Triathlon Rules and Regulations

Swim

  • Swim caps: Athletes must wear the swim cap provided
  • Audio/music devices: The use of personal audio/music devices or earphones is prohibited
  • Course cutting: Short-cutting the course or failing to complete the correct number of laps will lead to disqualification
  • Clothing: Wetsuits may be compulsory. This will be determined by water and air temperature readings taken on the day of the event

Bike

  • Cutting the course: Course cutting or failure to complete the correct number of laps will lead to disqualification. It is the rider’s responsibility to count their own laps and complete the correct number of laps
  • Passing: All riders wanting to pass slower riders should do so to the right. Slower riders must keep left to give way for passing riders
  • Drafting: This is a draft legal race, thus drafting is allowed
  • Bike numbers: Athletes are expected to correctly position bike stickers and helmet stickers that are supplied on their sticker sheet. Athletes must wear their race number on their back and ensure it is visible during the bike leg

Bike Equipment:

  • Road bikes, mountain bike and clip-on tri bars are welcome
  • The clip on tri bars, including the bridge, may not exceed the foremost line of the brake levers. The clip-ons must have a solid factory bridge or be touching each other
  • Brake levers or gear levers must not be attached to the clip-ons
  • Minimum number of spokes per wheel is 12 and no disc wheels are allowed
  • For safety reasons, all bicycles and other equipment will be checked by the race officials before racking. Any bikes not considered safe will not be allowed to be used
  • Racers shall complete the entire event on the same bicycle upon which they began the event
  • Athletes must return to the Transition Area with a complete bicycle to be allowed to continue
  • No bike parts may be left on the race course

Helmets:

  • ANSI Certified helmets must be worn, with buckles securely fastened, at all times when bike is in motion
  • Helmets must not have any cracks or material damage, and must be put on and fastened correctly before you may take your bike off the rack in the Transition Area as you head onto the cycle
  • Helmets must be worn during the full duration of the bike leg and may only be unclipped and removed once the bike has been re racked in the Transition Area after the cycle. DO NOT un-clip your helmet before this and ensure that your helmet is securely fitted
  • Refusal to wear a helmet will lead to immediate disqualification

Transition:

  • Riding your bike within the Transition Area is prohibited
  • You may only begin cycling once you have passed the mount line outside the Transition Area
  • Failure to adhere to this rule will lead to a time penalty or disqualification
  • Bikes must be returned to the same location on the bike rack during the transition to the run
  • Bikes must be securely racked and may not be left on the ground before heading onto the run
  • Personal seconding or assistance in the Transition Area is prohibited

Run:

  • Numbers: Athletes must wear their race numbers on the front of their body
  • Audio/ music devices:The use of personal audio/ music devices or earphones is prohibited
  • Course cutting: Short-cutting the course or failing to complete the correct number of laps will lead to disqualification. It is the runner’s responsibility to count their own laps and complete the correct amount of laps required
  • Clothing: Runners must wear either a shirt or a vest at all times. Tri-suits may not be pulled down to the waist, and should cover the athlete’s upper body at all times
  • Littering: Do not litter or throw anything outside of the official aid stations. Items include but not limited to water bottles, gel and energy bar wrappers, broken bike parts or clothing. Blatant lettering will result in a time penalty

General Rules:

  • It is the athlete’s responsibility to maintain adequate hydration
  • Outside assistance from someone not competing in the same event is prohibited and may lead to disqualification
  • Fellow racers are welcome to assist one another
  • Changing bikes during the event is prohibited

Conduct:

  • Unsportsmanlike behaviour, foul riding and running or the use of profane or abusive language may lead to disqualification

Protests:

  • All protests must be submitted to the Chief Referee within 30 minutes of the finish time of the person lodging the protest
  • Protests must be submitted in writing and signed by the accuser and accompanied with a protest fee payment of R200. Should your protest be successful, your R200 will be refunded
  • Parents or guardians of minor athletes protesting must complete the process on behalf of the under 18 athlete

Penalties:

  • Penalties may be warranted to athletes who fail to adhere to rules and regulations
  • Penalties will be determined by the severity of the infraction
  • Severe penalties may be given in the form of disqualification

Cut-off Times:

  • It is up to the Race Director to enforce, limit or extend the cut-off time of a race for any reason. In such an event, these times will be publicised
  • Cut-off times will be in the interest of safety for the athletes

Retirements:

  • Competitors who wish to withdraw from the event must report to the Transition Area and notify the officials of their retirement

Other:

  • Ignorance of rules will not be accepted as an excuse
  • No team managers will be allowed in the finish area or Transition Area
  • No ambush marketing will be tolerated in any way at the race venue or on the race route
  • Only sponsors of the event will be allowed any branding within the parameters of the race venue

Sanctioning:

  • The Discovery Triathlon World Cup Cape Town is a Triathlon South Africa sanctioned event. ITU/TSA rules and regulations will apply. Click here for a full set of rules and regulations

Cancellation of Race Entry:

  • Athletes who use the early bird entry reservation offer (the month of October 2018) would be able to cancel their reservation and request a refund of their R100 deposit if the cancellation is done before 23:59 on 31 October 2018.
  • Athletes who don’t pay the balance of their entry fee by 23:59 on 15 November 2018 will forfeit their R100 deposit as well as their entry reservation.

Please submit your cancellation and refund request to info@triathlon.capetown

Early bird entry reservation

  • Athletes who use the early bird entry reservation offer (the month of October 2018) would be able to cancel their reservation and request a refund of their R100 deposit if the cancellation is done before 23:59 on 31 October 2018.
  • Athletes who don’t pay the balance of their entry fee by 23:59 on 15 November 2018 will forfeit their R100 deposit as well as their entry reservation.

Entries paid in full

Athletes that are unable to participate, regardless of their reasons, can request cancellation and refund of their entry. They can get:

  • A 50% refund on their entry fee if the request is received before midnight 14 December 2018.
  • A 25% refund on their entry fee if the request is received before midnight 14 January 2019.

No refund will be provided if the cancellation request is received on or after 15 January 2019.

Entries closing time

  • Entries close at 23:59 midnight, 31 January 2019, or when the race capacity is reached. Once entries close, you can request to be placed on a waiting list and, if there are cancellations in your chosen event, you will be allocated an entry.

Postponing your entry

  • We will not allow entries to be postponed to be used for the 2020 event. You may, however, transfer your entry to another athlete. Refer to the Transferring your entry section.

Transfer of Entry

  • Entries can be transferred to another person as long as the substitution request is submitted before 23h59 on 20 January 2019. A fee of R 100 will apply.

To transfer your entry to someone else, submit your request to

Changing your race distance

Participants can request to transfer their entry to another event distance.

If you choose to upgrade from a shorter distance to a longer distance event, you will need to pay the difference in entry fees. In the event of changing from a longer distance to a shorter distance event, we will not be able to refund the difference in entry fee.

  • If you change your race distance:
    • By 23:59, 20 January 2019: You will not be charged an administration fee.
    • After 21 January 2019 but not later than 23:59, 31 January 2019: A R100 administration fee will apply to your request.

Please note that by making changes after 20 January, you may forfeit your personalised race number.

Please submit your change of distance request to info@triathlon.capetown

TSA License:

  • If you are not a member of Triathlon South Africa, you will need to purchase a day licence to participate in Discovery Triathlon World Cup Cape Town. This license will be added to your entry fee as part of the entry process online

School Challenge Rules:

  • The Schools Challenge is an opportunity for schools to compete in the Discovery Triathlon World Cup Cape Town. Learners aged 12 to 18 can compete either as individuals or in a team of two or three.
  • Team participation category will be determined by the age of the oldest member of the team. Age groups are aligned to TSA age group categories
  • Teams with two members: One of the members will do two legs of the race
  • Teams with three members: First member to swim; second member to cycle; third member to run