Rules

The Markel Castle Triathlon Series Race Rules highlight the general rules of the Series and for each of the races.  Please read and understand the general rules before competing to ensure a fantastic race for you and everyone else.

Before Competing please read the Markel Castle Triathlon Series Terms and Conditions here:  Castle Triathlon Series Terms and Conditions (161.3 KB)

General Rules

• Any non-sportsman-like conduct constitutes grounds for immediate disqualification of you or your team.
• Competitors must strictly obey all directions and instructions by Marshal’s, the Highway Authority and Police.
• Medical staff have the authority to remove a competitor from the race if judged to be physically incapable of continuing the race without risk of serious injury.
• If you withdraw from the race, please notify the timing team at the finish line.
• It is the responsibility of each competitor to understand the directions and to be familiar with the swim, cycle and run course.
• A top must be worn during the cycle leg and run leg of the event. Your number should be visible from the front and rear at all times.
• It is the responsibility of Relay teams to transfer their timing chip device and race number in transition.
• The Race Director has the right to stop a competitor from completing the race if it is deemed that the overall time is likely to fall outside the published cut-off time.

Swim

• No fins, paddles, snorkels or floatation devices are to be used. Regular swimming goggles are permitted.
• All competitors must wear the Markel Castle Triathlon Series swimming cap during the swim leg. This will also help to ensure that you compete in your correct age group and scheduled wave start time.
• No individual paddlers or escorts are permitted. The course will be adequately patrolled by safety vessels.
• Water temperature assessed 24 hours before the event.
• Wetsuit Use Determination:
  • Wetsuits compulsory under 15 degree Celsius
  • Wetsuits optional between 15.1 and 22.9 degrees Celsius
  • Wetsuits forbidden above 23 degrees Celsius
  • Wetsuits thickness not to exceed 5mm.
• Competitors who warm up must be behind the starting line at least three minutes before the race start.
• If you get into difficulty in the swim you may call for assistance.
• If you are retrieved from the swim by water safety officials you will be listed as disqualified, however times can still be recorded if, at the discretion of the Medical Director, you are permitted (and willing) to complete the rest of the event

Cycle

• The roads use on all the cycle routes of all the races will NOT be subject to any official closures although both the Police and Highway Authorities have been involved in the planning process for each race.
• All competitors will be required to wear United Kingdom/French STANDARDS APPROVED HELMET throughout the bike course.
• Helmet straps must be fastened at all times the bicycle is in motion i.e. being ridden or walked. In the event of a breakdown on the cycle course, the helmet must remain on and securely fastened.
• Absolutely no drafting another bicycle or any other vehicle is allowed. A space of four bike lengths must be left between all riders at all times.
• Competitors are individually responsible for following traffic laws as dictated by the Road Traffic Act and are solely responsible for the consequences of any infringements
• The competitors must follow the Highway Code at all times whilst on the cycle course.
• Competitors must obey the instructions of course marshal’s highway authority and road rules at all times.
• No MP3 Players, iPod's, walkmans etc are permitted whilst competing.

Run

• No form of locomotion other than running or walking is allowed – no exceptions!
• No individual support vehicles or escort runners are allowed.
• Runners are expected to follow the directions of all course marshals and race officials.
• No MP3 Players, iPod's, walkmans etc are permitted whilst competing.

Transition Area

• Once the race starts, only competitors who are racing can enter the compound during transition. Remember to get all your swim gear out of the bike compound before the race commences, as you will be unable to return to the compound until your cycle leg.
• Make a mental note of your placement in the compound so you can easily find your correct position, e.g. Bike rack row number. No flags, signs or tape can be used to identify a competitor’s bike rack as it provides an unfair advantage over other competitors.
• Bikes must be placed in the correct bike rack after the bike sector of the race. Failure to do so will result in disqualification.
• Each competitor is ultimately responsible for his or her own gear.
• Helmets must be fastened prior to unracking your bike and must remain fastened until the bike has been racked following the cycle leg. Any breach of this rule may incur a time penalty.

Advice of Penalties

• Penalty box infractions:
  • TIME: 3 MIN -Olympic Distance; 2 MIN -Mid-Distance; 1 MIN -Sprint Distance
• Drafting
• Blocking
• Illegal passing
• Unfastened helmet
• Pulling back in the swim
• Early start or turn on the swim
• Stop / start penalty
• Cycle Course: 
  
  • Report to the Penalty Box and advise the official/marshal that you are serving a stop/start penalty
• Run Course/Transition: Issued on the spot

Disqualifications

• If you are shown a RED CARD or fail to attend the Penalty Box a VIOLATION REPORT will be filled out and submitted to the RACE MARSHAL
• The RACE marshal and RACE Director will assess your disqualification and rule accordingly

• Drink plenty of fluid before and during the event.
• Use caution at the start of the swim if you are not an experienced swimmer.  Even with wave starts at the larger events, it can still be very crowded.
• Bicycles must be in safe mechanical condition for the race and should be checked by a bike shop mechanic prior to the race.

Medical Recommendations

If you are over 35 years of age and/or have not done much regular exercise, it is strongly recommended that you have a medical check-up prior to the event. A proper training program for the event is also strongly recommended - please see the training section of the website.

Water Quality Testing

All castle lakes used in the Series will be tested for water quality to ensure they comply with the EU Bathing Water Directives listed here:

UK compliance with Bathing Water Directive (76/160/EEC)

Mandatory standards

Meeting the mandatory water quality standards of the Bathing Water Directive (76/160/EEC) is the minimum legal requirement. Mandatory standards are given for 10 parameters: total coliforms, faecal coliforms, salmonella, enteroviruses, pH, colour, mineral oils, surface active substances (detergents), phenols and transparency. The Directive also sets the minimum frequency at which bathing waters should be sampled.

Cases of non-compliance with the physico-chemical parameters are extremely rare so compliance in the UK each year is normally determined by the extent of pollution by total and faecal coliform bacteria.

To comply with these standards, bathing waters must not exceed values of 10,000 total coliforms per 100ml and 2000 faecal coliforms per 100ml in 95% of samples.

In 2010, 97.6 per cent of bathing waters in England complied with these microbiological standards, with 10 of the 413 waters failing to meet the minimum standards of the Directive.

The table below shows percentage compliance with the mandatory standards for total and faecal coliforms in England only and in the UK over the last decade.

Year	'01	'02	'03	'04	'05	'06	'07	'08	'09	'10
England % compliance	97.8	98.5	98.8	98.3	98.8	99.5	97.8	96.1	98.3	97.6
UK % compliance	95.3	97.8	98.4	97.7	98.4	99.5	96.5	95.8	97.7	97.3

Guideline standards

The Bathing Water Directive also sets more stringent guideline microbiological standards that Member States must endeavour to observe.

To comply with the guideline standards, bathing waters must not exceed values of 500 total coliforms per 100ml and 100 faecal coliforms per 100ml in 80% of water quality samples, and 100 faecal streptococci per 100ml in 90% of samples taken.

In 2010, 72.6 per cent of all bathing waters in England met this tighter standard. This is the guideline standard that constitutes the water quality criterion of the international Blue Flag award scheme.