Laguna Phuket Triathlon 2008

Date : Sunday, 7 December 2008

begining at 7.00 am Registration open 1 April 2008

Venue : The upscale Laguna Phuket Resort occupies 600 acres of tropical beachfront parkland on the northwest coast of Phuket island in Southern Thailand.

The competition among the "iron men" from Thailand and international countries includes swimming, cycling and marathon racing. Also, there are activities to encourage the participants to experience the adventure routes along Phuket’s tourist attractions.

COURSES

1.8k Swim

The swim course comprises two bodies of water. Starting on the beach between the Dusit Laguna Resort and Laguna Beach Resort near the LBR Marine Centre, competitors swim 1,180 metres in the sea before sprinting 100 metres across the beach to swim the last 620 metres in a lagoon finishing at the Laguna Beach Resort Y-junction. Wetsuits are not allowed.

55k Bike

The bike course takes competitors out of Laguna Phuket onto narrow, winding roads. The course will be the same as in 2007, with some steep hilly sections on the road to Naithon Beach north of Laguna Phuket. Drafting is illegal. Suggested equipment includes a minimum of two water bottle cages. Athletes should consider a 24-28 tooth rear cassettes to ease the difficulty of hill climbs. Some of the road surfaces may be rough and athletes should use durable tires. The bike course will have 2 aid stations.

12k Run

The run course will be similar to the 2007 course. It is flat and leads runners north through the Laguna Phuket resort complex and onto the award-winning Laguna Phuket Golf Course, before looping back past the Wedding Chapel through Canal Shopping Village and finishing at the Laguna Beach Resort Y-junction. The course will have three aid stations approximately 2km apart that runners pass twice.

COMPETITOR INFORMATION

PRE-RACE INFORMATION

Registration - 6 December

10:00am - 3:00pm, Saturday, 6 December (See schedule for venue details). Please bring proper identification and a 500 Thai Baht deposit for your timing chip with you to claim your race kit.

Your race kit will include:

- Race number for bike & run

- Race belt

- Swim cap

- Competitor’s T-shirt

- Numbered bag for race gear

- (1) Invitation to the Pasta Party

Race Briefing - 1 December

A mandatory course briefing in English and Thai will be held on Saturday 6 December. See Race Week Schedule for details. There will be 3 sessions conducted in English as follows:

4:00pm-5:00pm for relay teams and first time triathletes

5:00pm-6:00pm for individual triathletes

6:00pm for professional triathletes

Awards and Professional Prize Purse

Equal men’s and women’s prize money will be awarded as follows:
1st US$ 3,000
2nd US$ 2,500
3rd US$ 2,000
4th US$ 1,500
5th US$ 1,000

All contestants wishing to race for prize money must register as "pro" at race registration. Contestants registered as "pro" are not eligible to win age group awards. Contestants registering as "pro" are advised to check with their country’s national triathlon governing body to determine the impact of racing "pro" on amateur standing.

Thai Athlete Prize Money

The first Thai male and female amateur athletes will each receive 10,000 baht in prize money. Trophies will be awarded to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place Thai male and female athletes.

Age Group Awards

First, second and third finishers in each age group category will receive a trophy at the Awards Banquet.

Label Gear

Label every piece of clothing and gear, including both shoes, before coming to Laguna Phuket.

Weather Conditions

Average air temperature for December in Phuket is 27°C/81°F with 85% humidity. Contestants MUST hydrate properly during race week, race morning and throughout the race. Bikes should be equipped with at least two water bottle cages.

Personal Safety

Always train with another person, especially in the water. While in the water, please wear a brightly coloured swim cap. When biking and running, please take precautions as Phuket drivers and motorcyclists are unpredictable. Take extreme caution when biking on ALL public roads. On Thursday and Friday of race week, organised rides on the bike course will depart from the Laguna Beach Resort Y-Junction at 8:00am, led by a police escort vehicle. It is strongly recommended that contestants train on the bike course only during one of these organised rides.
Pasta Party

Triathletes and relay teams are invited to attend the Pasta Party free of charge, upon presentation of an invitation please remember to bring your tickets to the event. Additional tickets for family and friends will be on sale during Registration on 1 December (Saturday). Ticket cost Baht 600.

Awards Banquet

An Awards Banquet will be held after the race. Tickets will be pre-sold online - please remember to bring your tickets to the event. If not sold out, additional tickets will be on sale at Registration on 1 December (Saturday). Ticket cost Baht 1,000.

Bike Storage

Bikes will be permitted to be stored in athlete’s hotel rooms. However, all maintenance must be done in hotel car parks in order to prevent damage to room furnishings.

Bike Shop / Bike Mechanic (4 December - 7 December)

It is NOT possible to rent racing or mountain bikes in Phuket. CYCLISTS MUST BRING BIKES WITH THEM. Athletes are encouraged to bring spare bike parts with them. A bike mechanic will be stationed at the Y-junction from Thursday, 4 December to Sunday, 7 December. The bike mechanic opens at 7.00am on Thursday and Friday, at 9.00 am on Saturday and 5.30 am on Sunday.

RACE DAY
Parking - 7 December

Competitors and spectators driving to Laguna Phuket on race morning should follow all signs and volunteer directions for available parking areas. Please arrive no later than 6:30am.

5:30am-6:45am - 7 December

Transition Area opens at Laguna Beach Resort Y-junction for check-in, numbering and placing equipment.

From the Transition Area at the Y-junction, athletes will be transferred to the Swim Start. Free shuttle buses will circulate every 10 minutes between the hotels. Fill bike bottles from your hotel room or home before arriving at Transition. Pre-race aid stations will be available at the Transition Area and the Swim Start. In addition, there will be 2 aid stations on the bike course, 3 aid stations on the run course and a post-race aid station and medical facilities at the finish area.

Race Start - Triathlon Wave #1 and Wave #2

7:00am and 7:10am - 7 December

Please see maps for course details.

Finisher Medals

Will be presented to every athlete who completes the race at the finish line.

Athlete Hospitality & Massage09:30am - 1:00pm Post race hospitality shall include a lunch box and a complimentary 15-minute massage behind the finish line. Note: Massage services are only available for triathletes.

Medical Tent 6:00am - 2:00pm

A Medical Tent will be located in the Finish Area at the Y-junction for athletes who require medical attention before and after the race. This area will be closed at 2:00pm. Any athletes in need of medical attention after 2:00pm should go to the Bangkok Hospital Phuket clinic at Canal Village shopping centre.

Post Race Equipment Pick-Up

In your registration pack, you will receive one numbered bag to be used for gear after the completion of the swim and the bike. Numbered bags will also be available at the Swim Start if you want to leave warm-up gear. This bag will be collected after the swim start and deposited at the Equipment Check-in/Information tent at the Athlete Only area at the main Transition Area.
All bags, equipment and bikes must be claimed and removed from the Transition Area by 2:00pm on race day.

To claim left items show race number which must correspond to the number on the bag(s). You will be responsible for transporting your own gear back to your hotel after the race.

Lost and Found

This will be located at the Transition Area at the Y-junction and will be open until 2:00pm on race day. After this time, any remaining lost property items will be transferred to the race office. Please remember to label all of your equipment before the race.

Finisher Certificates

A desk will be set up at the Awards Banquet for athletes to pick up their finisher certificates. Certificates will not be posted to athletes.

Pre-Awards Cocktail Party

5:00pm - 6:00pm - 7 December

Outside the marquee at the Sheraton Grande Laguna Phuket beach garden.

AWARDS BANQUET

6:00pm - 11:00pm - 7 December

The Awards Banquet will be held in the marquee at the Sheraton Grande Laguna Phuket beach garden. All athletes are invited to attend by purchasing tickets in advance online. Tickets must be presented to gain entry to the Banquet. If not sold out, tickets will be sold at Registration and possibly at the door.

Privacy Contact Information

If you have any questions, concerns, or comments about our privacy policy you may contact us using the information below:

By e-mail: webmaster@lagunaphukettriathlon.com

By Phone: +66 76 362 300

Website : http://www.lagunaphukettriathlon.com/

From : TourismThailand.Org - The Official Website for Tourism in Thailand.