Race Rules & Important Information

6:00 – 7:00 AM

All triathlon entrants must check in at the Beach 10 Check-In Site (white tent located near the Transition Area) on race day morning.
Pick up your race bag at the Registration site (if you did not pick it up the night before at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center).
Photo ID is required to pick up your packet; each athlete must pick up their own packet.
Get your assigned numbered computer chip with Velcro band attached. Attach your band with its timing chip on one ankle…securely…as it must be worn throughout the race. No chip worn = no time recorded. There will be a charge of $30 for lost or unreturned chips.
Go to body marking area to have the back of your right hand marked with your race number.

Next,

Place your bike within your assigned number area on the bike racks in the Transition Area.
Only triathlon entrants and race officials will be permitted in the Transition Area.
Families, friends and pets are not permitted in the Transition Area.

7:15 AM

Official welcome and pre-race meeting at the far end of the transition area. All race updates, final race instructions and clarifications will be given. Attendance at the pre-race meeting is mandatory for all triathlon entrants. Any / all updates will be announced at that time.

7:20 AM

After the pre-race meeting, swimmers will walk to the Swim Start on the beach.
Then look for your designated Expected Swim Time sign. The details:

We will follow the same PI TRI swim start format as in 2023 to be self-determined by your expected personal swim finish time. As it was last year, there will be no actual “swim wave” starts by age group or by swim cap color. The Elite wave will begin first in a mass start.

How this will work:

Considering your own personal expected PI Tri 2024 swim time,

Look for the four elevated signs that will be displayed by volunteers.

Position yourself within the group that best coincides with your expected time:

9 Minutes or Less. 9-15 Minutes. 15-20 Minutes. 20+ Minutes.

Seed yourself within in that group where you feel most comfortable. If you would like the PI TRI 2022 results for reference, you can access them here. Please note the PI Tri 2023 had a shortened swim due to wave conditions, so we recommend checking the 2022 results!

Those who indicated they would like to start in the Elite heat will go off first.
Swimmers will be then be counted individually, walk across the timing mat, enter the water and immediately start the swim. Your swim time begins when the chip registers as you cross the mat. This system will keep people moving, effectively entering the water ASAP and begin the PI TRI 2024 swim.

All swimmers must complete the swim no later than 8:30 AM.

10:00 AM

Awards Presentation.
NOTE: 8:30 - 11:00 AM. Complimentary post-race beverages and food will be available near the Registration site for all triathlon entrants.

PI Tri 2023 COURSE RULES and INFORMATION

Swim Course (0.35 Mile = approx 616 yds. = approx. 25 lengths of 25 yd. pool)

The PI Tri swim cap, provided in your race packet, must be worn throughout the triathlon swim.
There will be ball buoys, cylinder buoys and triangle buoys marking the swim course.
The actual swim direction (clockwise or counter-clockwise) will be determined on race day morning by PISP Lifeguard Managers. This will be based on weather, wind and water conditions on race day morning.
Before crossing the swim start timing mat, all swimmers must pass through the designated chute to be counted individually. Everyone’s cooperation is needed and appreciated.
Equally importantly swimmers will be counted as the exit the water.
Being counted is absolutely essential for the safety and accounting for all swimmers.
Do help the process by calling out your race number to a race official when passing through the chute at the swim start and as you finish to help assure you are counted.
Refer back to 7:25 AM information above.
Lifeguards, spotters and safety kayakers will be monitoring the swim course, start to finish, to provide guidance and assistance to swimmers as needed. Safety kayakers are there for all swimmers. Safety kayakers are not intended to be personal escorts for any one swimmer.
Although PI Tri is not USA Triathlon sanctioned, we follow the USAT Swimming Conduct rules (found here)
Of note, you are able to hang on to a kayak to take a break, however, no forward motion may be made. There is no penalty for resting.
Per USAT, "Swimmer must not use or wear any artificial propulsion device, fins, gloves (except when the use of wetsuits is deemed mandatory and must comply with Section 4.7(f.), paddles, or floating devices of any kind, any safety inflatable device (tube) which has been deployed (inflated) or any clothing containing rubberized of buoyant material in a non-wetsuit swim."
No floatation devices, or listening devices of any type are permitted throughout the PI Triathlon swim. Wet suits are permitted up to water temperature of 78 degrees.

Bike Course (13.0 Miles)

Safety-approved helmets are required. No exceptions!
Helmets must be fastened before you get on your bike and must remained fastened until you are off your bike.
Bike numbers must be attached your bike top tube so it is clearly visible to race officials.
Headphones and other audio devices including cell phones are not permitted to be used during the bike (or run) segment of the race.
When beginning the bike segment, you must walk or run your bike through the Transition Area until you reach the designated Bike Start point. When completing the bike segment of the race, you must dismount at the designated point before re-entering the Transition Area, then walk or run your bike back to your bike rack.
Leaving Transition to start the bike, cyclists will head west, toward the head of the park.
Drafting and/or blocking on the bike course is not permitted at any time and will be monitored. Confirmed reports of violations will result in disqualification from the race. The PI Tri bike course is a relatively short distance and bunching up is certainly a possibility. Everyone’s honesty, fairness, and safe racing strategies are needed and expected.
All cyclists are required to ride on the far right-hand side of the outside lane of the road near the white line…but not on the Multipurpose Trail. Triathlon cyclists should absolutely not ride on the Multipurpose Trail at any time throughout the race. The Multipurpose Trail is open for general public use that morning.
Bicycles must be placed properly on the bike racks. Any bicycle placed improperly in the bike racks at the start or finish of the bike segment may result in disqualification.
No assistance at anytime will be permitted in the Transition Area or on the bike course by anyone other than a race official.
The triathlon bike course is one counterclockwise loop on the main road around PISP.
The triathlon course is not closed to vehicular traffic. DO NOT cross the centerline at any time.
Again, ride on the right side of the right hand lane at all times.
When approaching Beach 1 for the turn-around, be alert, use caution and listen for directions. The turn will be directed by volunteers to insure everyone makes the turn safely and with respect to motor vehicle traffic that may be coming onto or leaving the park.
Motor vehicle traffic throughout is controlled but do keep your head up and be prepared to stop. Please use common sense!
Motor vehicle traffic will be restricted to the inside lane (left lane) of the main road circling PISP. On the far eastern loop of the park (just past the Y at Duckpond), all vehicular traffic will be directed to the inside lane both west and east direction.
If you see another athlete having serious difficulty, do notify the next race volunteer or race official.
Though there is no official pre-race bike inspection, race officials reserve the right to disqualify any athlete found to have a faulty bicycle or equipment.
There are no bottle exchanges or water stations on the bike course.

Run Course (3.1 Miles)

Bib number must be worn on the front during the run. Not wearing the bib number may result in disqualification.
Headphones, earbuds and other listening devices including cell phones and wireless boomboxes are not permitted to be used during the run (and bike) segment of the race.
After leaving the Transition Area, runners will be directed out of the Transition Area to start the run on the Multipurpose Trail...heading east.
The run course...totally on the Multipurpose Trail...is basically an out/back loop (east then west) with the U-turn point @ the Lagoon / Boat Rental area (approx 1.55 miles).
Begin the run on the RIGHT side of the trail, until you have passed the Beach 10 parking lot, then cross to the LEFT side of the trail and remain there until the Beach 10 parking lot to head to the finish line (which will be on the right of the trail!) Do NOT run on the road at any time.
Runners need to be alert and follow all directions given by race volunteers.
There will be one water/Gatorade station for the run course at the 1.55 mile mark (the turnaround). There will also be water & Gatorade after the finish.
No friends / family may accompany triathlon runners by car, bicycle or on skates throughout the run course.
If you see another athlete having serious difficulty, do notify the next race volunteer or race official.
Turn in your timing chip and band to the race officials immediately after you cross the finish line. Failure to do so will result in a charge of $30 to the entrant to whom the chip was assigned.

Special Rules for Relay Teams

All team swimmers must wear their chip on their ankle throughout the swim, then hand off their chip and band to the team cyclist at the designated relay team location (near the Transition Area) before the cyclist gets on their bike. Cyclists bands should be worn on the left ankle with the chip side out.
All team cyclists must stay in the designated team area until handed the chip and band by team swimmer. Team cyclists must wear the chip / band on the left ankle throughout the bike.
Team cyclists must place their bikes in their designated spot on the bike rack before handing off their chip / band to the team runner.
All team runners must stay in the designated team area until handed the chip / band by team cyclist.
All team runners must wear the chip / band on one ankle throughout the race. Turn in your chip / band to the race officials immediately after you cross the finish line. Failure to do so will result in a charge of $30 to the entrant to which the chip was assigned.
Headphones and other audio devices including cell phones are not permitted to be used during any part of the bike (or run) segment of the race.
All other rules for the swim course, bike course and run course must be followed. Please familiarize yourself with these rules before the start of the race.

Additional Information

Based on past performances, the first finisher could finish the race in approximately one hour. The final finisher could finish in approximately 2:30 hours.

Post-race food / beverages will be available for triathlon entrants near the initial check-in site.

Time Requirements

It is our hope that every single PI2024 athlete has a safe, enjoyable, and strong race from start to finish. Please understand that time requirements are essential for our emergency & safety teams and volunteers to effectively monitor the course and provide support for athletes. The course will close at 11:00AM.

Bike Start Cut Offs: Athletes must begin the bike leg by 8:30AM (1 hour after race start), otherwise they may not continue the race.

Run Start Cut Offs: Athletes must begin the run course by 10:00AM, otherwise they may not continue in the race.

If you choose not to advance to the next leg of the event, that is okay. We want you to feel safe and confident proceeding through the event. If you voluntarily pull yourself from one of the legs, or are pulled for any medical reason, you may not continue with the race. We appreciate your cooperation. Please be sure to bring your timing chip to our timer and notify the Race Director – thank you for your cooperation!

You're welcome to view the results from PI TRI 2022 here: https://www.runhigh.com/2022RE...

IMPORTANT WEATHER-RELATED INFORMATION

If weather, water or road conditions are unfavorable for the total swim-bike-run event to take place safely for everyone (competitors and volunteers), race officials are prepared to shorten the distances- or- to conduct a run-bike-run event -or- a bike-run event, .
A delay of 30 minutes is the maximum race start delay time.
If conditions warrant, a cancellation of the entire race is possible.
Should this situation arise, PI Tri 2024 will not be rescheduled. After race expenses are covered, all proceeds will be donated to the Presque Isle Partnership and the Presque Isle Lifeguard Association. If this should occur, please remember there are no refunds and no deferrals.
Weather / water-related decisions will be made and announced on race day morning. With that, everyone’s cooperation and understanding will be appreciated.