It's Race Week!

This is a USAT sanctioned event and therefore certain rules will be in effect and enforced. Please familiarize yourself with these rules here.

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Packet Pick Up 

Pre-race packet pick-up is on Friday, August 18, at Montana Tap House in Whitefish from 3:00pm - 5:30pm. (845 Wisconsin Ave) You must present a photo ID. You may pick up your family member’s packet with their photo ID (or a picture of their ID). This is for insurance and liability purposes.

We recommend getting your packet Friday to minimize the rush on Saturday. Race-day packet pick up at the race site is from 6:00 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. on Saturday. Same policies as above apply. Remember to arrive early! City Beach is located at 70 Lakeside Blvd.

Super Sprint Triathlon participants will be able to pick up their packet at the timing table while the Sprint race is happening, from 8:15 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Body marking will be available during this time as well.

Athletes doing the Black Diamond Challenge will have one race number to use for both races.

If you have any questions about which stickers go where, please ask at packet pickup. We are here to help!

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Parking 

The parking lot at city beach will be our transition area, so best parking will be at the upper parking lot (off Woodland Pl) or street parking close by. You can then walk/ride your gear down to the beach. If you ride your bike anywhere on the course race morning (even just from your car), you MUST have your helmet on with chin strap fastened. Remember to arrive early!

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Swim Start and Safety 

There will be one mass start for the sprint triathlon, starting right at the edge of the water. However, your time will not start until you cross the start line. So do not feel pressured to be at the front of the pack. If you are new to open water swimming, please consider speaking with triathlon coaches Carrie Jacobs or Price Richardson when you pick up your packet. Carrie and Price will be happy to go over safety tips for open water. The key is to start out slowly, and pace yourself – no need to rush the start of a swim at an event like this. Place yourself at the back of the pack or to the sides to stay out of the way of faster swimmers. We will have plenty of lifeguards and water safety volunteers on hand.

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Road Conditions

Please be just as cautious on the roads as you would be on a regular ride. You may find some potholes and ridges at certain places. We will do our best to mark them with chalk before the race. Being “rock chip season” in Montana, there will be loose gravel on the course. The city has agreed to sweep the streets the week before the event, but be on the lookout for gravel.

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Race Day Schedule 

Saturday, August 19, 2023

6:00AM-7:30AM – Packet pick-up, followed by body markings and timing chip pick-up at City Beach(near swim-start). Remember to bring your picture ID if you didn’t get your packet Saturday. Timing chip should be secured around your ankle and exposed (meaning not covered by a wetsuit or other item). Arrive early!

7:40AM – Transition area closes. All bikes must be checked into the transition area by this time and you should be back at the swim staging area. Bike race numbers should be attached to the top tube — clearly visible. Helmets must meet current safety standards and should be properly fitted (see bottom for details). Team bike members should remain in the transition area for the start of the race.

7:00AM – 7:40AM – Swim warm up. Be advised there may be boats in the canal positioning themselves for the event. You will also have a couple minutes to warm up right before the mass start.

7:45AM — Mandatory athlete meeting in the area near the swim start (close to where you got your chip).

8:00AM – Start of Race

8:15AM -- Packet Pickup reopens for Super Sprint Athletes

~10:00AM — Awards Ceremony

10:30AM -- Packet Pickup closes

10:40AM -- Transition Area closes again to start the Super Sprint Triathlon race

10:45AM -- Mandatory athlete meeting in the area near the swim start (close to where you got your chip).

11:00AM -- Start of Race

~12:30PM -- Awards Ceremony

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Restrooms

The facilities at City Beach will be open to us. The city will have someone there to restock items starting at 7:00AM. There will also be 3 porta-potties available all day.

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Please use trash cans for all rubbish so the city will continue to allow us to grow the local Whitefish Triathlon Community.

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No Dogs Allowed!

The City is much more strict about this during special events. You may have brought dogs to the beach last Thursday and nobody said anything. This will not be the case at the triathlon. Please leave them home. 

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Race Rules 

While we will have police and marshals on the bike course, the course is open to vehicles. Please follow regular road riding rules: bike on the right of the road, look ahead and behind before crossing over, call out to the athlete ahead of you when you’re going to pass. ONLY pass on the left. No headphones on during the race. No drafting. Please be considerate of your fellow athletes, volunteers, race officials and the community. You must have your helmet on and chin strap fastened any time your bike is off the bike rack, even while running your bike to and from the mount line. You can read the full USAT Competitive Rules here: http://www.usatriathlon.org/resources/about-events/rules.

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Weather 

The race will be rain or shine. Lightning or an extreme weather system could affect the start time, or delay or possibly cancel the event. The race committee will assess the weather prior to the race and announce any possible changes then.

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Sponsors & Supporters

We’re grateful to all of our event sponsors and supporters: Whitefish.com, Black Diamond Mortgage, Drive Wellness, Jeremy Oury Architects, Stockman Bank, Montana Taphouse, Safeway,  Sportsman Skihaus, Powderhound Shirt Co. 

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Awards

Age groups will be:

Under 15

15-19

20-24

25-29

30-34

34-39

40-44

45-49

50-54

55-59

60-64

65-69

70-74

75 and Up

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Top three in each age group will get verbal recognition at the awards ceremony, and the top finisher in each age group will receive a trophy.

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Black Diamond Challenge finishers: You will receive your medal at the finish of the Sprint Triathlon (first race). At the end of the Super Sprint, you will receive your bonus prize (Please do not take a second medal or someone behind you will not get theirs).

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Volunteers 

The more the merrier! If you have friends or family coming with you who would like to help out please have them fill out our form here: Whitefish Lake Triathlon (Powered by whitefish.com) Volunteer Registration (trisignup.com).

Athletes can volunteer too! Sign up to volunteer the opposite race and get 15% off next year's registration! (Sprinters, volunteer for Super Sprint) (Super Sprinters, volunteer for Sprint).

For updates and info, please continue to check the website at www.whitefishlaketriathlon.com.

We hope you have a great race next Saturday.

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Sincerely,

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Whitefish Lake Triathlon Race Committee