Race Day Schedule & Information

RACE DAY SCHEDULE:

6:00am – Transition area opens.  Only registered athletes with wristbands are allowed in the transition area.

8:30am – Mandatory pre race briefing at transition area.

9:00am – Triathlon swim leg starts with wave starts. Swim waves: The 1st WAVE will be the competitive/elite field followed by all others in 4 separate waves divided by gender and age groups. Assigned swim caps will coordinate with swim waves.

COURSE:

Swim:  Swim leg starts with wave starts in the water starting 2 minutes apart.  The 1st wave will be the competitive/elite athletes followed by all others in 4 separate waves divided by gender and age groups.  Swim caps issued at packet pickup will be associated with your assigned swim wave and must be worn during the swim leg over any other caps. The course will be a two-loop clockwise swim marked with large buoys.  Keep the buoys on your right at all times. Wetsuits will be allowed subject to USAT water temperature rules.  No swim aids such as fins will be allowed.  Paddleboards/kayaks will be in the water to assist you if necessary.  If you need help, raise your arm.  You may hold onto the board/boat without penalty but do not climb on.  

Bike:  The bike course is an out and back course with an absolutely incredible view of the Blue Mountains and Walla Walla Valley.  All bikes must be fitted with bar end plugs.  Helmets must be worn and secured before removing your bike from the rack and must not be taken off until your bike is re-racked following the bike leg.  The bike course will be marked with white sandwich signs with black arrows and red duct tape.  In addition, volunteer marshalls will be located at key intersections to help guide bicyclists but it is your responsibility to be familiar with and follow the course.  There will be no aid stations on the bike course.  All roads except Reservoir Road will be open to vehicular traffic except that Police/Sheriff officers will control traffic at two key intersections to allow bicyclist to make turns without stopping.

Run:  The run course exits end of the parking area with a run on some high quality single track trails, a short section of gravel road and then 3 miles of asphalt walking trail on an out and back run course along Mill Creek.  Aid stations will be located on the course at Mile 1.5, 3 and 4.5 with water, Heed and gels.  You must wear your race bib on the run leg.  Please make sure your race bib is facing forward when you enter the finish chute.

PARKING:

Parking is limited at Bennington Lake. Early arrivals will park in the main parking area and overflow parking will be on the Bennington Lake dam with a short walk (~0.25 mile) to the transition area. If parking on the dam, walk on the access road on top of the dam to the end and then down the asphalt road down to the race venue.  DO NOT WALK DOWN THE ROCK FACE OF THE DAM!! Athletes will be given a parking pass at packet pick up. Only athletes and their vehicle will be allowed to park on the Bennington Lake Dam. Spectators need to show up early to park in the main parking lot, or plan on walking to the event site from either Rooks Park or the Corps of Engineers project office parking area.

ACCESS:

To ensure the safety of bicyclists, Reservoir Road (the access road to Bennington Lake) will be closed at the Tausick Way intersection at 9:00am and no traffic will be allowed to enter until the majority of the bicycles have returned to the transition area at approximately 12:00pm.