Since the season is starting HAUS TRI will be doing a weekly rule update from USAT. This week’s rule is the first of the 3.4 Race Conduct rules.  It talk about completing the entire course. I know we have all seen people cutting bouys, running the tangent of the run course, or missing loops of a bike course…let me the best athletes we can be over the whole course…

3.4a Entire Course.
Participants must cover the prescribed course in its entirety. It is the participant’s responsibility to know the course. Any violation of this section, even if no advantage is gained, shall result in a variable time penalty, unless the head referee in his sole discretion determines that (i) the violation was substantial and resulted in an unfair time advantage, or (ii) the violation constituted endangerment under Section 3.4(l). In the event the head referee makes such a determination, the penalty shall be disqualification.
The obvious premise of 3.4a is the requirement that each particpant will traverse the entire course as laid out by race management. Enforcement and penalty assessment is determined by how much of the course was missed or cut by the athlete. 

For instance, if a swimmer cuts just inside a swim turn buoy, a time penalty would be applicable.  However, if a swimmer turned early and missed the turn buoy by a substantial amount, say 50 meters, then a disqulification would be be the result.  That method of judging the athlete’s advantage is applied for course cutting on the bike and run as well.

This rule is most often applied at events that have a multiple loop design for bike or run and athletes have been found doing less than the required number of loops.

and so is TRI  season. A great weekend for HAUS TRIATHLON once again…Julie Heinzl dodged the spring breakers and boaters in Lake Havasu coming home with a 3^rd place age group finish at the Lake Havasu Triathlon. Julie told HAUS that she PR’d the course and had a great time. Up next for HAUS was Diana “Dede” Devine who took on the most famous Bartlett Lake Triathlon. Rail to Rail Dede took home an age group win in 1:52:26…looking good for that Ironman coming up in November!

April kicks off Splash and Dashes at Tempe Town Lake  don’t forget to register for the GRAND PRIX!

Splash and Dash date are:

April 3 – 7:30am

April 15 – 6pm

May 1 – 7:30am

May 13 – 6pm

Calling all Haus Triathletes! Have we got a challenge for you…the HAUS TRIATHLON GRAND PRIX…running in conjunction with the 4 Peaks Splash and Dash Series, Haus Triathlon is offering a free race entry to any summer or fall race of YOUR choosing…This is the way to kick off your season or fine tune those skills…no bikes  = no worries, it is all water and concrete…there is no gender split this is a winner takes all!

 How it works:

 Age Group placement points are based on USAT age groups. The points are as follows:

 1st place – 5 points

2nd place – 4 points

3rd place – 3 points

4th place – 2 points

5th place – 1 point

 You must race at least three (3) events to be eligible. Each race you register for is worth 10 points.  If you register and complete all 4 races you will earn an extra 50 points on top of the points you already earned. You can earn a maximum of 15 points each race and a minimum of 10. Just by completing every race you will earn 90 points total.  So, the more races you do the better your chances of taking home the prize.

 Legible fine print…

 You must be wearing HAUS TRIATHLON gear at all times to earn points. That means if you place in your age group, you must be wearing a HAUS TRIATHLON shirt, jersey, etc. when you pick up your award. No love for the HAUS means ZERO points for you for that race.

 How to enter:

 Go to www.4peaksracing.com to enter the races…that’s it! Well…and send Christian an email at chbailey80@yahoo.com so that we can keep track of you.  Points will be updated after each race on the HAUS TRIATHLON webpage.

 If you have any questions just email HAUS TRIATHLON team member or stop by our sponsors BICYCLE HAUS or TRIPLE SPORTS

Welcome! Three new membesr to the HAUS TRIATHLON family are Austin Beck, Eric Bolles, and Michael Bailey.

If you our any of your friends are intersted in joining our team. Check out the membership link and get started today or stop by Triple Sports or Bicycle Haus and ask…

If you are just getting into the TRI world, Triple Sports has a killer deal on a new Specialized Bike and a ton of goodies added in…go in and talk to Brian about the sweet deal!

- C

It was raining and pouring but all was good for HAUS this weekend at the Firebird Lake Triathlon. The morning started off with both the Duathlon and Sprint Tri’s going off at the same time.  The DU took off like a streaker across the football field, only with half his clothes on. Christian Bailey took off looking back as Scott Schraff, with pants in tow, was just leaving the transition. Scott thought later that everyone was headed to the party without him but soon it would all change.  Roger Cahill of Run Flagstaff led the charge as Christian tried to quicken his step. Scott made up ground and was into the turnaround in the third place. The women were nipping at the men’s heels with Erin Scheidt clearly I in the thick of it as three seconds separated the top three females.  Christian went into T1 with a mere 19 second lead over Scott. Ramsey Jabro hit the banks of the raceway and cut all the tangents as he rounded into the transition.  The bike proved to be quite a battle as Scott took over at the helm just one loop (4 miles) into the bike. Christian made ground on second place but that Cahill man was pressing on.  Erin played a cat and mouse game with competitor Kathy Wilson on the bike. Both of them dancing on the pedals trying to break the other…Into T2 we go…Scott pressed hard the last loop of the bike giving him almost a minute on second place. Christian skidded to a halt at the dismount line and put on his blue suede shoes, no really they are blue, you have to see them! Scott made the turnaround with a good gap between him and second place, Christian was just off of their heels and rounded the turnaround. Roger seemed to have another gear that took Scott to the line just nipping Scott by only 28 seconds. Christian powered the large turn around the foaming waves of Firebird Lake and finished third overall. Erin Scheidt came off the bike with a blazing 37 second transition (only Scott Schraff would have a faster transition on the day).  She again went neck and neck with Kathy, almost splitting the exact same run time, and blasted into Second place overall!

 Du Results

 Scott Schraff 2^nd place Overall

Christian Bailey 3^rd Overall

Erin Scheidt 2^nd Overall

Ramsey Jabro7th Overall

Sprint Tri

 Courtney Dunlap, Charlotte Tait, and Sue Iverson all looked out onto Firebird Lake and were reported to have said, “Is that sea foam on the lake or is it the teary mist in my eyes?” Each competitor parted the foam and set course on the Sprint Tri. Courtney Dunlap, HAUS TRIs resident swimmer, rounded the buoys first for the group.  Charlotte Tait was seen floating on top of the water as the salt content of the fresh water lake exceeded that of the Pacific Ocean. Was it the salt or was it the twisting arms of Sue Iverson behind her that sent her in motion? Whatever it was, the gun was off and everyone was back into T1 like a flash. Courtney mounted his steed, clad in HAUS blue and black, and set off for a ride onto the reservation know as the bike course. Charlotte gave chase and Sue was not far behind.  Courtney was up and pressing the pedals to the road and the flesh to the seat as he rounded the final turn of the bike course in 37:12. Charlotte Tait had an gear that no one could find, and I mean no one, and turned in a bike split of 38:50. Sue quote U2 saying “I  still haven’t found what I’m looking for” but I say she found a bike and rode it…into T2 we go and we are out on the run like a herd of deer. Courtney wasn’t afraid of the in person version of Excitebike that was being played right next to him down the back stretch as he toed it up to the finish. Charlotte put feet to pavement like she has done this before and cruise d to a split of 28:04. Sue tiptoed like Baryshnikov in Swan Lake and clobbered all of her competition.

 TRI Results

Courtney Dunlap 5^th in age group and 47^th overall

Charlotte Tait 4^th in age group and 12^th overall

Sue Iverson 1^st in age group and 16^th overall

  I would talk about the team Challenge but the results are not in yet…It was an awesome day for HAUS TRIATHLON. Thanks for Triple Sports and Bicycle Haus for keeping us geared up on top of the competition. Lots of races coming up so get to training!

 -C

Congrats to HAUS TRIATHLETES at the Desert Classic Duathlon. It was a cold, rainy and windy day but HAUS TRIATHLON prevailed. This race is always a good tune up for the year and can really give you a good bench mark as to your fitness level through the winter…HAUS SHOWED UP!

Scott Scraff  9th Overall!!! 1st in age group!

Diana “Dede” Devine 45th Female finisher and 1st in her age group!

This weekend is the Firebird Lake Triathlon…HAUS TRIATHLON is up and ready for the first open water triathlon of the Arizona Season…come out and cheer us on…the race kicks off at a cushy 8:30 am! If you need to catch a ride or need directions email Christian at chbailey80@yahoo.com

See ya out there!

- C