Lochore Aquathlon

Introduction

Triathlon Scotland is delighted that the Lochore Aquathlon has returned for 2022! Taking place at Lochore Meadows Country Park on Sunday 19 June, the event forms part of the British Triathlon Youth and Junior Super Series, but will also feature open participation races for Adults and TriStars, as well as a GO TRI event tailored especially for beginners to multi-sport.

Covid-19 Protocol

Whilst all legal restrictions in Scotland have now been removed, please always adhere to the latest Scottish Government legislation and guidance, and always respect others around you including implementing mitigation you feel appropriate and giving consideration to how you can maintain good hygiene to protect yourself and others. Remember that everyone has a different level of comfort now that restrictions have eased, so please encourage an environment of mutual respect and understanding. 

Location & Parking

The event will be taking place at Lochore Meadows Country Park (KY5 8BA).

Lochore Meadows Country Park is located in the heart of Fife. Access is from the village of Crosshill, situated between Lochgelly and Benarty. There is free parking available at the venue, an area of grass will be used as overflow parking if required. Volunteer marshals will be on hand to direct you to available spaces.

You can get directions to the car park here: Googl Maps

Once you have parked you should then make your way towards the Willie Clarke Centre building, registration will be taking place across the road from the building and the transition area, marked by a blue SuperSeries gazebo.

Toilets are located in the Willie Clarke Centre and the Watersports Centre and will be available to use. Please note: these should not be used for changing. Full venue maps can be found at the end of this guide.

Staffing

The event has been organised by Triathlon Scotland. The staff who will be onsite will be a mix between Triathlon Scotland and British Triathlon. The staff work extremely hard to make sure events take place. Any athlete who verbally insults a member of staff will be disqualified immediately.

Lost Property

If you have lost anything, please find the help desk which is where all lost property will be handed in, you can find this next to registration. Anything that you find around the site which has been left, or unattended, please also take this to the help desk to be looked after.

Spectator Information

There are plenty of areas throughout the course where spectators can watch. This could be along the water’s edge, or along the run route. There is also a café on site where hot drinks and food will be available. Please be mindful when spectating and where you are watching from as it could impede runners.

Medical Services

Medical services will be available during the event. If you require medical attention, please speak to a member of staff who will direct you to the medical tent which will be located near the race start.

Catering Services

Hot or cold food, as well as drinks will be available within the café on site. There will also be a snack van on site which will serve hot drinks and healthy snacks throughout the day!

Packing List

Participants should remember to bring the following items:

• Wetsuit – this will be compulsory at low water temperatures (below 14 degrees Celsius), which is always a possibility in Scotland! Please contact us at events@triathlonscotland.org if you do not have access to a wetsuit
• Swimsuit / trisuit, for under your wetsuit
• Swim hat – you will be provided with a latex swim hat for taking part which you must wear, but you may also wish to wear an additional one underneath. Please make us aware if you have a latex allergy and cannot wear the hat
• Swim goggles (optional but recommended)
• Run clothing (optional) – to put on over your swimwear before the run section (may include: shorts, t-shirt)
• Race Belt (optional)
• Run shoes – you may wish to bring an additional pair of shoes for wearing to / from the venue
• Warm Clothing – for before and after each race
• Recovery food and drink –please bring any other hydration and nutrition you require for the event
• British Triathlon Home Nation membership card

Registration

Location: On grass opposite transition area.

Opening Times:        All British Super Series athletes 07:30- 08:15               

You will be required to show photo ID to check-in for your race. If you entered as a British Triathlon Home Nation member, you will also be asked to present your membership card. You will be provided with a race pack containing the following:

• Swim hat
• Race number
• Number Decal
• No photography wristband if required

Your race number must be worn on your front for the run section. You may choose to use a race belt, or this can be pinned to your run top. We can provide you with safety pins for this if required. Your timing chip should be attached to your left ankle. It is recommended this is placed under your wetsuit to prevent it being lost during the swim section or during transition.

To apply your number decals, there will a bucket of water and sponges provided. You should apply the numbers to the side of your upper arm and the opposite lower leg as below:

After completing the registration process, participants should proceed to their designated transition area to set up at the available check-in times.

Transition – Set Up

The transition area will be situated on the grass to the east side of the Willie Clarke building. Three different transition areas will be used for the event on rotation, marked using yellow, red, and green tape. You will use all three transition areas, one for each race, as below:

Each transition area will open for set up 15 minutes prior to the start of each race, and close 5 minutes before the start of each race. Access for transition set up in is from the café side (run out) for the yellow area and from the registration side (swim in) for the red and green areas. As there is only a narrow window for set-up participants should come prepared to drop their kit at their space as efficiently as possible. Please do not enter transition until directed by marshals. Transition spaces will be marked by race number. Volunteers will be on hand to assist and answer any questions.

Only kit being used/worn should be left in the transition area. Bags and other belongings should be left in your car where possible. As there are no changing rooms or bag drop, you may leave a small amount of belongings in your transition space. These should be placed in a small, soft-sided bag.

After setting up your transition area you should make your way straight to the beach, ready to start.

Competition Rules

All races will be run under World Triathlon competition rules which can be found here

For technical guidance, please click here

Start

Race starts will be a deep-water, mass start. The ‘field of play’ is deemed to start from the moment competitors enter the water for each swim start and ends at the finish line.

Races will be set off 20 minutes apart. There will be approximately a 1 hour 20 minutes rest period between Race 1 and Race 2 and a 2 hour 20 minutes rest period between Race 2 and Race 3. Start times for each race are as below:

The swim course for all races takes place in the Loch. Please do not enter the water until directed to by marshals. You will enter the water from the beach, before swimming out to the start line. Please take your time getting into the water. You will be able to enter the water 5 minutes before the start of each race to allow you a short time to warm up and acclimatise. Athletes will be given a 1 minute then 30 seconds warning at the start line. An air horn will be sounded to indicate the start of each race.

Swim

For your safety, swim hats are compulsory for the swim section. We will provide you with a coloured swim hat which you must wear for all races. The water temperature is expected to be between 14-17 degrees, so please take your time getting into the water to allow you to acclimatise. Please note that wetsuits will be compulsory for water temperatures below 14 degrees Celsius, but it is recommended that athletes wear a wetsuit even if the temperature is above this level. Water safety marshals will be on the water. If you get into difficulty you should turn onto your back and put your hand in the air to attract attention.

The swim distance will vary each race and is the same for all age groups, as below:

Race 1 = 800m  
Race 2 = 500m
Race 3 = 300m

Athletes will swim in an anti-clockwise direction. Buoys will be positioned at each corner to mark the course; you should keep these on your left at all times. The course is a rectangle shape of which you do various lengths of depending on the race.

Once you have completed each swim you should exit the water at the opposite side of the beach and make your way towards transition. The swim exit will be marked by Triathlon Scotland flags.

Transition

Once you have completed your swim you should head towards transition where you will enter from the east side (closest to registration). Turn left to enter your designated transition area. Remove your wetsuit and put on any additional run kit over your swimwear. Please ensure you leave your wetsuit, goggles & hat neatly in your space to avoid it getting in the way of others.

Once you are ready to head out on the run you should continue along the direction of travel, heading out the other end of transition (nearest the café building), turning right to join the run route.

Run

The run route is a multi-lap loop on park paths and single-track surface through the woods. After exiting transition, athletes will run approximately 225m to join the lapped area of the course. From there, they will continue along the path until they reach the Y-junction, where they will initially take a right. They will continue along the path to the east turn point, where they will take a sharp left and follow the single-track path.

A turn point will be located on the path about 25m before the finish line – please turn here to complete additional laps or head straight on down the finish chute if on your last lap. Please keep right at all times whilst on the run course.

A water station will be positioned near the south turn point.

The event takes place in a public park, and we do not have sole use of the venue so please be aware of any members of the public that may be on the course. Marshals will be positioned along the route for your safety and direction, and to warn any members of the public.

Run distances for each race are as below:

Race 1 – All 1km

Race 2 – Youth A Girls & Boys 1.5km, Youth B/ Junior Girls & Boys 2km

Race 3 – Youth A Girls & Boys 2km, Youth B/ Junior Girls & Boys 3km

2km Route

3km Route

Finish

Once you cross the finish line you will directed back towards transition to collect your belongings. Please be aware of others that may still completing the course and follow the direction of marshals at all times.

Bottled water will be provided at the finish line. No other food or drink will be provided so it is important you bring any other sustenance you will need for the event. You should retain your timing chip until the end of the 3^rd race. Please ensure you stay clear of timing mats between races, as it you could accidentally trigger the timing system. Following your final race, you should remove your timing chip and place in the buckets provided.

Scoring

Your Super Series points are calculated from your best 2 scores from the 3 races. The idea of having multiple races in one day is to give you the opportunity to try different things with a bit less pressure on if something doesn’t quite work out. It also allows you to gain experience of warming up for an event, doing it and then recovering for the next one, which is becoming increasingly relevant as more junior and senior races are moving a heats and finals format.

Points awarded for this event will correspond to finishing position within each of the 3 races, see example table below.

The athlete with the lowest number of points from their best 2 of 3 races will be awarded the maximum number of super series points.

In the event of tied points across 2 races, athletes will be awarded the same overall position and Super Series points. The next placed athlete will be awarded the same overall position they would have achieved had there not been a tie. See example table below:

A few senior (20+) athletes have been invited to take part in the event, but will not be awarded any points as part of the Super Series. These athletes will be identified by a coloured race number.

Photography

Triathlon Scotland staff and our designated photographer will be taking photos and videos from the event. Parents/carers of all participants aged under 18 asked to provide photo/video consent as part of the entry process. Where consent has not been provided, athletes will be given an identifying wristband which must be worn. Only those parent / carers in possession of a spectator lanyard should take photos/video during the event.

If you are aged 18 or over and do not wish to have your photograph taken, please let us know at registration.

Venue Map

Good luck and good racing!