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Triathlon Ireland Category 1 Athlete Guide 2016

Dear Athlete,

Welcome to the second season of the Triathlon Ireland Super Series.

Congratulations once again on your Category 1 status, which makes you one of the top ranked athletes in the country.

Looking back on 2015, we had two successful and enjoyable draft legal championship events. It is however, only the second year of the Super Series and we are continually learning and hoping to improve the races as the series develops but I believe the events provide an exciting, head to head format for our top domestic athletes.

Following on from athlete feedback, all six Super Series events this year will be draft-legal. New venues this year include the Two Provinces Triathlon, located in Longford and the Firmus City of Derry.

This season we are also introducing an exciting club element to the Super Series with scoring based around the points of the top two males and top female from each club.

Congratulations once again on your Category 1 qualification and we wish you a fantastic season's racing.

Kind regards

Chris Kitchen

CEO Triathlon Ireland

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2015 Super Series Winners

Rachael Hawker

What was your experience of the 2015 Super Series?

“I really enjoyed the Super Series. Having fewer races meant you knew it was always going to be competitive which was a bit scary but also exciting. It was nice seeing the same people at each race and getting to know everyone a bit better than in the National Series.”

What did it mean to you to win it?

“I was really happy to win and be able to compete for a podium in most races. Before the first race, I wasn't sure what sort of level the field would be at and where I'd fit in or whether I should still be in the age-groups.”

Are you racing this year's series and what do you expect from it?

Yeah I'll be racing this year and I'm really looking forward to it. I think it's probably going to be more competitive and hopefully with quite a few more women in the field, which will hopefully help everyone get faster!

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Aidan Callaghan

What was your experience of the 2015 Super Series?

“The 2015 Super Series was a great event and schedule of events. It ensured excellent racing for each of the events and added more of a competitive edge to the season as a whole. T.I have made some changes this year which should improve the series again.

What did it mean to you to win it?

“It was great for me to win it and I was delighted with how the season went for me. I put a massive effort in all year, the results came my way and I had a little bit of luck in the final race. The rest of the lads are all top class athletes, some with very bright futures, to be in among them competing for the year was great, winning it was a bonus.

Are you racing this year's series and what do you expect from it?

“At this stage I don't aim to complete the whole series, I'm concentrating on longer distance events this year… I will take part in a few events in the series throughout the season though, the Firmus Energy Sprint in Derry and possibly the Nationals, in Hell of the West and maybe Sligo. “

“With the series being in its 2nd year everyone will know what to expect and have learned a lot from last year, athletes will be looking to build on their experiences and make gains on last year’s performances, so the racing should be great. “

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2016 SUPER SERIES OVERVIEW

The Triathlon Ireland (TI) Super Series consists of six events, one of which is assigned the Sprint

National Championships and one the Standard Distance National Championships. All six events

are draft legal and ITU rules for AG draft legal bike set up will apply.

Date Race Distance Event registration closing date

19/06/2016 Firmus Energy City of Derry Sprint 12th June

25/06/2016 Hell of the West Triathlon NC Standard 1st June

16/07/2016 Two Provinces Sprint Triathlon NC Sprint 1st July

06/08/2016 Hazelwood Sprint Triathlon Sprint 3rd August

28/08/2016 Dublin City Sprint Triathlon Sprint 30th June

17/09/2016 Pulse Port Beach Sprint Triathlon 2016 Sprint 26th August

The series caters for the top male and female athletes in the country (CAT 1, circa 160 males

and 110 females) providing the most competitive environment for athletes to race head to

head.

Triathlon Ireland launched the Super Series in 2015, modelled on the British Super Series,

French GP Series and USAT Super Series and thanks to the support of athletes, clubs and race

organisers it's was a fantastic spectacle during its first year.

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1. SELECTION CRITERIA

Criteria Male Placing Female Placing

2014/15 Sprint National Championships

Top 20 Top 20

2014/15 Standard National Championships

2014 Vodafone National Series Overall

2015 Vodafone National Series Overall

Assessed Applications

Selected National Federation Programme

Athletes

2. SCORING

Individual Series Scoring

2.1 Super Series Scoring will be based off an athlete’s best 4 results over any distance with 1000 points on offer for the winner of the Sprint and Standard National Championship and 700 for the winner of another Super Series event. Scoring for the second and subsequent positions will be based on a 7.5% reduction per position.

2.2. The winners of the Super Series will be determined by the sum of the best 2 scores for sprint distance and the best 2 scores for standard distance for each athlete. The winners of the National Championships will be determined by the placing in the relevant distance race.

2.3. Only Category 1 athletes are eligible to race the Super Series

Club Series Scoring 2.4. The Club Series is based on a clubs top two males and one female athletes in

each series race (3 athletes in total). The teams are allocated points by each athlete’s finishing position. The club series will be a running calculation and published after each Super Series event

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3. PRIZES

Super Series Prizes

3.1 €1500 minimum prize fund per race to be evenly distributed among CAT 1 top 10 male and female competitors.

3.2 Club Series – Perpetual trophy presented at the National Awards for 1st place,

3.3 Zone 3 First to T1 Competition - For the 2016 Super Series, Zone 3 - the official swim sponsor of Triathlon Ireland will provide prizes to the first male and first female swimmer to enter T1 at each Super Series race. A voucher will be issued to the individual on the day of the event.

Vodafone National Series Prizes

1. Cat 1 athletes are eligible for overall and age group prizes in the Vodafone National Series.

2. Cat 1 athletes are not eligible to score points in the Vodafone National Series

Non National Series Prizes

3. Cat1 athletes are eligible for all prizes and age group prizes

4. AUTOMATIC QUALIFICATION

4.1 As a Cat1 athlete you automatically qualify to represent Ireland at any ITU/ETU Age Group Championship event. For more information please contact orla@triathlonireland.com or visit:

http://www.triathlonireland.com/Participation/Age-Group-Selection/

5. REGISTRATION FOR EVENTS

1. In 2016 there will be 65 male and 35 female places reserved for CAT 1 competitors, these places are only reserved for CAT 1 specific races.

2. Places have been reserved in each race to ensure all CAT 1 athletes have an opportunity to register in advance of the event. Each race will have a dedicated entry system

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through the Triathlon Ireland website separate to age groups to allow consistent timing and race entry lists to be obtained.

6. MANDATORY RULES

1. To be eligible you must hold a current Triathlon Ireland race licence or a race licence for any National Federation. You must be prepared to show your up to date membership card at any of the events upon the request of the event organiser. There is a specific Category1 race licence, which is gold for 2016.

2. IMPORTANT: For your Cat 1 Super Series points to be valid in 2016 , you must complete the Real Winner online certificate on or before the 15th July 2016.

Athletes who do not complete the Real Winner certificate by this date will be allowed to continue racing but their points will not be valid towards the competition. (Athletes who completed the certificate during 2015 are exempt from this provision.)

Click to Complete: “Real Winner”

For more helpful information on Clean Sport and how best to avoid inadvertent doping for you as a CAT1 athlete, please see TI Website here.

Any Anti-Doping questions can be directed to mary@triathlonireland.com, 01 2741032

or 0833575348

3. Each Super Series event is listed on the Triathlon Ireland race calendar and has its own dedicated entry system. It is the responsibility of the athletes to ensure they register for the event in a timely manner to ensure the secure a placing. Registration must be complete before the cut off dates*. In 2016 there will be 65 male and 35 female places reserved for CAT 1 competitors, these places are only reserved for CAT 1 specific races.

*Cut off dates are emailed through correspondence from events@triathlonireland.com

4. If a CAT 1 competitor cannot attend an event they have registered for, it is the responsibility of the athlete to inform the Triathlon Ireland office to ensure their place can be released.

5. All CAT 1 competitors will receive a separate race briefing 1 hr before the start of their event, failure to show will result in that competitor being removed from the start line.

If a CAT 1 competitor informs the race organiser or TO before the CAT 1 specific race briefing that they are unable to make the start line due to unforeseen circumstances then TI will review the above rulings.

6. Only CAT 1 athletes are eligible to race the Super Series

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7. CAT 1 competitors MUST have their race number clearly displayed on their swim hats, they MUST be body marked (race number) and their race number should be clearly visible on their back and front during the cycle and run section of the event. This is the responsibility of the athlete.

8. CAT 1 competitors are not permitted the use of disc brakes on their bikes during a draft legal event.

9. Time Trial bikes are not permitted. See bike set up below.

10. Competitors are reminded that it is their responsibility to know the competition rules of the race they are taking part in, and this extends to ensuring your bike setup conforms to the rules. Compliance with the bike setup rules should be checked well in advance of competition, and not left to the day of the race.

11. Please note competition rules are the ITU rules.

7. PHOTOGRAPHY

7.1 Cameras & Video Cameras

7.1.1) Any equipment or devices carried during the bike segment or added to the bike are subject to approval by the Chief Technical Official before the race. Non approved devices are forbidden and may result in the disqualification of the athlete; 7.1.2) For cameras and video cameras, in addition to requiring approval from the Chief Technical Official, all the images and footage must be submitted to TI. The use of those images for commercial purpose is subject to approval by TI.

7.2 Images

Permission and consent to the taking and use of photographs and/or video footage in which you the athlete feature at sporting events, the athlete understands that these may be used in the promotion of the activities of Triathlon Ireland and related companies, clubs, societies and selected third parties.

These photographs will only be used in keeping with Triathlon Ireland Safeguarding Code’s “Guidelines on use of Photographic and Filming Equipment” which is available at www.triathlonireland.com.

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8. DRAFT LEGAL – BIKE SET UP

8.1 Frames

The basis for these rules is the same as Cycle Road Racing, therefore Time Trial bikes are not permitted.

Often time trial bikes are easily identifiable as the model description is described as xxxTT as opposed to a road race bike xxxR.

ITU Rules – 5.2 b). These rules provide further details on what constitutes legal bike frames.

The frame of the bike shall be of a traditional pattern, i.e., built around a closed frame of straight or tapered tubular elements, (which may be round, oval, flattened, teardrop shaped or otherwise in cross-section)

ITEM Min. DIMENSIONS Max DIMENSIONS

Bike size (long) 185 cm

Bike width 50 cm

Ground to chain axel 24 cm 30 cm

Front wheel axel to chain axel 54 cm 65 cm

Saddle Fore-Aft position (measured from the centre of chain axel)

5 cm (in front of vertical line)

15 cm (behind vertical line)

Wheel diameter 55 cm 70 cm

Brake pad surface 25 mm

Handlebar --- high point to lowest point 10 cm

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Saddle fore-aft position Front to centre distance

8.2 Wheels

ITU wheel rules mean that legal wheels fall into two general categories, standard wheels and nonstandard wheels. In summary, they are defined as follows:

Brake on each wheel

Competitors are not permitted the use of disc brakes on their bikes during a draft legal event

Wheels must be of equal diameter

Wheels must have at least 12 metal spokes

Spokes can be round, flattened or oval (but must not exceed 10 mm)

Max. rim width dimensions will be 25 mm (this is the area where the brake pads make contact)

8.3 Handlebars

Only traditional drop handlebars are permitted

Clip on bars are not permitted

Bars must be plugged

No water bottle holders on the handlebars

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8.4 Saddles

There will be a vertical line touching the front-most point of the saddle, which will be no less than 5 centimetres for the men and 2 centimetres for the women, behind a vertical line passing through the centre of the chain wheel axle, and an athlete must not have the capability of adjusting the saddle beyond these lines during competition.

8.5 Helmet Guidelines

All helmets must be cycling helmets and must comply with the required markings;

ANSIZ90.4

SNELLB90

EN1078

The above are some of the most common markings found on a helmet, the EN1078 is the most

popular in Ireland. Aero helmets (teardrop helmets and those with tails) are not permitted for

draft legal events.

8.6 Transition

The following will be checked on entry into the transition area;

Wheels must have at least 12 spokes.

Disc wheels are not permitted.

Only traditional drop handlebars can be used and must be plugged.

“Clip-on” aero bars are not permitted.

8.7 Race Waves

For the draft legal events, CAT 1 male will go first followed by CAT 1 female.

9. APPEALS PROCEDURE

If you have wish appeal a decision made on the day of an event please ensure you follow the appeals process in line with the ITU rules.

If you are unhappy with a decision made by the Triathlon Ireland concerning your entitlement to race as a Category1 athlete, you have the right of appeal to the decision.

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How do I appeal?

Please note: If you wish to appeal a decision made, you have 14 days from the date of the

decision to lodge the appeal.

You can appeal by sending an email to events@triathlonireland.com setting out the grounds of

the appeal.

NOTE: It is important that you set out your case fully and provide grounds for the appeal.

DISCLAIMER

The information contained within the document is believed to be correct at the time of publication. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information. The rules referenced within this document were correct at the time of publication, however Triathlon Ireland cannot guarantee that the rules published by the ITU or UCI will not change without notice and potentially affect the accuracy of the guidance of provided by this document. Publication date – May 2016 Approved by the Triathlon Ireland Technical Committee.