Frosty Aquathlon
Sunday 3rd March 2024
Race Instructions

Last Updated: 26th February 2024

Thank you for entering this year’s Frosty Aquathlon.  We look forward to seeing you at this 28th staging of the event!

CHANGES FROM 2023

START LIST

See here for the final start list.

LOCATION

Race HQ is at:

Littlehampton Wave
Sea Road
Littlehampton
BN16 2NA

There are currently no road works in and around the Littlehampton area. We would still recommend using a SatNav to ensure if any last-minute road issues occur, you can successfully navigate around them.

PARKING

Free car parking for this event is outside the Littlehampton Wave Leisure Centre and is available for the duration of the event (e.g. 6 am until 11 am).

Upon entering the Littlehampton Wave Leisure Centre, you must enter your car registration number into the POD devices near the reception. This will provide you with up to 5 hours of free parking.

EVENT SCHEDULE

  • Registration:
    • Frosty: 6:10 am – 6:30 am
    • Frostbite: 6:10 am – 7:00 am
  • Report for Pool Side Race Briefing by:
    • Wave 1 (Frosty): 6:45 am.
    • Wave 2 (Frosty): 7:05 am.
    • Wave 3 (Frostbite): 7:30 am.
    • Wave 4 (Frostbite): 7:45 am.
  • Swim Start Frosty Wave 1: 7:00 am (last Frostbite swim finished by 8:30 am).
  • The presentation is expected to be around 9:30 am.

RECOMMENDED ITEMS

  • BTF Race License (if applicable)
  • Swim suit/tri-suit
  • Swimming goggles
  • Road running shoes
  • Race Belt (for race number)
  • Optional items:
    • Transition Towel
    • Gloves
    • Hat
    • jacket

LITTLEHAMPTON WAVE SITE MAP

Littlehampton Wave Site Map

REGISTRATION

  • From 6:10 am in the main sports hall:
    • Frosty: 6:10 am – 6:30 am
    • Frostbite: 6:10 am – 7:00 am
  • If you provided your British Triathlon Federation race license number on signup, you would need to show your race license.
    Otherwise, you will have purchased a BTF Race Pass with your entry.
  • Once registered, you will receive your
    • race number
      • the number will also be written on your hand
    • wave number
    • swim lane number

CHANGING

  • The changing village is adjacent to registration.
  • Please remove your shoes before entering the changing area.
  • Toilets are inside the changing village and outside in the corridor opposite reception.
  • The lockers take a £1 coin which is refunded.
  • Please allow plenty of time to register and change, as we cannot hold your allocated wave back.

RACE BRIEFING

  • Each wave will receive a race briefing at the side of the pool 15 minutes before the wave start.

TRANSITION SETUP

  • Transition is along the side of the pool.
    • Your space will be set out by a black bin liner labelled with your race number.
    • After your briefing, you will be able to find your place where you can lay out your running gear.
    • Please only take what gear you will require for the run into transition, e.g. a towel, top, trainers, gloves, etc.
  • Once your run gear has been set in transition, proceed to the lane you were nominated. This is important as each lane is graded with similar ability swimmers, a maximum 5 to a lane.

SWIM

  • Each lane will have a lane counter that will help you prepare for your swim.
  • There will be a supply of swim caps for you to wear – this is to assist our lane counters in counting your lengths, but please feel able to wear your own swim cap.
  • You will enter the water at the shallow end, and your wave will commence as a mass start.
  • Please swim in the direction indicated by the arrows at the end of your lane.
  • No tumble turns are permitted.
  • Calf guards are not permitted in the pool in accordance with BTF rules, but you may put these on in transition for the run if required.
  • Frosty competitors will swim 32 lengths of the pool (800m)
  • Frostbite competitors will swim 16 lengths of the pool (400m).
  • The pool is 25m in length.
  • The exit of the pool is in the shallow end. Stairs are available in lanes 1 & 8.
  • You will be notified when you have two lengths remaining by a tap on the head. On finishing your swim, exit the pool, returning any borrowed swim cap.

TRANSITION

  • Walk to your transition area.  Running in transition will result in disqualification.
  • Transition is along the side of the pool indoors.
    • In accordance with British Triathlon rules:
      • There must be no nudity
      • Your run top and gear must be fully on before you exit the pool building.
      • Put on your running shoes, race number and any additional clothing you deem necessary for the conditions on the day.
        • Please bring suitable layers for the prevailing conditions outside.
        • This is important as the first Sunday in March can see very variable weather conditions.  
  • Once you are ready to start the run leg of the event:
    • Put any items you are not taking out with you, such as a towel or goggles, and place these in your numbered plastic bag. 
    • Walk along the side of the pool carrying the bag and drop this off by the bag handlers on the way to the pool exit.  
    • NOTHING is to be left poolside when you commence your run.
  • Exit the door, turn to the left and walk down the outside steps.  Running on the steps will result in disqualification.
  • Your race number must be clearly visible from the front, and please shout your race number to the timekeepers.
  • Your run start time will be taken at the bottom of the steps.

RUN

  • New 2024 updated run routes (see GPX 2024 files)
  • All runs commence from the bottom of the outside steps, which MUST be walked. Running or jumping on the steps will result in disqualification.
  • Road crossing now uses a traffic island – crossing outside the permitted zone will result in disqualification.
  • FROSTY ONLY – INITIAL PARK LOOP
    • Once you reach the bottom of the steps, turn left, taking the path towards the lake.
    • The run takes you on a clockwise lap of Mewsbrook Park boating lake with the lake on the right.
    • On completing the lap, as you pass the Boat House, exit the park, turn left through the right-hand gate and run up Hendon Avenue.
  • At the top of Hendon Ave, turn right on the pavement to the crossing point.
  • Once across the road, turn RIGHT towards the Coastguard Turn Point.
  • FROSTBITE ONLY
    • Once you reach the bottom of the steps, continue straight on up the path directly to the Sea Road crossing point.
    • Once across the road, turn RIGHT towards the Coastguard Turn Point.
  • The road must be crossed at the designated crossing point between the pairs of traffic cones. 
    • Failure to cross between the pairs of traffic cones will result in disqualification. You are responsible for your safe crossing.
    • Marshalls are not permitted to stop or direct traffic.
  • The route now takes you WEST, turn RIGHT along the seafront to the Coastguard tower with a marshalled turn point. 
  • Turn and run back along the seafront and past Littlehampton Wave.
  • Continue down towards the marshalled turn point at the Sea Lane shelter.
  • Return back to the promenade opposite Littlehampton Wave.
  • FROSTY ONLY – PROM LAP 2
    • On completion of the 1st lap, collect a band from the marshals and commence their second lap along the seafront.
    • On completion of the 2nd lap, turn right at the designated crossing point and turn left to run down Hendon Avenue.  
  • FROSTBITE ONLY
    • On completion of the lap, turn right at the designated crossing point, turn right and then turn left to run down Hendon Avenue.
  • FINAL MEWSBROOK PARK LOOP
    • Enter the Mewsbrook Park left-hand gate, moving towards the right-hand side of the cones with the lake on the right. Continue and follow one final lap (clockwise) of the park. 
    • As you return to the Southern gates past the Boat House, turn right, moving towards the left of the cones, and run straight to the finish funnel.

RACE FINISH

  • Once you have finished your race, please proceed back to the registration area in the main sports hall.
  • We have been asked by centre management to avoid wearing muddy trainers in the building. Your help with this would be appreciated. 
  • Return your reusable race number in exchange for your transition bag and your Frosty race memento.

RACE TIMING

Race timings will be performed using WebScorer mobile app and will include the following timing points:

  1. Swim Start
  2. Run Start
  3. Finish

Your race number must be visible at your run start and run finish.

The results will be published live on the WebScorer website and will include the following:

  • Overall race time (swim + transition + run)
  • “Swim Time” – Swim + transition time
  • Run time

Note that your “Swim Time” will include your swim plus transition. Due to the poolside transition, we cannot provide just your swim time. We recommend you use your sports watch or a friend watching from the spectators’ area to provide your swim-only time.

PHOTOGRAPHY

  • There will be authorised photographers taking pictures of the Frosty event in general and of competitors during the swim and run sections of the course. 
  • Photographs will be available free of charge for competitors from our Flickr gallery following the race.
  • If you do not consent to be photographed or have photographs included in the gallery, please notify us by giving your race number at registration.

SAFEGUARDING

This event acknowledges the duty of care to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.

We ensure safeguarding practice reflects statutory responsibilities and government guidance and complies with best practices and British Triathlon requirements.

BRITISH TRIATHLON RULE

As the Frosty will be governed by the rules of British Triathlon, the latest rules can be found here 

Note the following rules concerning competitors:

  • Headphones and other listening devices are not allowed (section 2.1.14)
  • Practice good sportsmanship at all times (section 2.1.1)
  • Be responsible for their own safety and the safety of others (section 2.1.2)

As of 1st January 2023, our Frosty/Frostbite events complies with British Triathlon’s Transgender Policy (FRG029) which requires the following categories for Competitive Activities:

  • Female category
  • Open category

Only people who are the female sex at birth will be eligible to compete in the Female category.

Transgender (and all other individuals) will be eligible to compete in the Open category.

COVID

Whilst guidelines have been relaxed, COVID is still with us. If competitors feel more comfortable in wearing a mask around the leisure centre, please feel free to do so.

SPECTATORS

Upon entering the Café reception area, to the right, there is a spectator area from where the swim section may be viewed. To see the start and finish of the run, exit the building and walk around to the East to Mewsbrook Park.

LOCAL CAFES

PRESENTATION

The prize giving will be in the hall where registration is and will be undertaken as promptly as possible once the final competitor has finished.  Awards will be allocated as follows:

  • Frosty & Frostbite individual prizes:
    • 1st 2nd, 3rd Female
    • 1st 2nd, 3rd Open
    • 1st Female junior (up to 17 – Frostbite only)
    • 1st Open junior (up to 17 – Frostbite only)
    • 1st Female Vet (over 40)
    • 1st Open Vet (over 40)
    • 1st Female Supervet (over 50)
    • 1st Open Supervet (over 50)
    • 1st Female Vintage (over 60)
    • 1st Open Vintage (over 60)
  • Frosty team prize (1st prize only)
    • Teams comprise four nominated members, which must be mixed gender (at least one Female category and one Open category in each team). Each competitor enters and races individually, and the four individual results are combined to produce an overall time.

STARTERS LIST & RESULTS

  • Starters List
  • Results

THANK YOU!

Whether this will be your first entry or you are one of the regulars who return each year, thank you.

The Frosty Aquathlon is organised and run entirely by volunteer amateur triathletes for triathletes – each volunteer balancing family, work, training, and in their spare time, contributing to this local event – thank you!

We appreciate your support and hope this signifies the start of a successful season ahead. 

Tuff Fitty Triathlon Club