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. There will be an ELITE wave offered this year.

We do change the swim order a bit each year - just remember - we must start you in your age group range since this race is a qualifier for the USAT National Championship AND someone will always have to start at the end, sorry. Also, remember due to weight limitations at our swim start, we must do this race as an interval start. For those of you to the rear of the start, thanks for your patience and understanding.

SWIM START ORDER: Assigned based on submitted estimated swim time within your age group. All categories start within their age group except ELITE & RELAY TEAMS.

ELITE RACERS
AGE 60+
AGE 29&UNDER
AGE 40-49
AGE 30-39
AGE 50-59
RELAY TEAMS & Any Individual Racer also Racing as part of a Relay Team

To join the ELITE start: Send a one-page summary with your race results/resume from 2007 & 2008 to [email protected] by Tuesday, July 7th at midnight. Team Magic will notify you if you will be accepted into the ELITE start by next Thursday, July 9th.

IMPORTANT ABOUT CHOOSING ELITE START:
If you start as an ELITE at the front of the race - you will start every 3-5 seconds based on your assigned race number, beginning with racer number 1.

A. You are eligible for the prize purse for overall winners:
A $4990 cash purse will be divided as follows:
Top 5 Overall Men & Women = $750, $600, $450, $210, $110

B. You will not get ranked with USAT nor can you qualify for USAT Nationals at this race.

C. You will not "drop back" into your age group - so no age group ranking or awards - you are only racing for overall prize money

*Age group racers are NOT eligible for Overall Awards or Cash - you are racing in your age group and eligible only for age group or Masters awards or other categories if you are registered as Clydesdale, Athena or Beginner

Note about Masters Cash Awards:
We will have a prize purse for Masters as listed below, but you will not start in the ELITE wave. Masters racers will start as assigned by age group and swim time within their age group.
Top 3 Masters Men & Women (40+) = $200, $100, $75

SWIM EXIT INFORMATION / SWIM TO BIKE TRANSITION:
There will be steps and volunteers at the swim exit. Your path to the transition area will be different than in 2008 - you will enter the transition area on the "Chestnut Street" side as racers did in 2007. This will also be your "run start" area when you come back from the bike course. The bike entrance and exit is on the OPPOSITE side of transition from the swim finish and run start.

BIKE COURSE

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.

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.