HARWICH OLYMPIC TRIATHLON
FINAL RACE INFORMATION
With just one week to go, it is time to familiarise yourself with this year’s pre-race information.
Please take your time to read all the info, look at the maps and documents, and check out the news and FAQ pages of our website to ensure you have all the things you need ahead of next weekend!
We can’t wait to see you all for a weekend of racing in our town, but if you have any queries before then, please don’t hesitate to get in touch and we will help you as best we can!
Enjoy the taper week – and see next weekend!
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Harwich Olympic Triathlon
Hello! Thank you for entering and supporting this year’s Harwich Sprint Triathlon. We are so excited to see you on the start line this weekend. We ask that all participants please fully READ AND UNDERSTAND the information below. If anything doesn’t make sense or you have any questions or queries, please just drop us an email at triathlon@harwichrunners.co.uk and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
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Timings
Saturday 13th June
Registration and transition opens: 08:00
Registration closes: 09:20
Transition closes: 09:30
Race briefing: 09:40
First wave: 10:00
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How To Find Us
Race HQ is adjacent to the Oval Shelter off Lower Marine Parade (What3words ///lakes.trickles.desks). Parking will be available at the car park at Low Road grass field car park off Wick Lane (CO12 3TA). Please follow the marshals who will be able to direct you the correct place. There is a short walk to the race HQ. Follow the road adjacent to the swimming pool up onto the promenade, turn left and walk along the promenade. You can cut across the playing fields (shortest distance as the crow flies) or walk with your bike along the promenade. Registration will open at 08:00.
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Registration
Registration will be adjacent to the Oval Shelter just off the promenade. Please follow marshal directions.
Registration will open at 08:00 and closes at 09:20.
Transition is adjacent to registration and we appreciate you may want to drop your bike off before you register. The start list with your start time and race number is now on the website under the Race Info menu. Please REMEMBER YOUR RACE NUMBER so you can go to transition before registering and leave your bike at the allocated rack.
At registration, you will be given a race pack envelope containing a sticker pack and a bib number. Follow the instructions on the sticker pack – there will be some for your bike and some for your helmet.
We will be using bib numbers this year, so you will need a race belt. You must have your bib number on your back during the bike, and on your front during the run.
With the envelope will also be an ankle strap with a chip on it – this is your timing strap. It is very important you do not lose or misplace this, so we recommend putting it on your left ankle right away, and don’t take it off till you cross the finish line. It is very important that this chip goes on your LEFT ankle, with the red plastic box facing OUTWARDS.
Start lists can be found here.
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Transition
Please place your bike and running gear in the transition area. Once your bike has been racked inside the secure transition zone, it cannot be removed unless you can prove you are the rightful owner.
It is your responsibility to ensure your bike is in a safe, roadworthy condition and suitable for racing. Safety checks will be carried out before the event, and all competitors must wear an approved cycle helmet.
If you rack your bike before registering, please ensure it is placed in the correct numbered position on the racks. Once you have registered, attach one of your numbered stickers to your bike and another to your helmet. For security reasons, transition marshals will only allow you to remove your bike if the number on your bike matches your race number and that on your helmet.
When racking your bike, stand facing your race number, which will be attached to the rack. Hook your saddle over the racking bar so that your entire bike is facing towards you, with the handlebars closest to you. If you've done it correctly, you'll still be able to clearly see your race number on the rack while standing in your transition space.
Please note that transition will close at 09:30. After this time, no competitors will be permitted to enter the transition area. Make sure you have everything you need for the start with you before 09:30 and that all of your equipment is set up and ready to go.
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Race Briefing
The race briefing will take place at 09:40 on the sand at West End Beach, beside the swim start. Please allow approximately 10 minutes to walk from Race HQ to the swim start.
Please make sure you leave yourself plenty of time to register, set up in transition, and make your way to the race briefing. We strongly recommend planning to arrive at the swim start no later than 09:30.
You must bring everything you need for the swim with you to the briefing, including your swim hat, goggles, and wetsuit. Once the briefing has finished, there will not be enough time to return to transition before your wave is called to the start.
We also recommend bringing a pair of sandals, sliders, or flip-flops for the walk from Race HQ to the swim start. The promenade can be rough and gravelly underfoot. A shoe drop-off area will be available on the beach, and any footwear left there will be transported back to transition for you to collect after the race.
At the end of the briefing, competitors will be asked to move into their allocated swim waves ready for the start. PLEASE make sure you know your swim wave (it is on the start list on our website, or you can ask at registration). Waves will be a maximum of 10 athletes at a time, going off one minute apart.
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Swim Course
The swim takes place in the sea. Wetsuits are strongly recommended and may be made mandatory depending on the water temperature on the morning of the event. If wetsuits are compulsory, this will be confirmed at registration.
Swimmers will enter the water in waves, so please listen carefully to the instructions from the marshals.
You will begin on the beach and, on the signal of "Go!", make your way into the water. Swim straight out to the first orange buoy before turning left. Throughout the swim, keep all orange buoys on your left-hand side and the water safety marshals in kayaks and on paddleboards on your right.
Continue out towards the lighthouse, swim around it, and then follow the course back towards the shore. As you approach the finish, you will see a yellow buoy. This is the only buoy that should be on your right-hand side. Swim around the left-hand side of the yellow buoy to turn towards the swim exit.
Once out of the water, run up the concrete slipway to the promenade and follow the marshals' directions into transition.
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Swim Safety
Out on the water, a team of experienced sea marshals will be positioned around the course in kayaks and on paddleboards. They are there to help guide you around the route, keep you on course, and ensure you do not swim any further than necessary.
We also have a dedicated safety boat on the water carrying trained medics, supported by lifeguards and medical staff on shore. Their priority is to ensure everyone has a safe and enjoyable swim.
If at any point you get into difficulty, stop swimming, roll onto your back, and raise your arms in the air to attract attention. Alternatively, if you are able to do so, swim over to one of the sea marshals. Once alerted, the safety team will respond and assist you as quickly as possible.
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Bike Course
We will be using open public roads and all the normal rules of the road apply. You will be required to wear an approved cycle helmet. Your cycle helmet must be on and fastened before removing your bike from the rack. You will also be required to wear your race number to the rear.
Take your bike out of transition and follow the orange fencing, marshals and signs out of transition, down the path and onto the road where the mount line will be. DO NOT mount your bike until you pass the mount line, you must run/walk with your bike down the path, not cycle.
For the bike section there is a no drafting rule. Please respect this rule as we want the race to be a fair as possible.
The bike route is available on the website, following the below directions.
One point to note on the course - at Wix cross roads, there is a mandatory foot down. This will be enforced. When you have checked it is all clear, you continue straight over and follow this road all the way to Beaumont.
The full course can be found on the website here.
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Run Course
The run is a two lap course to make the 10km.
The route is mainly along the promenade, which is likely to be busy. To minimise disruption please keep to the RIGHT of the prom at all times. We are sharing the prom with the general public, and it is your responsibility to keep out of their way. The map above displays the route.
On your second lap, you do not continue all the way back past transition to the end but follow marshals and take the slip off the prom and into the finish line, located just before transition.
There will be water stations on the course that you will pass on both laps.
The full course can be found on the website here.
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Weather
Over the years, the Harwich Triathlon has experienced – and perhaps become a little famous for – some truly memorable weather conditions. We've seen high winds, thunderstorms, torrential rain, flooding, and even hailstorms. Hopefully this year we'll be treated to warm sunshine and a gentle sea breeze, but please come prepared for all eventualities.
In particular, please be prepared for the possibility that the race may need to be converted to a duathlon if sea conditions are deemed unsafe for swimming. A final decision will be made no later than 09:00 on race morning, and competitors will be informed immediately if Plan B needs to be implemented.
Should the event become a duathlon, the swim will be replaced with a 5km run, which will consist of one lap of the planned 10km run course.
Please note that if the race is converted to a duathlon, there will NOT be the option to transfer to the Sprint event on Sunday.
At the other end of the scale, if we enjoy another warm day like last year, please remember that British Triathlon rules require trisuits to remain fully fastened throughout the race. While it may be tempting to unzip your trisuit to keep cool, competitors should ensure their trisuit remains done up for the duration of the event.
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Prizes & Results
Medals and t-shirts will be awarded to all finishers of the triathlon when you cross the line.
Prizes and trophies will be awarded to the first female and first male finishers overall, as well as prizes for each age category winner. There are no prizes for the relay teams.
Results will be published live on the day via our timing partner, Race Timing Solutions. You can access them using the link below:
Click here to view race results
The page will update throughout the day as athletes come through, so you can follow friends and family in real time — whether you're on the course, at home, or cheering from the sidelines.
Once you have finished your race, please speak to the marshals in transition with regards to collecting your bike and gear. They will advise on when transition is back open for athletes to collect their belongings after the race.
Tips for Race Day
Bookmark the link before you travel so it's easy to find on your phone.
Results are usually available within minutes of finishing, so check back shortly after you cross the line.
You'll be able to see your individual splits for each discipline, not just your overall time — great for spotting where you flew and where you've got room to improve next time!
If you're spectating, you can use the results page to track your athlete live and know when to be at the finish line.
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Photography
We will have professional photographers snapping away to capture your achievements at our event. Please smile if you see them, these photos will be published on our website after the event. If you did not wish for your photo to be published on our website, let us know when you register. We will also happily remove any photos you wish to have taken-down.
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Refreshments
This year we have a bigger event village than any previous year! On offer will be Mimi’s Kitchen with her amazing cakes and sweet treats, Hazy Dayz with a selection of savoury foods and Rebel Monkey Coffee, keeping us all hydrated and caffeinated throughout the weekend!
Food and drink will be available before, during and after your race, so do be sure to go and get yourself some well-earned grub!
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Spectators
Thank you for coming out to support your child/friend/family member compete in the Triathlon this year. We ask that spectators follow the instructions of any marshal given to them, for their own safety but also for that of the participants safety.
In and around Race HQ there will be a lot of orange fencing, blue matting, and cables for chip timing. Please do not duck under any orange fencing and walk around to the nearest available crossing point should you need to get around to avoid any disturbance to our infrastructure. This also ensures you are not at risk of colliding with your athlete should they come running out of transition when you don’t expect them to. Under no circumstances should any spectator enter the transition area.
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