The 2013 Westborough Sprint Triathlon: Offering you the choice of two great triathlons -- Offroad or On-road. Plus a Splash-and-Dash!
Registration is now OPEN! CLICK HERE to regiser.
The fourth annual Westborough Sprint Triathlon will be held Sunday, August 18, 2013. This event is a partnership between Sun Multisport Events and the Westborough Rotary Club and will be based at Westborough State Hospital on Hospital Road off of Lyman Street in Westborough, MA.
This year's Westborough Sprint Triathlon will offer athletes three multisport divisions to choose from. Returning for the 4th year is the "road" triathlon that begins with a 0.25 mile swim in Lake Chauncy. After the swim athletes will ride their bikes over a 14 mile loop that travels the roads of Westborough, Northborough, Marlborough and Southborough. The event finishes with a 3 mile run that includes scenic off road trails in the woods surrounding Lake Chauncy and a spectator-friendly finish on the lush grass of the Lake Chauncy athletic fields.
NEW FOR 2013 will be the addition of an OFFROAD triathlon and a Splash-and-Dash. The Offroad triathlon will utilize the same 0.25 mile swim and 3 mile run course as the "road" triathlon but feature a 5-6 mile offroad bike course covering some of the awesome trails surrounding Lake Chauncy (see below for details). The Splash-and-Dash division is for athletes that want to skip the bike segment altogether and just swim the 0.25 mile Lake Chauncy course and then run the 3 mile loop that concludes on the Lake Chauncy athletic fields.
No matter what multisport division you choose you are in for a great event! See below for details.
Event Date, Location and Start Time:
The Westborough Sprint Triathlon will be on Sunday, August 18, 2013 in Westborough, MA. The location of the race is on the grounds of the Westborough State Hospital located at 288 Lyman Street. Participants will enter the Hospital grounds from Hospital Avenue which is off of Lyman. Westborough is located about 35 miles west of Boston. The race will start at 8:00AM.
Registration Fees and the Registration Fee Reimbursement Service:
Registration fees are as follows: Traditional Road Triathlon: $80 through 7/19/13 and $85 thereafter; Relay teams: $135 through 7/19/13 and $145 thereafter; Offroad Triathlon: $70 through 7/19/13 and $75 therafter; Splash-and-Dash: $45 through 7/19/13 and $50 hereafter. CLICK HERE to register now. Online registration closes at 6pm EST on Friday, 8/16. Athletes may also register during packet pick-up hours on Saturday, 8/17, at the Westborough Swim & Tennis Club or on race morning at the site of the race (the Lake Chauncy playing fields of the Westborough State Hospital). The registration fees during these times are as follows: Traditional Road Triathlon: $85 (relay teams: $145); Offroad Triathlon: $75 (relay teams: $135); Splash-and-Dash: $50.
Note that the Westborough Sprint Triathlon is a USAT sanctioned event. USAT Annual members will need to have a valid USAT license on race day. If you are not an annual member, you will be required to purchase a 1-day USAT license for $12 when registering whether you race in the Road Tri, Offroad Tri or Splash-and-Dash division.
As a service to paid registrants in the 2013 Westborough Sprint Triathlon, Sun Multisport Events is providing you with the opportunity for registration fee protection -- absolutely free through 365Competitiors, LLC. This service offers you 100% reimbursement of your registration fee and related online processing fee if you get sick or injured and can't race. This service is subject to terms and conditions including submission of a claim form signed by your doctor within 3 days prior to the event. The coverage is applied automatically and effective immediately when you register, however, it's a limited-time offer that is only valid until March 31, 2013. Click here for important coverage details. Please note the registration fee protection service will NOT be available if you register AFTER after 3/31/13.
2013 Beneficiaries:
The Westborough Rotary Club is using this race to help raise funds for the Westborough Rotary Club's numerous community service projects and grant programs. The Rotarty Club's designated charity for the 2013 race will be announced soon.
Event Distance and Course Maps:
The Swim Course: The swim will be 0.25 miles in the calm waters of Lake Chauncy. Click here to see the location and layout of the swim course. Upon exiting the water athletes will run to transition to grab their bike and head out onto the bike course. Download the transition map.
Looking to get more comfortable in the swim or just swim faster? Consider the Vmps Open Water Swim Clinics! Vmps Open Water Swim Clinics are designed to help swimmers of all levels become more confident and effective during the swim segment of a triathlon. Participants spend the majority of the clinic in the lake practicing the skills needed in open water swimming. Fearful beginners work on learning how to relax and breathe while swimming in a lake. Intermediate and advanced swimmers work on skills like sighting and drafting which will help them to navigate the swim course in a triathlon more quickly. All this is done under the watchful eyes of experienced coaches and life guards. There will be a Vmps Open Water Swim Clinic at Lake Chauncy, site of the Westborough Sprint Triathlon swim segment, on Friday, July 19, 2013. Click here to learn more.
The ROAD Triathlon Bike Course: The road bike course will be 14 miles along the roads of Westborough, Northborough, Marlborough and Southborough. This course will not be closed to traffic and features a variety of rolling hills. The exact route can be found with a click here. You can also download the bike course cue sheet.
The OFFROAD Triathlon Bike Course: The offroad bike course will wind 5-6 miles beginning and ending with the same transition as athletes in the road triathlon. The offroad course features a combination of wide paths and some single track. The terrain is grass, dirt paths with some loose gravel. Technical difficulty is moderate and the course has rolling hills (no extreme climbs or descents) and includes a pass of Lake Chauncy and other water features. Athletes in the offroad triathlon will be racked together in transition. Click here to see a map of the offroad bike course. Note that guided rides of the offroad bike course will be offered in the summer. Details to come.
The Run: After returning from the bike course and racking your bike in transition, athletes will head out onto the run course which is approximately 3 miles. The first 1.75 miles of the run (approximately) are on the trails surrounding Lake Chauncy. This is a very scenic stretch that includes some shady tree cover, but understand these are trails which feature sections of grass, loose gravel and some roots -- nothing too adventurous, but enough for you to pay attention so you don't twist an ankle. After exiting the trails athletes will turn left on Chauncy Street, then left on Lyman Street and left onto Hospital Road back to the finish. The last 300 yards of the run will be on grass across playing fields (very spectator friendly!). This is a scenic, flat course with a few rolling hills. Aid stations with water and Hammer Nutrition Heed electrolyte drink will be available at run aid stations near mile 1 and mile 2. Click here to see the run course.
Directions:
The race venue is located at 288 Lyman Street in Westborough MA. Lyman Street is accessible from either Route 9 Eastbound or Westbound. Travelling westbound on Route 9, you will make a right on Lyman St. Travelling eastbound on Rte. 9, you will make a left on Lyman Street. The turn for Lyman Street is at a traffic light. See below for directions on where to park.
Parking:
There are multiple locations available to you for parking. There will be parking on the side of Hospital Road within the grounds of Westborough State Hospital and in a field adjacent to Hospital Road. There will also be parking at the Hadley Building on Lyman Street which is just across the entrance from Westborough State Hospital. Click here to see an area map that identifies each of these parking locations as well as the location of the race start, race finish, transition and race day packet pick-up.
Awards:
On-Road Tri: Awards will be given to the top 3 male and female finishers in each age group as well as for the top 3 Elites, Athenas and Clydesdales. All 3 members of the 1st place Mixed, Female and Male relay teams will also receive an award.
Offroad Tri: Awards will be given to the top 3 males and females. If the size of the athlete field for the Offroad Tri exceeds 75 athletes, awards will be given to the top 3 males and females in an Age 40+ division and in an Age 39 and Under division.
Splash-and-Dash: Awards will be given to the top 3 males and females
Pledge of Sustainability
Sun Multisport Events has made a commitment to implement more environmentally responsible practices at our events. To that end, we have taken the Pledge of Sustainability administered by Athletes for a Fit Planet. As part of this committment we will implement a comprehensive recycling system, the use of eco-friendly port-o-potties, athlete t-shirts made of recycled material and more. This is just a start... creating more sustainable events is our long term goal. To learn more about what we're doing and what you can do to support us in these efforts visit our Sustainability page.
USA Triathlon Membership:
The Westborough Sprint Triathlon is a USAT sanctioned event managed by a USAT certified Race Director. All athletes must (a) present a valid, current USAT Annual Membership Card at registration OR (b) purchase a 1-day USAT license. If you are an annual member, but forget to bring your card you will be required to purchase a 1-day license.
Age Groups and Special Categories:
On-road Tri: Standard USA Triathlon age categories in five year increments (e.g. 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, etc.). Your age group is now determined by your age on December 31, 2012! MINIMUM AGE: 16 years old as of December 31, 2012. There will be Clydesdale (Men, 225+ lbs), Athena (Women, 165+ lbs) and Open divisions. New for this year, there will also be a Family, Friends and Beginner Category for athletes that want to start the race together in the same wave. Athletes in the Family, Friends and Beginner Category will receive all split times and an overall time, but will not be eligible for any awards.
Race Packet Pick-up Time:
You can pick up your race packet at the Westborough Swim & Tennis Club located at 35 Chauncy Street in Westborough, MA on Saturday, August 17th from 3pm to 7pm. Packet pick-up on race day, Sunday, August 18th, will be at the race site on the grounds of the Westborough State Hospital. Access to the race venue is from the main entrance to the Westborough State Hospital which is located at the corner of Lyman Street and Hospital Road. Click here to see an area map of the race venue.
Swim Waves:
Swim waves for the 2013 Westborough Sprint Triathlon will be announced a couple weeks before the event, however, the first wave of athletes to start the race will be those registered for the Offroad Tri and the last wave will be those registered for the Splash-and-Dash.
Wet Suits and Wetsuit rentals:
All participants may wear a wet suit and be eligible for rankings and prizes if the water temperature is less than 78 degrees F. If the temperature is between 79 and 84 degrees F, participants wearing a wet suit will not receive a ranking or be eligible for awards (they will still receive split times). If the temperature exceeds 84 degrees F, no participants will be allowed to wear a wet suit. The Lake Chauncy water temperature for the Westborough Sprint Triathlon in 2010 and 2011 was mid-70s
Wetsuit rentals are available from Vmps. Call Elaine at 508-612-3000 for details.
Swim Caps:
All participants will be given a swim cap that must be worn during the swim.
Race and Recovery Nutrition:
Hammer Nutrition and Muscle Milk are nutrition sponsors for this year's Westborough Sprint Triathlon. Water and Hammer Nutrition Heed energy drink will be available at aid stations at miles 1 and 2. The Muscle Milk Rejuvenation Startion will be located in an area adjacent to the finish line and will feature free bottles of Muscle Milk to all participating athletes. Muscle Milk is the Official Performance Protein Drink for all 2012 races produced by Sun Multisport Events.
Timing:
"Winning Time Chip" timing to be provided by Bay State Race Services. Athletes will receive six times in total: (1) a swim split, (2) transition 1, (3) a bike split, (4) transition 2, (5) a run split and (6) overall time.
Volunteers:
Do you have family or friends coming to cheer you on? Consider asking them to volunteer! Volunteering makes you a part of the action while cheering on athletes and helping ensure a successful event experience. There are a variety of volunteer jobs and all volunteers get a free t-shirt. Email Mark at info@SunMultisportEvents for more details..
Accommodations:
Coming from out of town? We recommend you stay at the Doubletree Hotel Boston/Westborough which is located just a few miles for the race venue. The Doubletree is offering a rate of $89 but you must mention the "Westborough Triathlon" to get this great price. This rate is only good until Monday, August 5th. Call them at 508-366-5511.
Rules:
USA Triathlon rules will apply. Please review the rules at www.USATriathlon.org. There will be USAT Officials present at the event. Three areas of common violations are (1) Drafting, (2) Blocking and (3) Centerline. To avoid drafting violations you must stay at least 3 bike lengths behind the competitor in front of you. When attempting to pass you must do so within 15 seconds. Blocking violations are assessed for failing to ride to the right (except when passing). Centerline violations can be avoided by not crossing the yellow centerline of the road. HELMETS ARE REQUIRED. Chin strap must be buckled at ALL times you are on the bike even in the transition area. Handlebars/aerobars must have bar-end plugs securely inserted into the bar. Taping over bar ends is not permitted. Lack of bar end plugs will result in disqualification.
Policies:
Event cancellation: If a race is cancelled due to inclement weather, acts of God, or unforeseen circumstances beyond the control of Event Management, refunds will not be given; however, a partial credit will be offered to the following year’s race. A significant amount of time, effort and expense is invested by the day of a race (e.g. shirts, medals, awards, signage, supplies) that can not be recovered and for this reason a 100% refund is not possible.
Please note: We love what we do and what we do is put on events. After months and months of planning, coordinating and making our very best effort to create a race experience that we consider the best in New England the last thing we ever want to do is cancel a race. We also understand that athletes devote a significant amount of their time, money and effort preparing for a race. So, if we need to make the difficult decision to cancel a race it’s a great disappointment for us and we know it’s a great disappointment to you. Unfortunately, though, that is the risk we share. You may feel you are entitled to a full refund if we cancel a race, but this is not feasible given the costs incurred by race day. If you can’t accept the terms of this partnership, we respectfully ask that you don’t register for our events.
Course changes: Event Management reserves the right to alter, cancel or eliminate any portion of a race at any time in the interest of athlete safety or for other reasons beyond our control. No refunds will be issued if changes are made to a race due to these circumstances.
Injury or sickness: Athletes have the option to purchase the Registration Fee Reimbursement service when registering for all SME events. Administered by 365 Competitors, this is an insurance-based service that allows a participant to receive a 100% refund of their registration fee if he/she is unable to participate in the event due to sickness or injury. Click here for the Terms & Conditions associated with the Registration Fee Reimbursement service and a list of FAQs.
Exchange and transfer of entries: The exchange or transfer of entries to other athletes is strictly prohibited.
Refund or deferral requests: Refunds will not be issued. Deferral requests must be submitted in writing to info@SunMultisportEvents.com no less than 60 days in advance of an event. Deferrals may be granted under certain circumstances (e.g. pregnancy, military transfer) at the discretion of Event Management. Any deferral granted will require the athlete to pay $20 to cover administrative fees.
