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The 2016 GWR Triathlon Half Iron Distance will be co-hosted by the City of Newton Falls, OH.  "Broad Street" Newton Falls will be the location of the finish and post race festivities as the 2016 event will be a point-to-point race beginning at West Branch State Park and finishing in the quaint, small town village streets of Newton Falls!   

The weekend of multisport activities will begin Saturday, June 11 with the SPRINT & OLYMPIC RACES at West Branch State Park,and then with late registration for the half-iron distance, course preview, race clinics, and a humble little expo with several vendors on site.  The Half-iron will take place Sunday, June 12 and will be featured as the only race on that day! The Half iron will begin at Transition #1/West Branch State Park Beach for 1.2 mile swim, and then take athletes through a 1 loop, 56 mile course which features a balance of smooth fast road and some rolling hills.  Transition #2 will be located on Broad Street in the heart of Newton Falls.  Athletes will then  do 3 loops of 4.37 miles through the flat streets of surrounding village streets.

(Sprint & Olympic Distance Races are NOT point-to-point and will take place entirely at West Branch State Park)

 

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Boom Nutrition!...The 2016 Great Western Reserve On-course nutrition supplier!

 

 

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 Liquid Lifestyles, Bike Authority & Fleet Feet Sports

...as the 2016 GWRT Swim, Bike & Run Support Course Team

                   

 

The SWIM

Scroll below below for transition area information and details on point-to-point options

Swim: 1.2 Miles

The swim course is a 2 X .6 mile counter clockwise (BIG GREEN PYRAMID buoys will be the turn buoys on left)  triangular swim in a large state park open water venue.  Average water temperature in June is around 70 degrees and should be wet-suit legal.

The half distance will be a mass start of all males, then all female five minutes after.  The olympic and sprint distance events will be in waves based on participation numbers in each age group.

Half Iron 10:00am SWIM CUT-OFF

View Swim Course

 

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The BIKE

Scroll below below for transition area information and details on point-to-point options

Bike: 56 Miles    VIEW BIKE COURSE PICS!

The 2016 bike course is now a 56 mile, 1 lap POINT-to-POINT course.  The GWRT will take athletes over some flat fresh pavement and some gentle to rolling hills across the Western Reserve counties with scenic views of Berlin Lake and across the West Branch Revervoir dam.  It is a great mix of rolling hills and flat runs!  The course will have 2 bike fluid stations located approx. the 20 & 40 mile mark.  

The roads are OPEN  TO TRAFFIC on the bike course, and the main intersections will be marshaled by police officers and Sheriffs.

PLEASE NOTE:  The bike course will begin at West Branch State Park and finish in the village of Newton Falls.  This is a point-point course.   Athletes will go through Newton Falls two times, once at approximately mile 12 and then again at the finish of the bike course.  T2 is located in Newton Falls. 

Half Iron 1:30pm BIKE CUT-OFF

 

View 2016 Half-Iron Bike Course Map (Mapmyrun Version)       2016 Half Iron Turn-by-Turn Course Map  

View 2016 Sprint/Olympic Bike Course

 

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The RUN

Scroll below below for transition area information and details on point-to-point options

 

Run: 13.1 Miles

The 2016 run course is through the village roads of Newton Falls.  The super-spectator-friendly course is a 3-lap 4.38 mile loop, mega-flat with some shade, on the paved roads and paths around the village area and along the Mahoning River.  Click on the below link to view the course. 

View 2016 Half-Iron Run Course Map (Mapmyrun Version) Now Posted!      Directional Run Course Map

View 2016 Sprint/Olympic Run Course Map    

Half Iron 4:00 PM RUN CUT-OFF

(The out-n-back portion of the run course on 1st Street will have one lane closed and dedicated for the runners.  This lane will re-open to traffic  approx. 3pm, but the runners will permitted to continue their run until the 4pm cut-off.  Course marshals and patrol will still be on-course as well until 4pm.)

 

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For Half Distance only...

The Point-to-Point TRANSITION PROCESS

The 2016 GWRT Half Iron Distance will be a point-to-point race with the swim and transition #1 at West Branch State Park and Transition #2 on Broad Street in Newton Falls, OH.  There are several options to consider when preparing for a point-to-point event.

First, we need to explain the packet-gear bag thingy.  Your packet/gear bag you will have the following items:

• Timing chip and strap.  Must be worn throughout the race.
• Race bib.  Only needs to be worn on the run portion of the race through the finish.
• Bike frame number.  Applied to the bike frame prior to the race.
• Event wrist band. Must be worn throughout the race. This band will be also be used to collect your belongings after the race.
• 1 BLACK plastic bag and 1 WHITE plastic bag.  These bags will be used to pack your gear in transition areas.
• Official race T-shirt.  We hope you like!  If not, please apply blame to the tall lenky race director lady!
• Goodies & sponsor items

 

What category do you apply?

Category #1:

You are in Category #1 if you...

• ...Choose to pick-up your packet/gear bag on Saturday, June 11 from 1-6pm at the West Branch Beach during the Expo AND...
• ...Have your own transportation before and after the race.

Here what you will do...

Saturday:  You pick up your packet/gear bag at the beach "concession" area.  After that, you will rack your bike in the assigned transition #1 bike rack area.  You can place your bike gear (shoes, helmet, etc) here at your spot overnight or you can drop this gear off in the morning upon arriving at the beach on race day.  You can report directly to the beach as we will have a "T2 Bike Bag" drop off truck and will transport that bag to Newton Falls/T2 for you. 

Sunday/Race-day:  Your transportation drives you to West Branch and you report to your transition  #1 spot and fine-tune your area.  You then get your game face on and get ready to go!  After your swim, you will pack ALL of your swim gear in the BLACK T1 Bag provided and then away you go on the bike!  Make sure all your swim gear and transition area is clean of your gear and IN YOUR BAG prior to leaving for the bike course.  CHAMP will load this bag and get it back to you in Newton Falls.  Upon your arrival in Newton Falls after your bike segment, you will then head through transition #2, drop off your bike, grab your WHITE T2 Run Bag (with your run gear in it) and change for the run.  Then away you go!!!  Then you will finish!  (we hope!)

 

 

Category #2:

You are in Category #2 if you...

• ...Choose to pick-up your packet/gear bag on Saturday, June 11 from 1-6pm at the West Branch Beach during the Expo AND...
• ...are flying solo and need transportation from Newton Falls to West Branch.

Here what you will do...

Saturday:  You pick up your packet/gear bag at the beach "concession" area.  After that, you will rack your bike in the assigned transition #1 bike rack area.  You can place your bike gear (shoes, helmet, etc) here at your spot overnight in your T1 Bike Bag.

Sunday/Race-day:  You drive to Newton Falls/Race-day check-in area to prep and drop your T2 Run Bag.  You will then hang out and catch the transportation bus to West Branch.  Once you arrive at West Branch, you double check and prep your T1 area.  You then get your game face on and get ready to go!  After your swim segment, you will pack ALL of your swim gear in the BLACK T1 Bike Bag provided and then away you go on the bike!  Make sure all your swim gear and transition area is clean of your gear and IN YOUR BAG prior to leaving for the bike course.  CHAMP will load this bag and get it back to you in Newton Falls.  Upon your arrival in Newton Falls after your bike segment, you will then head through transition #2, drop off your bike, grab your WHITE T2 Run Bag (with your run gear in it) and change for the run.  Then away you go!!!  Then you will finish!  (we hope!)

 

 

Category #3:

You are in Category #3 if you...

• ...Cannot pick-up your gear until Sunday (race-day) morning.
• ...Have your own transportation before and after the race.

Here what you will do...

Saturday:  Nothing!  You are busy doing something important, like spending time with your family, or fishing at the campground, or maybe sewing a new quilt, or going to the dentist, or trying to score brownie points with the in-laws by building them a new deck or changing the oil in their cars, or perhaps playing the star role of Bilbo Baggins in a community theatre musical called, "The Hobbit on a Rampage." 

Sunday/Race-day:  Your transportation drives you to West Branch State Park early to pick-up your Packet/gear bag.  You then rack you bike in the assigned transition #1 rack area and prep your spot.  Once everything is prepped and ready to go, you will make sure your T2 Run Bag is packed and loaded on the CHAMP truck (at the beach).  We will transport this bag to Newton Falls/T2 for you.  You then get your game face on and get ready to go!  After your swim segment, you will pack ALL of your swim gear in the BLACK T1 Bike Bag provided and then away you go on the bike!  Make sure all your swim gear and transition area is clean of your gear and IN YOUR BAG prior to leaving for the bike course.  CHAMP will load this bag and get it back to you in Newton Falls.  Upon your arrival in Newton Falls after your bike segment, you will then head through transition #2, drop off your bike, grab your WHITE T2 Run Bag (with your run gear in it) and change for the run.  Then away you go!!!  Then you will finish!  (we hope!)

 

 

 

Category #4:  The most time-consuming option :(   Be sure to leave plenty of time to prepare.

• ...Cannot pick-up your gear until Sunday (race-day) morning.
• ...are flying solo and need transportation from Newton Falls to West Branch.

Here what you will do...

Saturday:  Nothing!  Just be chillin' like a villain! 

Sunday/Race-day:  You drive to West Branch to pick-up your Packet/Gear-bag.  You will then rack your bike in the assigned racking area in T1 and prep your spot.  Once your T1 spot is ready to go, you will then drive to Newton Falls/Race-day check-in area to prep and drop your T2 Run Bag.  You will then hang out and catch the transportation bus to West Branch.  Once you arrive at West Branch, you can double check your T1 area.  You then get your game face on and get ready to go!  After your swim segment, you will pack ALL of your swim gear in the BLACK T1 Bike Bag provided and then away you go on the bike!  Make sure all your swim gear and transition area is clean of your gear and IN YOUR BAG prior to leaving for the bike course.  CHAMP will load this bag and get it back to you in Newton Falls.  Upon your arrival in Newton Falls after your bike segment, you will then head through transition #2, drop off your bike, grab your WHITE T2 Run Bag (with your run gear in it) and change for the run.  Then away you go!!!  Then you will finish!  (we hope!)

This option requires you to check-in first at West Branch to pick-up your packet, and then drive to Newton Falls to catch the transportation bus back to the state park.  The CHaMP CHuMPS suggest the following time frame if you are in category #4:  Arrive approx. 5:30am at the state park to pick-up your packet and prep your T1 transition spot.  This will take approximately 30-40 minutes.  You will then have to drive to Newton Falls which is about a 15 minute drive.  This will get you to Newton Falls approx. 6:30am which will give you about 45 minutes to catch the bus.

 

Points to Consider-

• Remember, race time begins at 8:30am.
• Bus transportation will be limited and will make runs from Newton Falls to West Branch beginning around 7am with the last bus leaving at 7:45am  PLEASE!...OH PLEASE, OH PLEASE.!..do NOT procrastinate like me and wait until the last bus.  Plan your time wisely to ensure you have space on a bus.
• You will have two transition bags: 1 black and 1 white.  Your black bag is your T1 swim to bike bag and the white bag is your T2 bike to run bag.  Make sure that following the swim, you pack all of your swim gear in the black bag in T1, and then following the bike, all of your bike gear gets in the white bag in T2.  We will then collect these bags and you will use your wrist bands to claim this gear after the race at Newton Falls.
• The T2 process will be a linear process and will go like this:  1.  Upon entering T2, rack your bike in T2 wherever you find an open spot along the racks,   2. Grab your white T2 bag lying on the ground in numerical order (we will have some volunteers to help locate your bags.)    3.  Get you bag and change into your run gear, 4. Drop off your T2 bag as you exit the transition area in Newton Falls.