If you enjoy training at Tri-Force Juniors and want to compete in local triathlons in the summer, read how to get involved.  

The Tri-Force Juniors Triathlon on 18 June 2023 is part of the East Region Junior series and we are very pleased that it will be an IRC qualifying race this year!

We are excited to welcome 200 young athletes to our event! Race instructions went out by email, but just in case, you can download them HERE. 

RESULTS can now be found here: http://results.eventchiptiming.com/results.aspx?CId=16202&RId=8323 

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What is the East Region Junior Race Series?

British Triathlon provide racing opportunities through a series of races in the 10 Triathlon England regions for children aged 8 to 16 during spring and summer each year. The focus of the Junior regional race series is on individual competition. The league consists of races that count towards the overall season’s individual position.  

Overall positions in the series will be based on the best 6 event results from across the series. In addition, there will be trophies for the highest accumulated points across all events in the series.

Overall positions in 2023 will be based on points, the winning athlete in each category will be awarded 1000 points, points are then rewarded based on the time difference behind the winning time, not just positions.  See more on https://www.britishtriathlon.org/east/take-part/race-series/junior-events/series-events. 

Which counties are included in the East Region?

Triathletes from Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk compete in the East Region.  To join in the East Region Junior Race Series, you must either live within the East area or be a current member of an East Triathlon registered club.  
 

What events are available in the East Region series

The East Region organise a series of triathlons (swim/bike/run), duathlons (run/bike/run) aquathlons (swim/run) and aqua bike (swim/bike) races which form part of the East Region Junior Race Series.  

At Tri-Force Juniors, we also host an open race in the East Region series in the Summer.  In 2023, our event will take place on 18 June!  Register HERE!

Where are the East Region events held?
The events are held across the East Region.  For more information view the calendar of events for 2023 HERE. 

Most junior Triathlons are hosted at a school in safe surroundings and cost approximately £28 to enter.  The children swim in a 25m swimming pool and they cycle and run on the school fields. All the events are marshalled and race officials from the Eastern Region officiate.

The local East Region races are available to the following age groups. Age groups are based on the child’s age at 31st December 2023:

• TriStart – Aged 8
• TriStar 1- Ages 9 and 10
• TriStar 2 – Ages 11 and 12
• TriStar 3 – Ages 13 and 14
• Youth – Ages 15 and 16
   

What you need to know before entering an East Region race

• The races are entered individually, not by the club.  

• To compete for series points this year, in line with other regions, you must be a British Triathlon Home Nation member and have East as your registered region.

  To count towards the East Junior Race Series individual league and end of season awards you must either live within the East area or be a current member of a East Triathlon registered club. If you are not a Home Nation Member you can still take part in any of the races, but you will not attain points towards the individual league or end of season awards.

• British Triathlon junior membership costs £31 for the core package with unlimited race licenses. In your welcome pack you won’t receive a membership card but can access an e-membership card in the member area.  You can add a photo and then you must show your child’s card on your phone when you sign in at an event.
• The age groups used in racing are based on a child’s age at the 31 December of the year the race takes place, and so these could be different for children in the same school year group.
• Once you know which group your child will register in you can review how far they will swim/run/cycle here.  When you sign up you will be asked for an approximate swim time for your swimming race so the organisers can sort the race order.  You can always estimate this and then change it nearer the time by contacting the race officials.
• The East Region races fill up quickly so sign up as soon as possible. If an event is full it’s worth putting your name on a reserve list as children sometimes drop out.
• If you need to pull out of a race you can often get a refund and it enables someone else to race.

What you need to take to an East Region triathlon?

Just like Tri-Force training you will need to remember a variety of equipment if you are entering an East Region triathlon!  Below is a list of things to bring with you:

• Bike (checked and in working order) 

• helmet that fits correctly
• shoes (running shoes and/or cycling shoes only if you are using cleats, elastic laces) 
• goggles & swim hat 
• race clothes – swimming costume, tri-suit, t-shirt, sunglasses (optional)
• Race belt
• towel 
• talcum powder (to put in your shoes) 
• Water bottle
• Wet suit for Discovery Tri
• Phone to show British Triathlon membership
• Safety pins to secure chip timer and race number if wearing a t-shirt
• Spare set of warm clothes

Inter-Regional Championship (“IRC”)

The East Region will select an Eastern Region team of three boys and girls from TriStar 2 and TriStar 3 based on their performance in the three IRC events hosted in the East Region.  One of these is always the open water Discovery Triathlon event.  

All places in the East Region IRC team are based on the single highest position achieved across one or more of the IRC qualifiers. 

The team then compete at the ‘Big Weekend’ the National Triathlon Championships in September.  This is part of the Under 20’s Festival that includes the final race in the Youth and Junior Super Series. 

Youth and Junior Super Series

If you compete in the East Region races as a TriStar 3 triathlete, the following year you can attend a Performance Assessment Weekend to enter the youth super series events.  This is a series of 6 national races held across the UK.