Articles

UPDATE:

USA Triathlon has announced that the swim leg of today’s Junior and Youth National Championship will be run as scheduled after water quality tests came back normal.

The schedule of events is as follows:

1:20 p.m. Boys 13-15, Girls 13-15 Race Start
1:25 p.m. Boys 11-12, Girls 11-12 race start
2:15 p.m. Boys 9-10, Girls 9-10 Race Start
2:20 p.m. Boys 7-8, Girls 7-8 Race Start
3 p.m. Junior Elite females
4:20 p.m. Junior Elite males
5:40 p.m. Youth Elite females
6:30 p.m. Youth Elite males

In addition, there will be a coaches meeting at 9:30 a.m. at the finish line.

Check in times
12-1:30 p.m. Junior Elite males and females
1:30-3 p.m. Youth Elite males and females

Swim warm-up
2:30-2:50 p.m. Junior Elite females
3:50-4:10 p.m. Junior Elite males
5:10-5:30 p.m. Youth Elite females
6-6:20 p.m. Youth Elite males

Yesterday's announcement

Due to water quality concerns, the start of the 2011 USA Triathlon Junior and Youth National Championship has been delayed. A final decision regarding whether the swim leg will be canceled will be made on race day, pending test results.

The day’s events will now start with the age group races as scheduled at 1:20 p.m. The Junior Elite and Youth Elite races, previously scheduled to start at 7:30 a.m., will now be as follows:

3 p.m. Junior Elite females
4:20 p.m. Junior Elite males
5:40 p.m. Youth Elite females
6:30 p.m. Youth Elite males

In addition, there will be a coaches meeting at 9:30 a.m. at the finish line.

Check in times
12-1:30 p.m. Junior Elite males and females
1:30-3 p.m. Youth Elite males and females

Swim warm-up
2:30-2:50 p.m. Junior Elite females
3:50-4:10 p.m. Junior Elite males
5:10-5:30 p.m. Youth Elite females
6-6:20 p.m. Youth Elite males

Awards Ceremony
The Junior Elite and Youth Elite Awards Ceremony will take place Sunday after the team relay at approximately 9:45 a.m.

As a precautionary measure, USA Triathlon has a contingency run-bike-run duathlon plan in place.

Contact nationalevents@usatriathlon.org if you have questions.

FAQs

1. Why didn’t USA Triathlon tell athletes/coaches/parents about this at the briefing?
   The concern was not raised until after the pre-race briefings.
2. What is the issue?
   The harbor authority notified USA Triathlon of a potential leak from a boat in the area late Friday afternoon, after the pre-race briefings. Test results take 15-20 hours, hence the delayed start.
3. Why didn’t you keep the start time the same and make it a duathlon?
   USA Triathlon is doing everything possible to keep the race a full triathlon as the race is a national championship and a world championship qualifier for the junior elite athletes. However, the safety of the athletes comes first and the race will be made into a run-bike-run duathlon if test results are above the acceptable level.
4. My kid swam in the pre-race clinic today, was the water ok then?
   It is USA Triathlon’s understanding that the potential leak occurred after the clinic.