BMW OF Chattanooga Waterfront Tri
COURSE DESCRIPTION
1.5k swim / 42k bike /10k run
MAIN STAGING AREA - TRANSITION FLOW AND FINISH LINE
The main staging area is on the two lawns at the corner of Chestnut Street and Riverfront Parkway. The finish line is on Riverfront Parkway between the river and the transition area.
The race transition area is organized based on your assigned race number. Since you will be starting the swim based on your race number assigned by age group per USAT rules for championship and qualifier racers, you will be traveling the same distance through transition as those you are competing against in your age group. The bike racks are marked by ranges of "7" numbers, beginning with 1 through 7 and so on. You do not have to rack in numerical order ON the rack, but your bike must be racked on the rack designated for your race number range.
Click here for a map of the transition and main staging area.
SWIM COURSE
The swim course is 1.5k point-to-point in the Tennessee River. The swim will go with the current. Shuttles will take athletes from the main staging area to the University of Tennessee Chattanooga Rowing Center. The shuttles will leave from the corner of Chestnut and Riverfront Parkway, adjacent to the race transition area. The swim exit will be at the North Terrace on the waterfront, before the City Pier. You will run up some stairs from the waterfront to the transition area. The race transition will be on the waterfront side of the Chattanooga Aquarium on Riverfront Parkway on the "South Green." SHOULD YOU REQUIRE ASSISTANCE ON THE SWIM AND TAKE A LIFE PRESERVER FROM THE WATER VOLUNTEERS, PLEASE RETURN IT TO THE FOOD TENT IN THE POST RACE AREA. If you DO use a flotation device to MOVE FORWARD, you will be disqualified from the race.
The water temperature is expected to be somewhere close to 28 degrees C / 82 degrees F, which means NOT wetsuit legal. Feel free to bring a wetsuit just in case we dip below 78 F!
SWIM START INFORMATION:
The swim will be conducted in a time-trial fashion with individuals starting the race at approximately 5 second intervals based on race number, with racer number 1 being first. Since this race is the USA Triathlon National Championship Special Qualifier, we will organize racers by age group per USA Triathlon rules for championship and qualifier races. Any USAT PRO CARD CARRYING RACERS will be allowed to begin at the front in an ELITE wave. This is not allowed for any amateur racers due to USAT rules.
SWIM EXIT INFORMATION / SWIM TO BIKE TRANSITION:
The swim exit has a change for this year! Swim exit steps have been engineered in hopes of bringing racers an easier exit from the river to the land. Additionally, your route from the swim to the transition area has changed - you will now run through the event expo area through a flagged chute and enter the transition area on the same end where you exit and re-enter on the bike segment. Please see the link to the main staging / transition area for a flow of this change.
Click here for a map of the transition and main staging area.
BIKE COURSE
Click here for an interactive course map with course profile.
The bike course leaves the transition left onto Riverfront Parkway, left onto ML King, onto Hwy 27 North, turnaround just before Hwy 153, exit Hwy 27 onto ML King, right on ML King, right on Riverside/Riverfront, end at Transition at Ross Landing Park.
PRINTABLE OVERVIEW OF THE ENTIRE BIKE COURSE.
PRINTABLE OVERVIEW OF THE DOWNTOWN SEGMENT OF THE BIKE COURSE.
RUN COURSE
The 10k run course is an out-and-back course through part of downtown and on the Riverwalk. Water stations will be located approximately every mile and in the transition area.
Click here for an interactive course map with course profile.
Runners exit the transition lawn on the east side, onto Chestnut Street. The course goes North on Chestnut, taking a quick right onto Riverfront Parkway. At the top of the hill, angle left onto the Veterans Bridge exit ramp. Cross under the High Street overpass. Immediately after crossing under the Riverwalk bridge, turn left, up the steps. Continue bending to the left onto the Riverwalk and across the bridge that you just passed under. After crossing Veterans Bridge / Georgia Avenue, turn left onto the first access sidewalk on your left, then a quick right onto Battery Place. Stay on Battery Place until the bottom of the hill (at Mabel) where you get back on the Riverwalk proper. From this point, the course follows the Riverwalk. The 5k turnaround is located roughly 3/10 mile past the Curtain Pole parking area and bathroom.
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Saturday, Day Before Race
12:00 pm - 7:00pm -
Registration & packet pick-up; Team Magic Black Tent
2:00 pm - Pro racer Michael Lovato signing and Q&A at the ACME Multisports booth on Saturday at 2 pm. Be sure to stop by the ACME booth before 2 pm to sign up for a chance for a $100 gift card from ACME - the winner will be drawn by Michael
3:30 pm -
Beginner Q & A session; Athlete main tent
4:15 pm - Race Overview; Athlete main tent
4:30 pm - USAT rules overview by USAT Head Official in main tent
5:00 pm - Professional Athlete Mandatory Meeting; main tent
Chattanooga Pre-Race Clinics by Coach Stephen Taylor
5:30 pm - Push the Easy Button; Get through your First Triathlon Comfortably
6:00 pm - Mental Toughness; Using Mindset to Excel at Triathlon
6:30 pm - Q & A with the Coach; Your Triathlon Questions Answered by the Expert
Sunday, Race Day
5:30 am-6:45am -
Registration & packet pick-up & body marking; shuttles to swim start from finish/transition area
6:00 am Load Bus #1: Racer # 1-84 Bus departs 6:15 am
6:00 am Load Bus #2: Racer # 85-168 Bus departs 6:20 am
6:00 am Load Bus #3: Racer # 169-252 Bus departs 6:25 am
6:00 am Load Bus #4: Racer # 253-336 Bus departs 6:30 am
6:00 am Load Bus #5: Racer # 337-420 Bus departs 6:35 am
6:40 am Load Bus #1: Racer # 421-504 Bus departs 6:45 am
6:40 am Load Bus #2: Racer # 505-588 Bus departs 6:50 am
6:40 am Load Bus #3: Racer # 589-672 Bus departs 6:55 am
6:40 am Load Bus #4: Racer # 673-756 Bus departs 7:00 am
6:40 am Load Bus #5: Racer # 757-840 Bus departs 7:05 am
7:20 am Load Bus #1: Racer # 841-924 Bus departs 7:25 am
7:20 am Load Bus #2: Racer # 925-1008 Bus departs 7:30 am
7:20 am Load Bus #3: Racer # 1009-1092 Bus departs 7:35 am
7:20 am Load Bus #4: Racer # 1093-1176 Bus departs 7:40 am
7:20 am Load Bus #5: Racer # 1177+ Bus departs 7:45 am
7:00 am - Bikes must be in the transition area. Race overview in transition area.
7:30 am - Interval swim starts begin by participant race number.
SWIM START ORDER:
Professional Racers
Relay Teams
Male & Female Age 60+
Male & Female Age 30 - 39
Male & Female Age 50 - 59
Male & Female Age 40 - 49
Male & Female Age 29 & Under
12:30 pm - All racers must be finished with the race. When you finish the bike, please be sure you can finish the run by 12:30 pm to have a supported race. We will no longer have police and volunteer support after this point.
* 12:30 pm - * Awards ceremony following designated last finisher. This is an approximate time, please plan to be present at 12:30 pm if you want to attend the awards ceremony. Awards presented in Athlete main tent
Post-Race Activities
Stick around and enjoy the day: Plan on bringing tents, chairs and your family to enjoy the waterfront! Racers will be invited to enjoy plenty of complimentary post race food and drink and there will be vendors on site selling food and drink for your family and friends or feel free to have them bring their own. If you do bring a tent, please note you cannot use stakes in the ground.
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QR is donating a bike frame and 2 wetsuits for the prize drawings at race site awards. Be sure to stick around for your chance to win!
CATEGORY TYPES
- Professional - Card Carrying Professional Racers
- Individual - Open for all men and women
- Beginners - Participated in no more than 3 triathlons
- Clydesdale - 200+ pound men
- Athena - 150+ pound women
- Masters - 40+ men and women
- Relay - male, female, mixed, corporate, family
Your category CANNOT change once the race starts. If a category is not indicated when you register, you will be entered as an individual. If you choose Beginner, you will fall back in your age group if you do not win an award in your chosen category.
"Should I be a beginner?"
If you do not place in the top three beginners position you will fall back into the open age groups for awards. So we recommend for your first 3 races, choose "Beginner," then move on to any other category...
USAT AGE UP RULE
All USAT races will use the "AGE UP RULE" for award distribution and ranking. It is important that you begin in the proper wave start with respect to this rule. The age up rule means you are racing based on your age as of 12/31/08. Our computer timing program will automatically calculate your age based on your birth date and the age up rule criteria.
Awards & Prizes
A $4990 cash purse will be divided as follows:
Top 5 Overall Men & Women = $750, $600, $450, $210, $110
Top 3 Masters Men & Women (40+) = $200, $100, $75
Other prizes will include a "trophy type" award and also may include multi-sport product awards.
3 deep males & females for:
THREE DEEP AWARDS FOR RELAY TEAMS
Awards offered to top 3 teams in the following categories: Family, Corporate, Male, Female, Co-ed (mixed male/female) So, if you are not able to participate at the full distance this year, put a team together and join the fun!
Important note about awards:
1) Order must be placed three weeks (minimum) prior to race date to receive specific category award.
2) Awards ordered based on number of participants registered in each award category.
SHIPPING AWARDS NOT PICKED UP
If you leave before the award ceremony, send $5 for each award you want to be shipped, relays are $5 per person. To receive your award in a timely manner, please include a complete mailing address and the award category:
Team Magic, Inc - PO Box 130178 - Birmingham, AL 35213














