Bike stolen at the "The Canadian" in Ottawa

[ultraslacker]

can't people lock their bikes within the transition area?

[HCcD]

Right, so if there is a will and a way to steal bikes at races, what can you and I do to protect ourselves given that it's ultimately our own responsibility to keep our gear safe, even when we're out on the course? There isn't any, that I can think of (short of taking the time to lock/unlock your bike to the rack in transition). For that reason, we have to trust that the race director will take measures to do this for us.

There use to be a time when there was an unwritten rule that, one is/was not allowed to even touch/move another person's possession, bike, shoes, etc., once it is on the rack, and if caught doing so, a complaint could be brought to the attention of the Race Official, Volunteer, etc., and disciplinary action could be taken ... Then again, I think it was only at sanctioned OAT events (in Ontario) ??? But, now adays, people would come in to the race site/transition zone early in the morning to secure "primo" spots for their bikes, etc., then other people would come just minutes before the start of the race and feel that they could just move someone else's bike and belongings so that they could squeeze in to that "primo" spot, rather than racking their bikes a few hundre feet down in the T-Zone ...

[HCcD]

can't people lock their bikes within the transition area?

Yes, I believe that it is technically possible to do so ... Just hope you don't lose your key and/or forget your combination, in the mad rush/panic in T1 and T2 ... As mentioned earlier, would be interesting to see how many people will go an lock their bikes in the T-Zones in the future, in particularly at these local events ???

[La]

Right, so if there is a will and a way to steal bikes at races, what can you and I do to protect ourselves given that it's ultimately our own responsibility to keep our gear safe, even when we're out on the course? There isn't any, that I can think of (short of taking the time to lock/unlock your bike to the rack in transition). For that reason, we have to trust that the race director will take measures to do this for us.

There use to be a time when there was an unwritten rule that, one is/was not allowed to even touch/move another person's possession, bike, shoes, etc., once it is on the rack, and if caught doing so, a complaint could be brought to the attention of the Race Official, Volunteer, etc., and disciplinary action could be taken ... Then again, I think it was only at sanctioned OAT events (in Ontario) ??? But, now adays, people would come in to the race site/transition zone early in the morning to secure "primo" spots for their bikes, etc., then other people would come just minutes before the start of the race and feel that they could just move someone else's bike and belongings so that they could squeeze in to that "primo" spot, rather than racking their bikes a few hundre feet down in the T-Zone ...

That's a completely different and unrelated issue.

Many big races have pre-assigned spots on the rack with your number on a sticker to prevent this.

[HCcD]

Right, so if there is a will and a way to steal bikes at races, what can you and I do to protect ourselves given that it's ultimately our own responsibility to keep our gear safe, even when we're out on the course? There isn't any, that I can think of (short of taking the time to lock/unlock your bike to the rack in transition). For that reason, we have to trust that the race director will take measures to do this for us.

There use to be a time when there was an unwritten rule that, one is/was not allowed to even touch/move another person's possession, bike, shoes, etc., once it is on the rack, and if caught doing so, a complaint could be brought to the attention of the Race Official, Volunteer, etc., and disciplinary action could be taken ... Then again, I think it was only at sanctioned OAT events (in Ontario) ??? But, now adays, people would come in to the race site/transition zone early in the morning to secure "primo" spots for their bikes, etc., then other people would come just minutes before the start of the race and feel that they could just move someone else's bike and belongings so that they could squeeze in to that "primo" spot, rather than racking their bikes a few hundre feet down in the T-Zone ...

That's a completely different and unrelated issue.

Many big races have pre-assigned spots on the rack with your number on a sticker to prevent this.

Sadly, other than K-Town and Cornwall, in these parts .... it is a reality here ...

As an example .... a couple of years back, one of my Euro-Sports Team Member, came back to T-2 to find his running shoes missing for his T-Zone area and ended up deciding to run the second run, a 5K, I believe, in barefeet ... and, after he crossed the finish line and returned back to his bike/rack area, voila, his shoes had been returned ... My point is / was that nobody should ever be touching anyone elses' belonging in the T-Zone without asking permission first, to the owner and/or Official ....

[La]

The reason I say it's unrelated is because moving someone's stuff around is a very different thing than stealing their bike. Racers don't have the expectation that the RD (or anyone for that matter) is going to police whether someone touches your stuff!

[Spirit Unleashed]

I would expect a more and more thievery at triathlons as time goes on. Even shoe stealing. Without a crew member to watch your back, anything could happen.

[HCcD]

The reason I say it's unrelated is because moving someone's stuff around is a very different thing than stealing their bike. Racers don't have the expectation that the RD (or anyone for that matter) is going to police whether someone touches your stuff!

One of my friend's use to be Technical Director for Triathlon Canada Officiating, as well as held an Executive Position (President or VP) and would Officiate at most of the local OAT Sanctioned events, at the time ... and, pretty sure that we had discussed something similar to this topic at one time ... Will contact him for clarification / ruling and get back and update this post later on ..

[HCcD]

Ahhh, the benefits of FB messaging service ....

Anyhoo, just been chatting with my friend, past President of Triathlon Canada and Technical Director for Officiating / Rules, etc ...

If the race had been sanction ......

simply put yes. It is part of the race operations manual against which a sanction is measured that security be provided. AND there is insurance against which an athlete can claim

In this case, the race was not sanctioned by OAT nor Triathlon Canada ....

well unsanctiond hard to say. The rules don't apply. I think that the guy has a good case to take to small court! despite the disclaimer he had an expectation of safety..its like parking your car at the airport I guess

On the question of participants touching / moving another persons equipment without permission ...

yes touching someone elses stuff is gainst rules and would be a DQ

On the question of putting a lock on your bike in the T-Zone ...

no there is no rule against that - it is your TZ space managed your way just so long as you don't bother others

And, finally, on the expections of the Race Director in providing adequate security ....

Those standards already exist in the RD manual. Security must be addressed. Have we been lax yes but sanctioned races do check and risk a little to save $.but they are insured and insurance is all about risk

[turd ferguson]

There use to be a time when there was an unwritten rule that, one is/was not allowed to even touch/move another person's possession, bike, shoes, etc., once it is on the rack, and if caught doing so, a complaint could be brought to the attention of the Race Official, Volunteer, etc., and disciplinary action could be taken ...

If that's the case, its really not an unwritten rule, is it?

[turd ferguson]

can't people lock their bikes within the transition area?

Yes, I believe that it is technically possible to do so ... Just hope you don't lose your key and/or forget your combination, in the mad rush/panic in T1 and T2 ... As mentioned earlier, would be interesting to see how many people will go an lock their bikes in the T-Zones in the future, in particularly at these local events ???

Good question. My gut feel is that anyone with a bike worth stealing is so concerned about the few seconds it would take to unlock in T1 and lock in T2 that they wouldn't bother. People like me (to whom 30 seconds doesn't matter) already have the best security of all, a crappy bike.

[Jwolf]

can't people lock their bikes within the transition area?

During the race? Not easy. Besides the obvious extra time it takes to lock and unlock your bike in transition and the added hassle of carrying (and possibly losing) a key in on the swim, there is usually a set way you're supposed to rack your bike in transition. In the races I've been in there is a single bar and you're supposed to hang your bike by the seat. There wouldn't be an easy way to lock it up securely, and the races don't expect people to want to do this.

[HCcD]

There use to be a time when there was an unwritten rule that, one is/was not allowed to even touch/move another person's possession, bike, shoes, etc., once it is on the rack, and if caught doing so, a complaint could be brought to the attention of the Race Official, Volunteer, etc., and disciplinary action could be taken ...

If that's the case, its really not an unwritten rule, is it?

Apparently, it is in a sanctioned race, i.e. Race Director's Handbook, where OAT (Ontario) and/or Tri Canada Officials are in play, but not necessarily for non-sanctioned events, where the RD has chosen not to be associated with ...

[jonovision_man]

Ahhh, the benefits of FB messaging service ....

Anyhoo, just been chatting with my friend, past President of Triathlon Canada and Technical Director for Officiating / Rules, etc ...

If the race had been sanction ......

simply put yes. It is part of the race operations manual against which a sanction is measured that security be provided. AND there is insurance against which an athlete can claim

In this case, the race was not sanctioned by OAT nor Triathlon Canada ....

well unsanctiond hard to say. The rules don't apply. I think that the guy has a good case to take to small court! despite the disclaimer he had an expectation of safety..its like parking your car at the airport I guess

On the question of participants touching / moving another persons equipment without permission ...

yes touching someone elses stuff is gainst rules and would be a DQ

On the question of putting a lock on your bike in the T-Zone ...

no there is no rule against that - it is your TZ space managed your way just so long as you don't bother others

And, finally, on the expections of the Race Director in providing adequate security ....

Those standards already exist in the RD manual. Security must be addressed. Have we been lax yes but sanctioned races do check and risk a little to save $.but they are insured and insurance is all about risk

Good stuff. Sanctioning has its privileges. Thankfully this was just a bike - are the unsanctioned events insured if you get injured or worse?

jono

[La]

So when people ask, "Why should I join OAT (or my provincial triathlon governing body)?" or "Why should I care whether it's a sanctioned event, as it only increases my race fee?" then you have your answer!

[Jwolf]

So when people ask, "Why should I join OAT (or my provincial triathlon governing body)?" or "Why should I care whether it's a sanctioned event, as it only increases my race fee?" then you have your answer!

Definitely.

[dgrant]

Thankfully this was just a bike - are the unsanctioned events insured if you get injured or worse?

In my experience, you can't get an event permit for either private or public spaces without $5 million liability insurance. I never read my insurance policies close enough to see if it covered loss of property (not an issue at my stuff.)

[jonovision_man]

From the MultiSport Canada Facebook page. Good on them.

MultiSport Canada Triathlon Series

IMPORTANT WASAGA BEACH SECURITY INFO - For those of you who are racing with us this weekend it will very important that you read the pre-race email and report that will be sent out Friday morning to all registered athletes. It will also be linked on our website, Facebook page and through Twitter.

Given the unfortunate situation last weekend in Ottawa, where a bike was stolen during a race, we will be implementing a new security system for all of our races. In the case of Wasaga Beach it will mean 6ft high fencing around transition with only one entrance in and out.

Before people ask, why only one in and out. Here is the reason. The Wasaga Beach race site is very large and we cannot have multiple entry points and guarantee tighter security. We are getting some assistance from Triathlon Ontario volunteers on Saturday and bringing in paid staff on Sunday.

We believe we have thought through all of the logistics from a customer perspective but ask that you be prepared for the possibility of small line-ups on race morning. The best solution would be if you were to arrive 10 to 15 minutes earlier than you normally would.

jono

[jgore]

Video cameras on poles at strategic points to cover the entire transition zone. Expensive, but...

[Wu wei]

At IM Regensburg they took my picture with my bike, holding my race number. They pull it up on the computer as you leave transition... good for a big race, but impossible for smaller events.

[drghfx]

Video cameras on poles at strategic points to cover the entire transition zone. Expensive, but...

They could buy a couple of Go-Pros and post them at the entrance/exit. Even fake cameras with a big sign saying the area is monitored by camera should do the trick.

[RobAllen]

So when people ask, "Why should I join OAT (or my provincial triathlon governing body)?" or "Why should I care whether it's a sanctioned event, as it only increases my race fee?" then you have your answer!

Sorry for being late to the party...

Just to clarify that this stolen bike would still not be covered if this was an OAT sanctioned event. OAT does not cover bike loss/theft at any event. OAT does though sell additional insurance to paid members for $100 for the year that if there is a loss/theft of your bike you can claim up to $10,000. The loss/theft has to occur at an OAT sanctioned event site and during your event.

With regards to our triathlon we do not use bike stickers or bracelets etc. We have 14 volunteers in the transition area. We have not had this problem but it only becomes a problem once it happens the first time. Unfortunately we will have to look at changes for next year. The nice thing about our race is you get a notification in advance of your bib/rack number. So when you come on race morning you can rack your bike and then go and get your race kit. Super easy and productive for both the athlete and race volunteers. If we need to change then participants will have to park their bike outside of transition while picking up their kit in the school. During this time the bikes have no sticker or identification and cannot come into the transition area. The bike gets stolen with no identification - whose at fault? You can't blame a volunteer or security guard there, impossible to keep track of hundreds of bikes coming while picking up their kits.

The easiest thing to do is probably inquire with our insurance group about adding participant theft/loss to our policy.

[RobAllen]

Two bikes stolen at the Lifetime Fitness Tempe Arizona triathlon on the weekend. Is this a trend?

I looked into our insurance coverage and we cannot find an insurance company willing to cover us for bike theft at an increased premium or rider. After a couple of meetings we are anticipating setting up a system where we video tape the only two possible entrances and exits to our transition area.

[MINITEE]

Two bikes stolen at the Lifetime Fitness Tempe Arizona triathlon on the weekend. Is this a trend?

I looked into our insurance coverage and we cannot find an insurance company willing to cover us for bike theft at an increased premium or rider. After a couple of meetings we are anticipating setting up a system where we video tape the only two possible entrances and exits to our transition area.

Rob, talk to John Salt @MSC. They implemented (and quickly) a bracelet system for the last couple of races after The Canadian issue. I worked security the Sunday morning of the Olympic in Lakeside, and it went pretty smoothly. Fencing changes are also a consideration, they put in a 6ft fence at Wasaga from what I heard, instead of the usual netting one.

[RobAllen]

Rob, talk to John Salt @MSC. They implemented (and quickly) a bracelet system for the last couple of races after The Canadian issue. I worked security the Sunday morning of the Olympic in Lakeside, and it went pretty smoothly. Fencing changes are also a consideration, they put in a 6ft fence at Wasaga from what I heard, instead of the usual netting one.

Thanks, will do. There are a couple of issues I have with the bracelet for our event. This is specific to our event, location and the way we set up our transition area.
1) Race-day packet pick-up is inside a building so athlete's will have to leave their bikes without identification outside of a transition zone while getting their wrist strap.
2) At our event everyone who has registered in advance is reserved their spot in transition. We want athletes to come into transition to put their bikes in their location with their name and then go get their kit. This is much safer in my opinion.

We already have 10 volunteers in transition. We are upping it to 14 to control traffic and video tape. We still have another 11 months to finalize.

My personal athlete opinion (with a view from the other side) is don't ever expect a race organization to have insurance for theft. Even the greatest set-up can be tricked by conniving thieves. Remember that these races are usually put on by volunteers or have volunteers manning these posts. Check your personal insurance to determine what coverage you have if a bike is stolen at a race.