events-overview

VTS/MTS Race Categories


Participants who must declare a category of Age Group, Clydesdale, Masters Clydesdale, or Athena must compete in that category the entire year to be eligible for series awards. Here is an description of each category:

1) Age Group

  • Participants will automatically compete in their respective age group unless they declare to compete in one of the other specific categories.
  • If you choose to compete in an Age Group you must remain in your age group for the entire 2013 event season determined by the USAT "aging up"policy for 2013 (see "Age Group Classification" below).
  • Rules only apply to VTS events, you may compete in another category in one of our other event series (North Carolina Triathlon Series, South Carolina Triathlon Series, or the TrySports Triathlon Series).

2) Clydesdale

  • Men 220 lbs. and over - 39 years of age and younger.
  • If you choose to race Clydesdale, you must remain in the Clydesdale category for the entire 2013 event season.
  • If during the season your weight drops below 220 lbs. - you may switch to another category for other NCTS events, HOWEVER, you will start over in series points. In other words, you will not be able to transfer your points into your age group category.
  • EXAMPLE: You do 4 events as a Clydesdale and accumulate a total of 3125 series ranking points in the Clydesdale category. You then switch to your age group and compete in 3 more events. You accumulate a total of 2435 points for these 3 events in your age group. In the series rankings - you're listed in the Clydesdale category with 3125 points and you're also listed in your age group with 2435 points. You're not eligible for series awards in either category as you mustcompete in a minimum of 5 events in a particular category to be eligible for awards. However, you will be given credit for doing 7 VTS events.
  • Rules only apply to VTS events, you may race in another category in one of our other event series (North Carolina Triathlon Series, South Carolina Triathlon Series, or the TrySports Triathlon Series).

3) Masters Clydesdale

  • Men 220 lbs. and over - 40 years of age and older.
  • All other rules as in the Clydesdale category above apply.

4) Athena

  • Women 165 lbs. and over
  • All other rules as in the Clydesdale category above apply.

5) Novice

  • New for 2013! - The Novice category will only be available at events where the swim is held in open water (ie: lake, river, or ocean).
  • Anyone may race in the Novice category - there are no qualifications.
  • The Novice category is designed for people who are new to the sport or do not feel comfortable racing in their age group.
  • Novices compete against each other for event awards, but do not compete against age groupers for event awards.
  • You may begin the season as a Novice and then switch into your age group (or another category) at any time.
  • Novices do NOT receive any VTS ranking points.
  • Novices begin all VTS events at the back; in the last wave in open water swims. This is done for safety reasons so that Novices are not being passed by faster age groupers during the swim or the bike. For events with a pool swim Novices will be ranked with everyone else according to swim time submitted.
  • Rules only apply to VTS events, you may race in another category in one of our other event series (North Carolina Triathlon Series, South Carolina Triathlon Series, or the TrySports Triathlon Series).

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