A sprint tri offering bike and run courses closed to traffic, spectacular water views and a finish in historic Fort Taber Park.
The Whaling City Triathlon is a sprint distance triathlon to be held on July 24, 2010 in New Bedford, MA. With a population of approximately 100,000, the city of New Bedford is the world's most famous whaling era seaport and the number one fishing port in America. New Bedford is a wonderfully diverse, culturally rich community with a proud present, past and futrure.
Clark's Point is found at the southern section of New Bedford and is bordered by Clark's Cove on the west and Buzzards Bay on the the south and east. Clark's Point is home to Fort Taber Park and will serve as a fantastic setting fo The Whaling City Triathlon.
With the support of the town of New Bedford, the bike course will be closed to traffic and transition and parts of the run will be within the grounds of Fort Taber Park. See below for more course details.
AT LEFT: Aerial view of Fort Taber Park located at the southern tip of New Bedford. Athletes will run along the walking paths that line the perimeter of this historic park.
The Whaling City Triathlon is expected to quickly become a favorite on the New England triathlon scene. Don't miss it... CLICK HERE TO REGISTER!
Additional details on the Whaling City Triathlon are below...
Event Date, Location and Start Time:
The Whaling City Triathlon will be on Satuirday, July 24, 2010 in New Bedford, MA. New Bedford is located about 60 miles south of Boston and 30 miles southeast of Providence, RI. The first wave of the race will be started at 8:00AM.
Beneficiaries of the 2010 Whaling City Triathlon:
Details coming soon.
Event Distance and Course Maps:
The Swim: The swim will be 0.25 miles in Buzzards Bay. The swim is located on the east coast of the southern most tip of New Bedford, just north of the entrance to Fort Taber Park. After exiting the water, athletes will run 300-400 yards to transition inside Fort Taber Park.
The Bike: The bike course will be 3 loops of a 3.7 mile course for a total distance of approximately 11.3 miles. Athletes will exit Fort Taber Park and head north on Rodney French Boulevard. They will then turn left on Cove Street followed by a left on West Rodney French Boulevard which brings athletes back towards Fort Taber Park. This loop will be completed three times. After the third loop athletes will return their bikes to transition inside Fort Taber Park. Approximately 10 miles of this bike course offers views of the water. Click here to see the BIKE course.
The Run: The run course is approximately 3.3 miles. Athletes will exit Fort Taber Park, go west (left) on the sidewalk of Rodney French Boulevard which then turns north on West Rodney French Boulevard. At about the 1.2 mile mark, athletes will come to a turnaround and then head south on West Rodney French Boulevard back towards Fort Taber Park. Athletes will re-enter Fort Taber Park at the far west entrance and run along the coastline of the park to the finish. The entire run is on sidewalks and walking paths. Click here to see the RUN course.
Entry Fee:
Individual: $65 until 2/28/10, $75 from 3/1/10 until the close of registration; Relay Teams: $120 until 2/28/10 and then $130 from 3/1/10 until the close of registration.
Awards:
Awards will be given to the top 3 male and female finishers in each age group as well as for the top Athena, Clydesdale and relay team.
USA Triathlon Membership:
The Whaling City Triathlon is a USAT sanctioned event managed by two USAT certified Race Directors. 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 Divisions:
Standard USA Triathlon age divisions 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, 2010! MINIMUM AGE: 16 years old as of December 31, 2010. There will be Clydesdale (Men, 200+ lbs), Athena (Women, 150+ lbs), and Open divisions. The Open category will be the first wave sent to start the race.
Event Check-in and Race Start Time:
Racers can check-in on Friday, July 23rd from 4:00PM to 7:00PM and Saturday, July 24th from 6:00AM to 7:30AM. All racers must be checked in by 7:30AM on race day. The first wave will go off at 8:00 AM.
Swim Waves:
Swim waves for the will be announced a couple of weeks before the event.
Wet Suits:
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. Water temperatures are expected to be less than 78 degrees F. As race day draws near, an exact water temperature read will be communicated to registrants.
Swim Caps:
All participants will be given a swim cap that must be worn during the swim.
Course Nutrition:
Details to come.
Timing:
"Winning Time Chip" timing to be provided by Bay State Race Services. Athletes will receive time splits for the swim, transition 1, bike, transition 2 and the run.
Accommodations:
Recommendations to come.
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.
Refund Policy:
Refunds are not permitted. Be sure you can and will race prior to registering. The exchange of entries is strictly prohibited. See USAT Rule #3.5. If the race is canceled due to weather conditions or other acts of God no refunds will be issued.
