Please print off all the information below.  This is the information you will need to prepare for your race.  As well, please print off a copy of the appropriate race maps so you can familiarize yourself with the course before race day.  Follow the links below to the appropriate map:
Ironman 70.3 Bike Course Map
Ironman 70.3 Bike/Run Map
Caribbean Sprint Triathlon Course Map

2008 Athlete's Guide

Last Updated 2008-05-06

Thank you for entering the ST. CROIX IRONMAN 70.3 or the St. Croix Sprint Triathlon.  We are excited to be part of the Ironman 70.3 Series and to serve as a qualifying race for both the Ironman World Championships and the Ironman 70.3 World Championships. 

To enjoy the best Carbo Party in the world, you will need to register by Friday to receive your ticket. The good people of St. Croix will hold a street fair, called Jump Up, with authentic Caribbean entertainment. You can wander around, browse in the stores and eat at one of a dozen local restaurants, which will offer dinner for athletes and their guests. A limited number of guest tickets will be sold at registration. Trust us, Jump Up beats cold pasta in a dingy hall by a mile!

For our new visitors, we hope this is just the first of many future visits to our slice of Paradise.

RULES & REGULATIONS

1. You are required to wear a top or singlet during the bike and run portion of the race. You must wear your race number during the run.

2. You must store your bicycle and other gear at your designated bike rack (location assigned by age group).

3. You must wear the official swim cap issued at registration.

4. Your age group is determined by your age on race day.

5. USAT rules will apply

6. Each athlete is responsible for knowing the course. Every effort will be made to place a sufficient number of monitors on the course and to mark all intersections and confusing areas clearly. Please heed the instructions of all course monitors and police.

7. The water temperature will be 80 degrees F. Wetsuits are allowed for safety reasons. However, athletes who choose to wear wetsuits will not be eligible to win awards or to qualify for any Ironman slots.

8. Absolutely no drafting another bicycle or any other vehicle will be allowed. If you are within the 4 bike lengths drafting zone, you will be allowed 20 seconds to make a pass. No warnings are required to be issued before a penalty call is made, although the draft marshals will be encouraged to manage the bike course verbally. Simply being talked to by a marshal does not indicate that you have been penalized, although you must respond to a marshal’s direction immediately. Penalty is 4 minutes to be served in the Penalty Tent in transition.

9. All athletes are required to wear an ANSI or Snell approved hard shell helmet. Your helmet must be on and secured before you begin riding and remain so until dismounting.

10. CAUTION – St. Croix’s road system operates on the left-hand drive side of the road. Be careful when training and ride on the side of the left lane.

11. St. Croix’s climate is hot and humid, increasing the chances for dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. Drink plenty of fluids prior to race morning and during the race. We will offer water and Gatorade at each Aid Station.

12. We recommend using a sunscreen with a high SPF, as you run a high risk of being sunburned here in the tropics. Please do not put on sunscreen before being Body Marked race morning. Body Marking and Race Check-in will start at 5:00 am on Sunday at the Bike Exit chute in the Transition Area.

13. Military Athletes will compete in their own age groups for Ironman slots

The Ironman 70.3 Course

SWIM  - 2km (1.24 miles)

Please Note: Chrsitiansted Harbor is a working channel. During race week it is unsafe to swim there except during the organized training swims.

• The race starts by swimming directly toward the transition area for 150 meters, before turning left and following the same large triangular course as before.  It's a loop through Christiansted Harbour with a  finish at the wharf area. 

• The course will be marked by small orange and white buoys on your right and kayakers on your left.  Competitors shall exit the water by a specially built ramp at the finish line. 

• The swim begins on the beach at the Hotel on the Cay.  All athletes must swim to the Start Area.  Allow yourself enough time before the swim start to cross over to the starting area.  All competitors should be in the starting area by 6:00 am.   Spectators will not be allowed onto the island.

• You will be started in waves.  Listen for instructions from the announcer concerning the start of the race.  You will be disqualified if you start in the wrong wave.  You must wear the swim cap supplied by the organizers.  You will be starting in a running start.

• Use Caution at the start of the race.  If you are experiencing problems at any point in the swim, stop.  Lift your swim cap and wave it - there will be sailboarders on course.  If you drop out of the swim, please report to the officials' table as soon as possible.

BIKE COURSE - 90km (56 miles)

Important:  Although every effort will be taken to limit the number of vehicles on the course, there still will be a number of official and non-official vehicles on the course.  You are required to stay in the left lane at all times.  Failure to do so may result in disqualification.
    

• From the transition area you are going to make an 8-mile loop that begins as you ride east on Hospital Street, which turns into East End Road (Rt. 82).  

• Ride out on East End Road until you get to Southgate Road. 

• Turn right and ride south until you reach Great Pond (Rt. 624).  You will be riding in the RIGHT LANE of Rt. 624 for .75 or a mile.

• Turn right and ride west until Lowry Hill Road.

• Turn right at Lowry Hill Rd. (Rt. 62), which will take you back onto East End Road where you will make a hard left onto the left-hand side of the road.  Exercise caution here, as oncoming bike traffic is heading out in the right-hand lane to begin the loop.

• Take East End Road back through Christiansted past the transition area and turn left on King Street. 

• At Strand Lane, take a very sharp right turn - this will put you on a very tight bit of roadway, so be very careful - go one block and take a sharp left turn onto Strand Street.  This is the "Hot Corner".  Be extremely careful on this part of the course.  It is a very fast, slightly downhill section on a narrow roadway.

• Turn right at Prince Street and left at Watergut, which turns into Soboetker Lane. 

• Follow Soboetker Lane and turn right onto Rt. 75, which becomes Northside Road, until you come to Northshore Road (Rt. 80). You're going to to take a sharp, downhill right turn onto Northshore Road (stay left) and follow it until you come to Rt. 69 (Parasol Hill). Turn left and proceed up "The Beast".

• Twenty-one miles into the bike, The Beast is a 600-foot climb in a stretch of highway 7/10 of a mile long with an average grade of 14 percent and a maximum grade of 21 percent.  You should prepare yourself for this challenge by following the suggested gearing:  Pros - 24 or higher. Accomplished - 26 or higher. Average cyclists - 26 or higher with a 39 or 42 chainring.

• The descent from the Beast features a twisty section of road, with a sharp left hand turn at the bottom - BE CAREFUL

• Turn left at Midland Road. 

• Turn right on Rt. 669. Continue straight across at Rt. 70 intersection (make sure to come to a complete stop during training). Turn right after last speed bump. Turn left onto Rt. 66 (Melvin Evens Highway)

• Follow the highway past the Sunny Isle Shopping Center (which will be on your left). 

• Follow Rt. 70 until the intersection of Rt. 62, where you will go straight. BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL AT THIS INTERSECTION DURING TRAINING. IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT YOU COME TO A COMPLETE STOP BEFORE CROSSING AT THIS POINT.

• Continue traveling eastbound on Rt. 62. Take a right turn on Rt. 624. DURING THE RACE YOU WILL BE RIDING IN THE RIGHT LANE FOR .75 OF A MILE.

• Turn right on Rt. 60, where you will return to the left lane.

• At the entrance to Cramers Park, turn left on Rt. 82.

• Turn left at Southgate Rd., and right onto Rt. 624, where YOU WILL BE RIDING IN THE RIGHT LAND FOR .75 MILE.

• Turn right on Rt. 62, where you will again climb Lowry Hill.

• Turn left towards Christiansted. You must stay in the coned lane on extreme left side of the road.

• Returning to the Transition Area, you will dismount approximately 50 meters before the entrance, where CYCLISTS MUST GIVE RIGHT OF WAY TO RUNNERS. Bikes must be walked into the transition area.

RUN - 21km (13.1 miles)

THIS IS A TWO LOOP RUN COURSE. YOU WILL MAKE THE TURN TO START THE SECOND LOOP AT THE EXIT OF THE PARKING LOT ON HOSPITAL STREET, WHERE YOU STARTED THE FIRST LOOP.

• After exiting the transition area you will run up a grassy bank, and turn right onto a parking lot road which intersects Hospital Street.  Turn left, at Hospital Street, which turns into East End Road (Rt. 82).  The Bike and Run will share Hospital Street and East End Road from the transition area area until Lowry Hill Road (Rt. 62).  Use caution in this area. Keep left.

• Take East End Road until you reach the Buccaneer Hotel where the course will turn left onto a 2 mile loop through the hotel grounds.  The loop exits back onto East End Road where you will return to Christiansted and make a first loop turnaround on Hospital Street and head out again to the Buccaneer. Make the same loop through the Buccaneer and return to Christiansted.

• When finishing the second loop turn left on Company Street, right at Prince St., and final right turn down King Street.

LOCATION OF AID STATIONS:

• Start/Finish - There will be four aid stations in the start/finish area - swim finish; run out; and overall finish.  Athletes should fill water bottles before departing for the start area at the Hotel on the Cay.

• Bike Course - There will be 4 aid stations along the bike course - miles 11, 21, 31 and 43.   The Sprint course has no bike aid stations.

• Run Course - Run aid stations will be located approximately every 6/10 of a mile along the 21km (13.1mile) course.  This holds true for the Sprint as well.

• The following will be served at the Aid Stations:

  • Bike - Water, Gatorade, PowerGel (at mile 43), Bananas (at mile 30)

  • Run - Water, Gatorade, Cola, PowerGel, Bananas & Oranges, Pretzels, Sponges

• A Sag Vehicle will trail the field and transport athletes back to the transition area.  The race organization will not be responsible for providing aid to athletes who choose to remain on the course once the cut-off time has elapsed.

CUTOFF TIMES (Subject to change)

• In order insure the safety of the participants, and to minimize the disturbance to the traffic patterns of the island, the following cutoff times will be enforced. Please remember that a race of this distance, in a tropical climate, can be dangerous to those who overextend themselves. Therefore, if you are asked to retire, it is for your benefit.

SWIM CUTOFF

• 1 hour from start of athlete's wave

BIKE CUTOFF

• 5 hours from start of wave

FIRST LOOP RUN CUTOFF

• 6.5 hours from start of wave

St. Croix Sprint Triathlon

SWIM  - 750 metres

Please Note: Chrsitiansted Harbor is a working channel. During race week it is unsafe to swim there except during the organized training swims.

• The Sprint Triathlon swim starts at 7:50 am.  All Sprint swimmers will depart for the Hotel on the Cay race starting area after all Ironman
  70.3 swimmers have started their race, at approximately 7:00 AM.  All swimmers must wear the official swim cap issued during registration.

• The swim course begins by following the same course as the long course.  Sprint swimmers will follow this course until they round a large, six foot tall buoy that is colored green.  The swimmers will make a right hand turn around this buoy and head toward the swim exit ramp on the Christiansted side. 

• Both the Ironman 70.3 and Sprint swimmers will use the same ramp, so please be extra cautious upon approaching the ramp.

BIKE - 8 miles (14km)

• The bike racks will be located in a separate area in the Transition Zone.  The bike exit and entry points are the same for both events.  Please locate these points in the morning (before the race) to eliminate any confusion that may arise during the race.

• From the transition area you are going to make an 8-mile loop that begins as you ride east on Hospital Street, which turns into East End Road (Rt. 82).   Ride out on East End Road until you get to Southgate Road.  Turn right and ride south until you reach Great Pond (Rt. 624). You will be riding in the RIGHT LANE of Rt. 624 for .75 or a mile. Turn right and ride west until Lowry Hill Road.

• Turn right at Lowry Hill Rd. (Rt. 62), which will take you back onto East End Road where you will make a hard left onto the left-hand side of the road.  Exercise caution here, as oncoming bike traffic is heading out in the right-hand lane to begin the loop.

• Take East End Road back through Christiansted to the transition area.

RUN - 4 miles (7km)

• The run exits and begins in the same manner as the long course.  The course runs on Hospital Street, which turns into East End Rd. (Rt. 82).

• Approximately 1.75 miles from the Transition Area, there will be a turnaround, which will send the runners back toward Christiansted. 

• Turn left up Queen St, Then right at Prince St., then right again along King St. to the finish line at the wharf area!

Race Week Schedule

A Note on Training:

• We suggest that you train for the bike and run on the South Shore and East End of the island where there are fewer residential areas and fewer vehicles to contend with.

• To get to the South Shore, take East End Road (Rt. 82) east out of Christiansted to Lowry Hill Road (Rt. 62), then a right turn at Tide Village, which takes you to the south side of the island where the roads are better suited for training rides.

• There will be organized training swims during race week (see below).

• We can't stress enough that St. Croix's road system is Left-Hand Drive.  Please ride in single file with the flow of traffic.  Roads here are very narrow.  Do not ride two or three abreast.

Please Note: Chrsitiansted Harbor is a working channel. During race week it is unsafe to swim there except during the organized training swims.

2008 Schedule

Wednesday, April 30
11:00am - Organized Training Swim.  Meet at the Christiansted Wharf
5:00pm - Challenge the Beast!  A timed race up the Beast - find out how fit you really are!

Thursday, May 1
11:00am - Organized Training Swim.  Meet at the Christiansted Wharf
6:00pm - Paradise 5k at Buccaneer Hotel

Friday, May 2
11:00am - Organized Training Swim.  Meet at the Christiansted Wharf
9am - 3pm - Mandatory pre-race registration and check-in at Kings Alley (next to the Official Merchandise Store).   All triathletes participating in the Ironman 70.3 and Sprint races must check in either Friday or Saturday to receive race bib numbers and final instructions. Registration is an eight-step process as outlined in your participants guide.
5pm -  Triathlete Group Photo in front of GoToStCroix.com's Christiansted Web Cam (located on the boardwalk at Hotel Caravelle / Rum Runners Restaurant).  All participating athletes are encouraged to join in to create a wonderful souvenir and share the moment LIVE with friends and family via the webcam.  Photo will be available free for downloads and printing.  Last year's event can be found at http://www.gotostcroix.com/triathlon/group_photo/index.php.  Be there this year to make history; tell loved ones to watch it live at www.gotostcroix.com/live.
6-9pm - Carbo Feast at various restaurants as part of "Jump Up" in Christiansted.  Carbo Feast tickets are free to participating triathletes.

Saturday, May 3
9am - 3pm - Mandatory pre-race registration and check-in at Kings Alley (next to the Official Merchandise Store).   All triathletes participating in the Ironman 70.3 and Sprint races must check in either Friday or Saturday to receive race bib numbers and final instructions.   Registration is an eight-step process as outlined in your participants guide.
1:00 pm - MANDATORY COURSE TALK at the Bandstand at Christiansted Wharf
4:00pm - Professional triathletes meeting at the Fort in Christiansted.

Sunday, May 4 - RACE DAY
5:00am - Bike check-in and body numbering, transition area, Christiansted Wharf.  The bike exit and entry points are the same for both events.   Please locate these points in the morning (before the race) to eliminate any confusion that may arise during the race.  Leave plenty of time to set up your gear and swim to the Hotel on the Cay for the swim start. All athletes must swim to the race start. Spectators will not be allowed access to the swim start area.
6:15am - Line-up for the swim begins at the beach at Hotel on the Cay.  Be sure you are lined up for the correct wave.
6:30am - IRONMAN 70.3 RACE START - The first wave starts. 

Wave Schedule:

• 0630 Pro Men

• 0633 Pro Women

• 0635 Men Age Groupers 18-29

• 0637 Men 30-34

• 0639 Men 35-39

• 0641 Men 40-44

• 0643 Men 45-49

• 0645 Men 50+

• 0648 Women Age Groupers 18-29

• 0650 Women 30-34

• 0652 Women 35-39

• 0654 Women 40+

• 0745 Sprint Men

• 0747 Sprint Women

7:00am - Sprint participants leave Mile Mark dock to swim to start.
7:45am - St. Croix Sprint Triathlon - The first wave (men) starts.  Women leave at 7:47am.
6-9pm - Awards Banquet and Beach Bar-B-Que to be held at the Divi Carina Bay Resort and Casino.  Free to all participating triathletes.  Non-participants can buy tickets for $25.00 at registration.

Prizes

Purse

The Prize purse for the St. Croix Ironman Triathlon 70.3 race will be $50,000 - one of the largest in the sport.  Most of the top competitors in the sport are expected to attend. There will be equal distribution of prize money to men and women through ten places.  There will also be Primes awarded.

All registered athletes receive:

• A Triathlon T-Shirt, Race Goody Bag & Official Race Program

• Admittance to the "Jump Up" and Restaurants

• Admittance to Awards Banquet at the Divi Carina Bay Resort and Casino