Aquathlon 2025: Race Info
PHOENIX AQUATHLON SERIES RACE INFORMATION
Guildford Lido, Stoke Road, Guildford, GU1 1HB
IMPORTANT
Please read this briefing before the race.
TIMINGS
| 18:15 | Registration opens |
|---|---|
| 18:35 | Transition access opens |
| 19:00 |
Registration closes Transition access closes Race briefing |
| 19:10 | Children races start (Tristar Start first) |
| 19:30 (approx.) | Youth & Junior / Adult race starts |
| 19:45 (approx.) | Final competitors start in Y&J / Adult race |
| 19:45(approx) | Tristar categories Prize Giving |
| 20:30 (approx) | Youth & Adult Prize Giving |
Please don’t arrive before 18:15. We do not have access to the lido
until after 18:15; the lido car park will be packed with customers
trying to leave.
MEDICAL DECLARATION
Please complete the health declaration online before you visit the registration tent and have the confirmation email available to show the Registration team if required. You will not receive a race number without a completed health declaration.
Please complete this beforehand to speed up your registration and for those around you.
https://phoenixtri.co.uk/medical-declaration/
PARKING
It is strongly recommended you park at Guildford Spectrum (free) and walk over to the Lido rear car overflow car park where Registration is.
Parking is available in the main lido public car park and at the Bowling Green Car Park further up Lido Road. We advise sharing lifts if possible.
REGISTRATION
Registration will take place in the event village, which is in the overflow car park beside the lido.
If you are a member of British Triathlon please bring your membership card to registration and show it to the marshals.
You will receive a coloured race number and wrist band. The colour of both indicates the race category. Please put the wrist band on straight away ON YOUR RIGHT WRIST, and attach the race number to the front of the shirt you will run in or a Race belt if using a TriSuit.
PHOTOGRAPHY
Parents / guardians / competitors who do not wish photos to be published of themselves or their children must let our registration team know when they collect their race number. The marshals will give you a pink ‘No Photos’ wristband which must also be secured on your RIGHT WRIST. Competitors who do not have photo consent must wear this ‘No Photos’ pink wristband to prevent photos being published of these individuals. Parents and spectators are reminded any photos you take including others not to share them on social media.
Photographs are taken on best endeavours and made available to download a week or two after the event when vetted.
Photographs are taken on the last bend before the finish. SMILE!
RACE TIMING
When you register, you will be given a paper race number. Attach this to the front of the shirt you will run in using safety pins provided or you can also use a race belt if you prefer. Marshals will help write your race number in large numbers on both upper arms using a marker.
Race timing is performed by marshals using an app. If your race number is hard to read (especially when you are running past quickly!), the marshals may not be able to correctly identify you and you may miss a timing split. Please be sympathetic with the marshals, they’re all volunteers and it can be quite difficult to read lots of race numbers quickly.
If something isn’t clear with the timing, please ask the marshals at the registration tent who will be able to explain again.
TRANSITION
Your upper body must be covered before you leave transition. Trisuits are acceptable. Don’t forget to have your race number clearly on display, or you won’t get a race time!
There is one transition area for Tristar competitors, and another for the Youth & Junior and Adult race. Access to these areas will open at around 18:35, and close again shortly before the race briefing at 19:00.
Please minimise the amount of kit you take into transition because space is limited. You shouldn’t need much more than a towel, running shoes, socks, shirt, shorts and a bottle of water. Please neatly arrange your things in a small square on the ground and leave access routes for other competitors to get to their belongings.
You will not be allowed back into the transition areas until after all the competitors have finished racing, so if you want towels or dry robes etc. for after the race then please leave them outside the transition area.
SPECTATORS
We welcome all parents, guardians, family and friends to watch and support the competitors in their race. Excellent viewing areas are on the poolside grass banks and near the transition area or finish line. Please make sure you are aware of the general rules and the photography rules. To ensure the safety of our competitors, only competitors and marshals will be allowed at pool-side and in transition during the race. There will be plenty of friendly marshals to help the children.
Please, no running alongside and/or screaming at children in transition (hearty encouragement only); it’s their race, win or lose. Any running alongside children or entering transition during the race will incur a time penalty for that athlete.
RACE ROUTES
| Swim Distance | Number of lengths | Run distance | |
|---|---|---|---|
| TriStar Start | 50 m | 1 | 600 m |
| TriStar 1 | 150 m | 3 | 1.5 km |
| TriStar 2 | 200 m | 4 | 2 km |
| TriStar 3 | 300 m | 6 | 3 km |
| Youth & Junior | 500 m | 10 | 5 km |
| Adults | 500 m | 10 | 5 km |
The Swim
Children aged 8 to 14 in the Tristar categories race on the Tristar course. Children aged 15 to 19 in the Youth & Junior category will race on the Adult course and will start with the adults at 19:30 in a pooled timing order (slowest first).
-
Tristar swims occur in increasing order of distance (Tristar Start first, Tristar 3 last).
-
Competitors in each category will be started slowest first, with a suitable gap between competitors to minimise overtaking.
-
Once the last competitor from the previous category has a suitable lead (normally several lengths), the next category will start (again, slowest first).
-
Overtaking is permitted. Proceed with caution. Tap the foot (don’t grab) of a competitor in front of you approaching the wall who will concede position and let you pass. If your foot is tapped, let the person behind you go in front
-
Tumble turns are permitted but proceed with caution. This race is not the time for a first attempt.
-
Any interference with another competitor from overtaking may mean you incur a penalty or disqualification.
Adults and Youth & Junior competitors will be pooled, so that the slowest from both categories start first, with the faster competitors starting later. As with the children, there will be a suitable gap between competitors, or longer if the marshals on the poolside deem it appropriate to spread people out more for the longer swim.
The Run - ‘Out and back’
The run routes are signposted with large, black arrows on a yellow background. On the children’s course, marshals are spaced regularly along the route so that competitors are always within view.
The turn-around points are marked with large signs. The colour of the sign matches the colour of the race numbers and wristbands for that category. There will also be a marshal at each turn-around point.
Run Finish
We will operate a funnel system (like Parkrun) at the finish line where you captured time is then correlated with your position. You must not exit the funnel until the Marshal has completed the timing actions.
You must not overtake or change positions in the funnel.
MEDICAL INFORMATION
Please ensure you have filled in the medical declaration before you collect your race number.
Our event medical team from Team Medic will be on standby for any first aid or medical treatment. Their main treatment facility will be located at the finish line and medical teams will be stationed or mobile at various places on the course.
Do not compete if you feel unwell or have recently been unwell. This advice applies even if you are raising money for charity. If you feel feverish, have had diarrhoea or been vomiting or had any chest pains DO NOT RACE! Many medical emergencies occur because people have been unwell but do not want to miss the event. If you have a family history of heart disease or sudden death or have any symptoms of possible heart disease, i.e. chest pain during exercise, sudden shortness of breath, or rapid palpitations, you should see your GP who can arrange for you to have a proper cardiac assessment.
RACE RULES
The Phoenix Aquathlon races are governed by British Triathlon and thus British Triathlon rules apply. The most up-to-date rules can be found in the British Triathlon rulebook at:
https://www.britishtriathlon.org/competitionrules
If you have any questions about the rules please contact British Triathlon or us beforehand or find the friendly British Triathlon race official on race day.
-
Enjoy the race in an atmosphere of sportsmanship, equality and fair play.
-
It is the competitor’s responsibility to know and correctly complete the full course of the event and competitors are ultimately responsible for their own safety and for the safety of others.
-
No individual support/pacing by cycles or on foot is permitted.
-
To avoid accidents, safeguard equipment and protect personal possessions, competitors must not bring helpers, friends or family members into the transition area when the race is in progress.
-
All competitors must ensure they are adequately clothed at all times.
-
Any equipment that acts as an impediment to hearing or concentration is prohibited from use during the event (e.g. phones, MP3 players, headsets)
-
In the case of a child taking part in an event, it is the responsibility of the parents / guardians and / or accompanying adults to ensure the child understands these rules and that the child’s equipment, clothing etc. is suitable, maintained, correctly prepared and used.
AFTER THE RACE
We aim to hold a prize giving for each category soon after every competitor within that category has finished. If you think you might be in with a chance of winning a prize, please make sure you stick around near the finish line to collect your prize!
A complete list of results will be posted on the race website as soon as all results have been verified. Provisional results will be available immediately on the following link.
https://phoenixtri.co.uk/raceresults/
Please check your results immediately after finishing the race and raise any timing concerns or issues with our marshals as soon as possible. Please do not approach the timing Marshals at the finish line.
If you have any queries between now and the event you can reach the Race Director via email at aquathlon@phoenixtri.co.uk
SPONSORS
The race series wouldn’t be possible without the generosity and support of our fantastic sponsors. This year, we extend a huge thank you to Stolen Goat for prizes, Feel Fit With Lucy (who is also our very own club strength & conditioning coach!). They are providing prizes and publicity across the season, so please support them as best you can! Also Fitstuff and Kelly’s Storage for logistics and equipment support and of course Guildford Lido and Freedom Leisure without whom this event would not be possible.
