Colorado Sprint Triathlon Olympic Tri Grand Junction Fruita
The Colorado tri season just got a little bit longer with the addition of this new sprint and Olympic tri on Colorado's warm western slope. Summer lasts just a few weeks longer on the western side of the state, so you can enjoy 70 degree water, a rural rolling bike course, and a fast trail run at the edge of the desert - just a few short hours from Denver! Camping is available right at the race site, just 200 yards from the start and finish line. There will be $600 in prize money in the Olympic race, great post-race food, and a fun final tri weekend of the 2012 season.
GENERAL INFORMATION
COURSE:The Desert's Edge offers two distance options - a 750 meter swim, 13.2 mile bike, 5K run sprint tri and a 1,500 meter swim, 40K (24.8 mile) bike, 10K run Olympic distance tri. The race is staged at Highline Lake State Park in Fruita.
Swim: Both swim distances will be contested over a single loop course in beautiful Highline Lake. Olympic distance triathletes will go first for a single lap around the 1,500 meter counter-clockwise loop. Water temp is expected to be approximately 70 degrees on race morning. From the water's edge, it will be a short 50 meter dash to transition. Sprint distance athletes will hit the water 40 minutes after the first Olympic wave and will complete a single loop of the 750 meter swim course. The 750 meter swim loop is an abbreviated version of the larger Olympic loop.
Bike Course: TheSprint Tri Bike Course follows a 13.2 mile counter-clockwise loop on rural country roads. The Olympic Tri Bike Course follows the same rolling loop, and adds an scenic out & back section with a water bottle hand-up at approximately 15 miles into the course.
Run Course: The run course will follow gently rolling trails around Highline Lake with two aid stations per lap. The 5K sprint course makes one lap of the course. The 10K Olympic course makes two laps of the course, which follows the Highline Lake Trail. This course is 98 percent soft dirt surface, and 2 percent paved. The finish will be in the grass picnic area immediately adjacent to transition. A map will be posted shortly.
Transition: The transition area will be located in a large grassy area, that will be very easy on the feet. Transition is just 30 yards from the water's edge, and 100 yards from camping!!! The area will be fenced for security. Only participants will be allowed within the fenced transition area.
Tech Support: Fruita bike shop, Single-Tracks, will be providing race-day tech support for the race. No, they can't do a complete tune-up for you on race morning, but if your bike needs a last minute adjustment or repair, they can help! If you are out in Fruita prior to race day, be sure to stop in for any supplies or repair you may need. They are located just a block east of city Market in the traffic circle.
CAMPING
Camping within Highline Lake State Park will be available for race participants for $16 per night per group (a maximum of 6 people per group). Camping is just 100 yards from transition and the start/finish areas.
Campsites within the park have been removed from the State Parks online reservation system for the weekend of the race so that Desert's Edge participants will not have to compete with the general public for camping space. Instead, you will be given the option of reserving a site when you sign up for the race online.
You may also reserve a campsite with us by mail if you decide, at a later date, that you would like to camp. Please be aware that sites are limited within the park, and all sites are reserved on a first-come, first-served basis. We will do everything we can to accommodate as many participants as possible, however if demand exceeds available space, then campsites may sell out. Any sites not reserved prior to September 1st will be put back on the online reservation system and will be made available to the general public. Campsite reservation fees are not refundable for this event.
HOTELS
There are a number of hotels in the Fruita area, just a 15 minute drive from the race site. We will be posting discounted hotel rates here shortly.
RACE SCHEDULE
6:00 a.m. - Race-Day Packet Pick-Up Opens
6:00 a.m. - Transition Opens
8:00 a.m. - First Olympic Swim Wave Starts
8:40 a.m. - First Sprint Swim Wave Opens
9:30 a.m. - Breakfast Opens!!!
11:00 a.m. - Sprint Awards Presentation*
11:45 a.m. - Olympic Awards Presentation*
*Awards times may be moved a bit depending on the number of athletes still on course
INFORMATION: Most questions are answered right here on the race website. If you have a question that isn't answered here, call Darrin or Jill at 303-642-7917, or shoot us an email at darrin@racingunderground.com
REGISTRATION
Your entry fee includes entry into the race, a Desert's Edge Tri Pint Glass for all finishers, a Desert's Edge Tri technical shirt in men's and women's sizing, fun music, a racer goody bag, a post race meal, entry into our sponsor merchandise drawing, and if you are one of the speedy guys or gals up front in the Olympic, you may take home a bit of cash!!!
The Desert's Edge Triathlon is limited to 500 total entrants (Olympic & Sprint combined). There will not be a waiting list for this event. There will be no race-day registration for this event.
SPRINT ENTRY FEES:
Special Discount Pricing through January 31st: Individuals $60, Relays $110
February 1 - June 30: Individuals $65, Relays $120
July 1 - September 14: Individuals $70, Relays $130
September 15 or later : Individuals $75, Relays $140
OLYMPIC ENTRY FEES:
Special Discount Pricing through January 31st: Individuals $70, Relays $120
February 1 - June 30: Individuals $80, Relays $130
July 1 - September 14: Individuals $85, Relays $140
September 15 or later : Individuals $90, Relays $150
As always, there are no additional fees for online processing or one-day licenses. The price you see is the price you pay!
PACKET PICK-UP: We will offer two packet pick-up options in 2012. You may pick up your packet on Saturday October 6th at Highline Lake State Park or you may pick up your packet on race morning starting at 6:00am in the expo area, immediately adjacent to the transition and finish line. Please remember to bring your photo ID to pick up your race packet. If you do not have an ID, we cannot release your packet to you, and you will not be allowed to race.
Saturday packet pick-up will take place at Highline Lake State Park from 1pm - 4pm immediately adjacent to transition. Please remember your photo ID. We cannot allow you to pick up your packet or race unless you present a photo ID at packet pick-up. There will be no park entrance fees charged if you are coming for packet pick-up only, however you will be limited to a 20 minute stay in the park. If you would like to stay longer than 20 minutes so you can check out the course, etc. then you must purchase a $7 daily park pass. There will be no park entrance fees charged for participants on race morning.
Race-Day packet pick-up will open at 6:00am in the expo area, immediately adjacent to transition and the finish area. Please remember your photo ID. We cannot allow you to pick up your packet or race unless you present a photo ID at packet pick-up.
DIRECTIONS: The race will be staged at Highline Lake State Park, just 7 miles north of I-70 off the Loma exit. Click here for a map and directions.
POST-RACE FUN - RESULTS - AWARDS
We'll have plenty of good food in the finish line area to fill your belly and hopefully you'll also be one of the lucky participants who walks away with some sponsor schwag in our post race drawing.
RESULTS: Race results will be posted on-site throughout the race, and on this website on the afternoon of the race. Participants must wear their timing chip and cross the timing mat at the finish line in order to receive an official time. All timing chips must be returned at the finish line to avoid a lost chip charge. Results will only be edited (for mispelled names, etc.) for two weeks following the event.
AWARDS: We have scheduled two award presentations - one for the sprint and one for the Olympic. Award times may be adjusted depending the number of participants still on course. Prize money will be presented to the top-3 male and female overall finishers in the Olympic in the amounts of $150, $100, and $50. In addition, awards will be presented to the top-3 male and female finishers age 19 & under, and in each 5-year age group starting with 20-24 in both the sprint and Olympic events. Awards also presented in Male, Female, and Coed relay divisions as well as Clydesdale and Athena. Overall cash winners will be excluded from age group awards. We will not have a pro category, however professional triathletes will be eligible for overall cash awards.
