Series Event Categories

Event Categories:

1) Open

Category for Elite participants.
Minimum age for racing Open is 15.
If you choose to race Open you must remain in the Open category for the entire 2012 season.
Open participants start every North Carolina Triathlon Series event in Wave 1 in open water swim starts and at the front of all the pool swim events.
Open participants are all 39 years of age and younger.
Rules only apply to North Carolina Triathlon Series events, you may compete in another category in one of our other event series (South Carolina Triathlon Series, TrySports Triathlon Series or the Virginia Triathlon Series).

NOTE: USAT's Ruling on Ranking "Open/Masters Open" in the North Carolina Triathlon Series

The following ruling will pertain to our "Open" and "Masters Open" categories in 2013.
There have been several inquiries over the last couple years from race directors and athletes requesting that “amateur elite” or "open" waves be included in the rankings. Due to the capabilities of the new pacesetter rankings system, it has been shown that any perceived advantage participants in this wave have is nullified in the new system, allowing fair rankings to be assigned to these waves when they are ranked amongst each other. The USAT staff and Race Director Committee have agreed to rank athletes in these waves through the rules dispensation process. Note this does not create a new rankings category, the “open” wave will be ranked as its own race, and the athletes then put into their respective age groups in the national rankings system.

2) Masters Open

Same rules as "Open" category, except participants must be 40 years of age and older.

3) 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 above).
Rules only apply to North Carolina Triathlon Series events, you may compete in another category in one of our other event series (South Carolina Triathlon Series, TrySports Triathlon Series or the Virginia Triathlon Series).

4) 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 Inside-Out Sports North Carolina Triathlon Series 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 3.125 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 2.435 points for these 3 events in your age group. In the series rankings - you're listed in the Clydesdale category with 3.125 points and you're also listed in your age group with 2.435 points. You're not eligible for series awards in either category as you must
compete in a minimum of 5 events in a particular category to be eligible for awards. However, you will be given credit for doing 7 North Carolina Triathlon Series events.
Rules only apply to North Carolina Triathlon Series events, you may race in another category in one of our other event series (South Carolina Triathlon Series, TrySports Triathlon Series or the Virginia Triathlon Series).

5) Masters Clydesdale

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

6) Athena

Women 160 lbs. and over
All other rules as in the Clydesdale category above apply.

7) Novice

Persons 39 years of age and younger
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 North Carolina Triathlon Series ranking points.
Novices begin all North Carolina Triathlon Series events at the back; in the last wave in open water swims or at the back in pool swim races. This is done for safety reasons so that Novices are not being passed by faster age groupers during the swim or the bike.
Rules only apply to North Carolina Triathlon Series events, you may race in another category in one of our other event series (South Carolina Triathlon Series, TrySports Triathlon Series or the Virginia Triathlon Series).

8) Masters Novice