish line. Winners must be present to collect their award.

Romeos Hillside will be serving pizza to participants during the awards.

If you have questions regarding this information or anything else about the race, please do not email the Race Director. We will be available at RPP to answer questions and if you have questions on race morning, ask one of our amazing volunteers.

Remember to thank our sponsors: Kersten Orthodontics, Arbutus Physiotherapy and Health Centre, Trek Bikes Victoria, Ting Ting Athletics, and Romeos Hillside.