Lake Havasu Triathlon March 21, 2009

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Quick Facts

DATE: March 21, 2009
TRI START TIME: 7:30am
DISTANCES:
Triathlon:
  SWIM: 1500 meters 
  BIKE:40 kilometers
  RUN: 10 kilometers

Sprint Triathlon:
  SWIM: 500 meters 
  BIKE:20 kilometers
 RUN: 5 kilometers 

WATER TEMP: Approximately 66-70 (wetsuits allowed)
AIR TEMP: 65 at start, 80 at finish
HOST HOTEL: Quality Inn and Suites, Lake Havasu City
PACKET PICK-UP: 3:00pm - 8:00pm, Mar 21, Quality Inn and Suites (271 S. Lake Havasu)
AWARDS CEREMONY: March 22 2008 2:30pm at the Javelina Cantina
ENTRY FEES: Click here
ENTRY FORM: Click here
ONLINE REGISTRATION:Click here

It doesn’t get more perfect than Spring Break in Lake Havasu City, Arizona.  Temperatures in the 80s, warm sunshine and perfect weather stand in stark contrast to the cold winter weather in the rest of the country. Escape to Havasu for the Havasu Triathlon, one of the biggest and most important early season races in the country.  Only a few hours drive from Phoenix, Las Vegas and Southern California, Lake Havasu offers lots to do for the whole family.  Come for Spring Break, come to swim in the pristine waters of Lake Havasu in the shadows of the London Bridge, bike along the challenging shoreline of Lake Havasu and run over the London Bridge.

This race is limited to 800 athletes to enter early!   We are expecting to get very close to selling out – don’t miss out!

Lake Havasu City is becoming known as one of the best triathlon venues in the United States.  In 2004 and 2005 Lake Havasu hosted the National Collegiate Triathlon Championships.  The Havasu Triathlon is known for one of the best swims in the sport, a very challenging bike course with little or no traffic and a very flat and very fast run.  Count on great times – both on the course and after the race.  We have deliberately chosen March 21 as our race date as it is in the heart of spring break.  It is the perfect date for that spring vacation to warm, sunny Lake Havasu City.  The Havasu Triathlon will be taking advantage of all the fun and excitement that Lake Havasu has to offer.

 For information about Lake Havasu and the many recreational opportunities of the area please go to www.golakehavasu.com.

 There will be water every mile on the run and a sports recovery drink every other mile.   There will be water at approximately Mile 12 of the bike.

 Camping is available. See below for details.

 USA Triathlon rules will apply.  Although wetsuits are likely, the ruling on wetsuits will be made on race day.  NO DRAFTING – THERE WILL BE MARSHALLS ON THE COURSE.

AWARDS CEREMONY:  Join your fellow triathletes at Javelina Cantina for the post race celebration and awards ceremony. 

 Finish the race, go back to the hotel and get cleaned up and join us for the best Mexican food on the Colorado River.  With food and beer specials for triathletes and their friends and families, this promises to be one wild fiesta.  The restaurant opens at 11:00am with triathlon food and beer specials starting at 1:00pm and the awards ceremony starting at 2:30pm.

 TRANSPORTATION NOTE:  At first glance, Lake Havasu City may seem a little off the beaten track.  It is, however, extremely accessible and very inexpensive to get to.  Flights to Las Vegas, at the time this information was prepared, were averaging under $300 a flight from most cities.   Once in Lake Havasu City, you will not need a rental car or other transportation.  For those driving to the Havasu Triathlon, Lake Havasu City is in close proximity to major freeways, is only 4 hours from Southern California, 3 hours from Phoenix and only 2 hours from Las Vegas. 

WESTERN STATES COLLEGIATE INVITATIONAL
 The Havasu Triathlon was the National Collegiate Triathlon Championships in 2004 and 2005.  The Havasu Triathlon continues to offer a collegiate division at a special entry fee.  Awards will be given to the top five males and top five females in the collegiate division as well as top overall male team, top overall female team and top overall combined team.

NEW FOR 2009:  TUCSON RACING WILL DONATE $500 TO THE WINNING COMBINED TEAM FOR TRAVEL EXPENSES TO 2009 COLLEGIATE NATIONALS!

USAT AGE GROUP RULE

 USA Triathlon, the governing body of the sport of triathlon, instituted a new age group rule in 2005.  Your race age is your age on December 31, 2008.  Therefore, if you age up into a new age group during the calendar year, you race in that new age group for the 2008 season.  For example, Sally is 34 years old on the day of the Havasu Triathlon on March 22, 2008.  Her birthday is on July 15, 2008 and on her birthday she will turn 35.  Therefore, Sally races in the 35-39 age group for all of 2008, including the Havasu Triathlon.

 If you have a birthday in 2008 that puts you in another age group, you will race with that age group in the race and leave in that age group’s wave. Using our example above, even though Sally is 34 at the Havasu Triathlon, she will race with the 35-39 women and leave in the 35-39 women’s wave.

 It is the athletes responsibility to enter with their correct age and leave in the correct wave.  Athletes who race in the wrong wave will be disqualified.

REGISTRATION/PACKET PICK-UP

 Registration and packet pick up will be from 3:00pm to 8:00pm on March 21. Registration will be at the Quality Inn and Suites, 271 S. Lake Havasu.

.  There is no registration and packet pick-up on Saturday, March 22 unless specific arrangements have been made with Tucson Racing.  Contact racedirector@tucsonracing.com for late packet pick-up.

 AWARDS CEREMONY:

 Join your fellow triathletes at Javelina Cantina for the post race celebration and awards ceremony.  Finish the race, go back to the hotel and get cleaned up and join us for the best Mexican food on the Colorado River.  With food and beer specials for triathletes and their friends and families, this promises to be one wild fiesta.  The restaurant opens at 11:00am with triathlon food and beer specials starting at 1:00pm and the awards ceremony starting at 2:30pm.

Course Details

EVENT PARKING
There is plenty of parking.  Limited parking is available at Windsor 4. Please be advised that Windsor 4 parking is very limited as the  most of the parking lot will be used for the transition to the bike course.  There is a city lot on London Bridge Road, next to the Hampton Inn that has limited parking as well.  Please do not park inside the cones as the bike exit goes through the middle of the lot.  There is unlimited parking in the strip mall across the street from the Hampton Inn.  This parking is about 400 meters from the transition area.
 

TRANSITION AREA
The transition area is at Windsor 4 on the north side of the channel.  To get to the transition area take Highway 93 north out of town and take a left at Industrial to Havasu State Park.  The transition is flow through and will be first come first serve.   New for 2008:  sprint race bikes will be racked separately so bikes may be removed before the conclusion of the Oly race.

SWIM

Swim course overview
The swim will be in Lake Havasu.  The start will be on the beach at Windsor 4.  Wave 1 will start at 8:30am and waves will be approximately 5 minutes apart.  The sprint race will be starting first.

OLY:  Athletes will swim out into the lake, making a U-turn toward the Channel, keeping the shoreline on their right.  Approximately 200 meters from the bridge, athletes will make another U-turn back along the channel to the swim exit.  SPRINT:  Athletes will not enter the channel.

The water temperature is likely to be in the mid -60s.  While it is a virtual certainty that wetsuits will be allowed, the official wetsuit ruling will be announced  at the pre-race meetings. 

SPRINT SWIM

Sprint Swim course overview

BIKE

This is a very challenging course.  Pro triathletes have not been able to break an hour on this course. It has hills, turns and challenges galore.  See map for details.

GUIDE FOR BIKE COURSE

NOTE:  ALL DISTANCES APPROXIMATE!!!!  

1. Bike exit from parking lot is the access road on the channel side of the parking lot.  It will be gated until race morning.
2. Take access road out to Marlborough, go left at the end of the access road in the direction of the Hampton Inn, then taking your first right to London Bridge Road.
3 .Go left at LONDON BRIDGE ROAD.
4 .Go 2.8 miles to PALO VERDER NORTH. Go right.
5 ..6 miles to HONEYBEE.  Go left.
6 .Immediate left on DEER RUN.
7 .At bottom of hill, right on CABANA (do not go into cemetery)
8 .Follow Cabana to top of hill, right on MANDARIN to end and turnaround.  Back to Palo Verde North the same way you came in.
9 ..6 mile to LONDON BRIDGE ROAD.  Go right.

SPRINT TURNAROUND APPROXIMATELY .75 MILES FROM  DOVER

10. Approx. 5 miles on LONDON BRIDGE ROAD to turnaround on Highway 95
11. .8 miles back to entrance to CRYSTAL BEACH.  Go right.
12 .BEWARE OF HILLS.  USE  LOW GEAR.
13 ..6 miles to REEF.  Go right.
14 ..1 mile to RIVERSIDE.  Go left.
15 . .7 miles to EDGEWATER.  Go left. Beware of sharp left downhill corner
16 ..3 miles to VISTA.  Go left.
17 ..7 miles to REEF.  Go left.
18 ..1 mile to FATHOM and exit of Crystal Beach.  Go right.
19 ..6 mile to LONDON BRIDGE ROAD.  Go right.
20 .7 miles back to Transition area.

RUN

The run is flat and very, very fast and across the  London Bridge.  Water and an energy replacement drink will be available .  The run course is on the running path around the island.
 

GUIDE FOR RUN COURSE
The run course is an out and back course.  It is flat with one set of stairs that are done on the way out and the way back.  There is no traffic on the run course.  The course is on closed roads, dedicated traffic lanes, sidewalk and running paths.  Aid stations will be every mile.  There will be a Gatorade type drink at some aid stations. 

1. Leave Windsor 4 via the access road on the south side.
2. At the end of the access road, the bike course veers left, runners veer right.
3. At LONDON BRIDGE ROAD, turn right.
4. Follow LONDON BRIDGE ROAD until first entrance to the Old London Village parking lot.  Turn right.
5. Run through the gates, past the fountain to the Bridge.  Run up the stairs on your left as you approach the bridge.
6. At the top of the stairs, make a u-turn and cross the bridge on the north sidewalk.
7. Stay on the sidewalk until you are directed on a dedicated lane on the roadway.
8. At the four-way intersection, cross the street to the running path that runs adjacent to the roadway.
9. Stay on the running path until the turnaround.  The sprint turnaround will be BEFORE the Olympic distance turnaround.
10. Return the way you came.

Relays

There are relay categories for Men, Women and Mixed.

T-Shirt Policy

We need to order t-shirts 2 weeks before the event.  All athletes will be guaranteed a t-shirt in the size recorded on their entry blank or indicated on Active.com, if the entry is received on or before March 15, 2005.  Entries received after that date will receive a shirt but we cannot guarantee size of choice.  Entries on March 24 are not guaranteed a shirt.

Local Weather

March weather in Lake Havasu City, Arizona is the spectacular!  Evenings and mornings are cool and can require a sweatshirt.  Days are warm and dry.  Weather at the start of the race should be in the low 60s. By noon it should be in the low 80s.

Prerace Meeting

 A pre-race meeting will be held at 5:00pm at packet pickup.  If further announcements are necessary, they will be made at the swim start.

Clydesdale/Athena 
USAT rules will be followed. Please check the USAT website at www.usatriathlon.org for more information. At the time of this writing, the USAT rules dictate that those eligible for the Clydesdale category be men who are 200 pounds and over and the those eligible for the Athena category be women who are 150 pounds and over.

Refund Policy
We understand that plans can change.  Unfortunately we are not able to give out any refund, for any reason whatsoever, 30 days before the race.  We will not transfer your entry to another race nor roll it over to the  following year.  However, with races selling out we do not want have people enter in September and then be stuck with an entry they cannot use.  Therefore if you notify us at any time prior February 22 we will refund your 75% of your entry fee, less any charges by active.com.

If you wish to switch between sprint and Oly, or vice versa, you may do so at any time prior to March 15 (paying the difference in entry fee where applicable).  Just notify us by email and we will make the change.

Entry Fees
No Refunds or entry transfers. If you wish to switch between Oly and sprint, or vice versa, please see Refund Policy, above.

SEND ENTRY TO:
HAVASU TRIATHLON
PO Box 417
LOVELAND, OH  45140

• ALL ATHLETES MUST BE AN ANNUAL MEMBER OF USAT OR PURCHASE ONE DAY LICENSE.  SEE www.usatriathlon.org FOR DETAILS.
• ALL ATHLETES MUST SIGN WAIVER AT PACKET PICK UP

Online Registration
Online registration is provided by Active.com. 

Please read the Online Registration Information page. When you are ready to register online, click on the appropriate link below.

Havasu Triathlon

Travel Information

Flying
The Lake Havasu Tourism Bureau recommends that athletes fly into Las Vegas (although Phoenix is a cheap and easy alternative). The reasons to fly into Las Vegas are:
1. It is the closest major airport to Lake Havasu
2. It is only about a 2 hour drive from Lake Havasu
3. Airfares to Las Vegas, because of the casinos and entertainment in Las Vegas, are the cheapest of any airfares in the country. Additionally, there are many specials and sales offered on airfares to Las Vegas throughout the year.
 

Lodging Information and Host Hotel
Our host hotel is the Quality Inn and Suites at 271 S. Lake Havasu.It is the same place we have had for the last 4 years but is under new
management and has undergone extensive renovations.  The Quality Inn and Suites is offering a special triathlon room rate of $72.00 plus
tax for 1 -2 adults per room per night.  Just ask for the special triathlon room rate when calling for reservations at 928-855-1111.

The host hotel is a just a short bike ride from the transition area, where packet pick up is located and is within walking distance for many restaurants.

Quality Inn and Suites
271 S. Lake Havasu
Lake Havasu City, Arizona 86403
928-855-1111

CAMPING
Camping is available at the Crazy Horse Campground. 

Crazy Horse Campgrounds
1534 Beachcomber Blvd.  LHC, AZ.  86403.  (928) 855-4033.  Ask for the Triathlon room block.

The Crazy Horse Campground is within a mile of the start/transition/finish line and is a full service campground.

DAYS INN
$79 per night ($30 off standard rates)

The Days Inn is located just 3 miles from the transition area and very close to restaurants, movies and shopping.  A Continental Breakfast is served every morning from  7 to 11 every morning.  To receive  the preferred rates please mention "TRIATHLON" when you call us at 928-855-7841 or email kgallo@daysinnlakehavasu.com.

Camping is at the Crazy Horse Campgrounds. 1534 Beachcomber Blvd.  LHC.  86403.  (928) 855-4033.

Maps

For course maps, see the Course Details section.

Course Records

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