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Medical Report Accident Report Event Levy Payment Form Event Feedback Form Risk Assessment Form Event Registration Form Event Levy Guide Event Organisers Guide - Children/Youth Event Organisers Guide Outdoor Events in Scotland: Guide for Organisers Race Sanctioning Guide

Race Organisers

Triathlon relies on both volunteer and commercial event organisers to provide triathletes in Scotland and the UK with races to test their skills and fitness. Without them the sport simply wouldn't exist.

triathlonscotland is committed to supporting event organisers, no matter how small the event. The most important aspect of any event is that the competitors, organisers and marshals are safe while taking part, and this is the core reason why triathlonscotland requires all events to be registered and to have had an event permit awarded, known as sanctioning. This ensures that standards are maintained at their current high level and everyone can enjoy a safe event. Sanctioning is explained in more detail below.

If you are new to event organising we welcome you! To help you on your journey, we have prepared an event organisers guide to give you a point of reference before, during and after your event. If you are organising an event for children or youth participants, please refer to the children/youth guide. If you would like an example of an event budget template and advice for where to go to hire equipment, please email the triathlonscotland Events & Volunteer Manager at gemmasimpson@triathlonscotland.org

What is event sanctioning?
Event sanctioning is the process of registering your event with triathlonscotland, submitting a risk assessment and finally being awarded a sanction certificate. Sanctioned events are required to provide race data, event feedback and pay a fee per participant known as an event levy to triathlonscotland after the conclusion of each event. Please note that event levies will be increasing from 1 March 2012. The new levy guide is available to view here.

What is the event sanctioning process?

Pre-race sanctioning requirements

The lead race organiser must be a member of triathlonscotland or another Home Nation Association (British Triathlon Rule 1.1).
Existing race organisers must have fully complied with the sanctioning process for their race information held in previous years and be in good standing with triathlonscotland.

Race sanctioning requirements

Any club wishing to apply for their race to be sanctioned must be affiliated to triathlonscotland.
Complete the race registration form for each race. When registering the details of the race, all information must be correct at the time of submission. Any subsequent changes to this information must be made to triathlonscotland immediately. triathlonscotland uses its best endeavours to ensure sanctioned events are carefully scheduled throughout the calendar and Country to assist in optimising entries, however it is the responsibility of the Race Organiser to choose appropriate dates.
Scottish events are also eligible to register their event listing with British Triathlon (online and within the British Triathlon Handbook. This is a free service and you can access the online registration system here (only English and Welsh events are required to pay online as part of their sanctioning process, please ignore the requests for payment).
triathlonscotland will make every effort to ensure race information is displayed accurately. However, any errors, omissions or inaccuracies in race information are the responsibility of the race organiser and it is the responsibility of the organiser to inform triathlonscotland to make any required changes to the listed information.
The race organiser must provide full and accurate contact information so that triathlonscotland and / or competitors can contact them quickly and easily.
triathlonscotland reserves the right not to publish race details onto its website if its officers deem the content to be offensive or inappropriate; known to be false; or if the organiser is not in good standing with triathlonscotland, British Triathlon or another Home Nation Association (British Triathlon Rule Book section 2.2).
Applying for race sanctioning through this process does not reserve the race organiser the exclusive rights to the race name, or to exclusively host races at that venue.
The final stage of the race sanctioning process is to accept and agree to the sanctioning process, including the payment of all required levy fees within the published timeframes.

Sanctioning approval process

For a race to be sanctioned successfully, the organiser must complete the following stages:

Submit proof of Third Party Public Liability Insurance equal to or greater than £5,000,000 (British Triathlon Rule Book section 1.3a). For affiliated clubs, insurance cover is provided through triathlonscotland who therefore do not have to provide proof of insurance. Commercial organisers however must submit proof of insurance.
Submit a risk assessment for the race to triathlonscotland, with the final version available upon request at the race. Risk Assessments should confirm that the appropriate permissions have been received from the relevant authorities (e.g. Police). This should be submitted two months prior to the race. Only electronically completed Risk Assessments will be accepted, hand written versions are unacceptable.
Provide Medical Cover details, including water safety plans for open water races.
Where possible - appoint a British Triathlon qualified race official, whose name should appear on the risk assessment.
Advise all participants that the race organiser will share data and information with triathlonscotland, including participant names and email addresses.

The risk assessment must be of sufficient detail to satisfy the officers of triathlonscotland that adequate safety measures are in place - the race will not be sanctioned until risk assessments are of a satisfactory standard. Risk Assessments should be submitted using the triathlonscotland template available to download here.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

For an event series, submission must be made three months prior primary event in the series. If events take place on different courses, separate risk assessment forms must be submitted to triathlonscotland
Should event information changes occur after a sanction certificate has been issued, an updated or new risk assessment must be submitted to triathlonscotland.
Races that have not been sanctioned one week prior to their race will have their race removed from the British Triathlon and Home Nation Associations websites until the race sanction has been issued.

Once all of the above requirements are met, race organisers will be issued with a certificate acknowledging that the event has been sanctioned.

Post Race Process

Post event - immediately:

Submit race data (provisional and final results and an officials report). Race data should be submitted to triathlonscotland in the standard format as soon as possible - usually within 2 days of the end of your event. This is so that your results can be uploaded next to your event listing on this website.

triathlonscotland will also use the results to calculate the levy charge and produce an invoice (see below for more information).

Submit race participant contact details. The data, which must only contain participant name and email addresses, should be submitted to triathlonscotland as soon as possible - usually within 2 days of the end of your event (i.e. submit with your results). We use this data to promote membership of triathlonscotland and our services to event participants.

By providing this information you are helping us to increase awareness of triathlon in the whole of Scotland, encouraging repeat participation and in turn developing the sport further - all key performance indicators laid down by sportscotland. We don't share our competitor data with any third parties and we promise to keep our sport data, within the sport.

Post event - 21 day window:

triathlonscotland will use race results to calculate the levy payable and will issue an invoice to the registered race organiser for payment within 21 days of the completion of the event. Race organisers should raise any queries regarding the calculation of levies upon receipt of the invoice. If a query is not raised within 14 days post event then the invoice will be deemed to be accurate and payable in full.
Upon submitting payment for levies, race organisers must also complete a race feedback form.

Why is there a cost to have events sanctioned?

Each event sanctioned by triathlonscotland is charged a per participant levy. Details of levy charges are available in the event levy guide. The basic rule is that there are different charges for members of triathlonscotland and non-members. The higher cost for non-members reflects the additional cost for non-member insurance cover. Members receive worldwide public liability insurance, personal accident cover and free legal service. Non-members receive Third Party Public Liability Insurance only. A policy excess is applicable to the non-member Third Party Public Liability insurance.

While the competitor Levy requested for being a sanctioned event is a direct contribution toward the cost of insurance for the event, it is not the sole purpose of the Levy. Levy funds contribute towards marketing your event and ensuring a bright future for triathlon in Scotland. Some of the projects supported by event levy fees include:

Event registration administration
Events support and guidance
Event marketing and profile
Event organisers course and annual conference
Development of Technical Officials
Profile raising through Championship events delivery
Events IT support systems including online listing
Volunteer Development

Charitable races can apply for an event levy reduction. Please see the levy guide for more information.

Benefits of event sanctioning

Sanctioned events have the full support of triathlonscotland. If you need any advice you are free to contact us. We can provide support on topics such as how to organise safe events, attract participants, volunteers and commercial partners/sponsors.
Sanctioned events have satisfied triathlonscotland that they are run safely and fairly. Sanction certificates issued by triathlonscotland therefore can help greatly when applying for local permissions with authorities such as the police and local councils.
Sanctioned events are advertised on the websites of triathlonscotland and the British Triathlon Federation.
Sanctioned events are advertised in the British Triathlon Handbook, triathlonscotland Handbook & triathlonscotland essential pocket guide (if submitted before the handbooks submission deadline).
Sanctioned events may apply to host Scottish Championships, British Championships, ITU World and ETU European Qualifiers.
Sanctioned events may apply to be considered for triathlonscotland Event of the Year Awards and consequently the British Triathlon Event of the Year.
Sanctioned event organisers receive the triathlonscotland Event Organiser Updates to keep you updated on important training and resource developments.
All your competitors who are not members of the Home Nations Associations (triathlonscotland, Triathlon England or Welsh Triathlon) will be covered with Third Party Public Liability Insurance and free legal service through the Day Membership Scheme.
Sanctioned events can be associated with triathlonscotland and the triathlonscoltand logo.

NOTE on insurance: Only affiliated club organised events receive Public Liability insurance cover through the triathlonscotland club affiliation scheme. Independent/commerical event organisers must have an appropriate insurance policy in place. Competitors are covered through their annual membership, or through the day licence scheme.

Further Resources

A series of guides and race organisation forms are available to download from the links on the left hand side of this page.

Key Contacts

If you have any questions regarding this information please contact the triathlonscotland Events & Volunteer Manager at volunteers@triathlonscotland.org / 01786 466903 or triathlonscotland's event calendar administrator Bob Newton: rlbnewton@googlemail.com / 07801 034 982.

Thank you for taking the next steps towards facilitating an event and for helping to shape the future of Triathlon events in Scotland.

Voluneers are required for the 2010 Edinburgh Duathlon. If you would like to volunteer please click here