Awards
Collegiate Olympic-Distance
| Category | Place |
| Collegiate National Female | 1-10 |
| Collegiate National Male | 1-10 |
| Fastest Swim Split Female | 1 |
| Fastest Swim Split Male | 1 |
| Fastest Bike Split Female | 1 |
| Fastest Bike Split Male | 1 |
| Fastest Run Split Female | 1 |
| Fastest Run Split Male | 1 |
| Fastest Transition Split Female | 1 |
| Fastest Transition Split Male | 1 |
Weekend Awards
| Category | Place |
| Overall Team (1 DL + 4 Olympic per gender) | 1-5 |
| Overall Male Team (1 DL + 4 Olympic) | 1-5 |
| Overall Female Team (1 DL + 4 Olympic) | 1-5 |
| Armed Forces | 1 |
| Journey to Nationals | 1 |
| Team Spirit Award | 1 |
| Combined Individual Male (DL + Olympic) | 1 |
| Combined Individual Female (DL + Olympic) | 1 |
Draft-Legal
| Category | Place |
| Female | 1-3 |
| Male | 1-3 |
| Mixed-Team Relay | 1-3 |
PC Open
| Category | Place |
| PC Open Male | 1-3 |
| PC Open Female | 1-3 |
Team Spirit Award
The Team Spirit Award, sponsored by Jaybird, will once again be handed out to the club team with the best overall spirit throughout the week of Collegiate Club Nationals. Committee members will be keeping a close eye on the teams throughout the week, and will make their final decision based off of teams spirit and dress leading up to the awards ceremony on Saturday night. The winning team will be announced at the ceremony and will receive $1,000 in Jaybird product!
Jaybird Journey to Nationals
For the seventh consecutive year, Jaybird is taking submissions for the best 30-to-60 second video capturing each team's journey to the 2018 USA Triathlon Collegiate National Championships. For more information on guidelines and how to submit, please click here.
Awards Ceremony
The Collegiate Club Nationals Awards Ceremony will occur at the Sellers Auditorium at the Bryant Conference Center on Saturday, April 28, from 8-9:30 p.m. The Sellers Auditorium, Bryant Conference Center address is: 240 Paul W Bryant Dr, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401. See map below for parking locations, indicated by red "P" icons. Parking in these lots is free on weekends.
The High School Nationals Awards Ceremony will take on Friday, April 27 at 3:15 p.m. at the finish line.
Collegiate Competitive Rules
Please ensure your team is familiar with the collegiate competitive rules. Click here to view the document in PDF format.
Draft-Legal Sprint
Again for 2018, the USA Triathlon Draft-Legal Collegiate Championship will kick off the Collegiate National Championship weekend on Friday, April 27. Only the best 75 collegiate male athletes and 75 collegiate female athletes in the United States will qualify to participate in the draft-legal race, and each of USA Triathlon’s 10 collegiate conferences will be allocated slots in the field. Qualified athletes will be able to compete in both the draft-legal and Olympic-distance Collegiate National Championship events. Both races will count toward the Collegiate Nationals team scoring. All Draft-Legal athletes are required to attend a mandatory Athlete Briefing/Packet Pick Up on Thurs. April 26, at 5 p.m. in the Embassy Suites Tuscaloosa Ballroom C/D.
Draft-Legal Rules- The pre-race briefing is mandatory.
- Time penalties assessed in the Penalty Box on the run course or stop-and-go in transition.
- Wetsuits are not allowed above 20°C (68°F).
- Athletes must move forward after the start signal.
- Blocking or interfering with the forward progress of another competitor is not allowed.
- Athletes lapped (overtaken) on the bike course will be withdrawn from the competition.
- Helmet chin-strap must be buckled at all times when touching the bike.
- Aero helmets are not permitted.
- All equipment must be placed in your individual transition bin after use.
- Torso must be covered from race start to finish.
- Unsportsmanlike conduct, including inappropriate language directed at fellow competitors, volunteers, or officials, may result in disqualification.
- Bicycle must have a traditional triangular frame; wheels must have at least 16 spokes and should be of equal dimensions; handlebars must be traditional drop-style with bar-ends plugged; clip-on aerobars may not extend beyond the brake levers’ foremost line and must be bridged; no bar-end gear shifters allowed; elbow pads are allowed; wheels can be replaced only at official Wheel Stops (when provided) and the athlete is responsible for replacing the wheel in the forks
Pre-Race Briefing
For the Collegiate Draft-Legal Sprint race, the Head Referee will conduct the athletes’ briefing. Coaches may also attend the briefing. The following penalties will apply to athletes who miss the briefing.
- Athletes not attending the briefing, without prior notification of the USAT National Events Department about their absence, will be removed from the start list;
- Athletes entering the briefing after the briefing has started and athletes not attending the briefing, but who have informed the USAT National Events Department about their absence, will be reallocated to the last position on the pre-start line up.
Draft-Legal Mixed Team Relay
USA Triathlon will continue the 4-person Draft Legal Mixed Team Relay in 2018.
There will be 55 mixed team relay teams available; accommodating participation of 220 athletes. Each team will be comprised of two females and two males from the same collegiate team. This event is DRAFT-LEGAL and will follow draft legal triathlon rules.
Race Protocol
Substitutions: The Team Captains are allowed a maximum of three (3) injury- or performance-related substitutions following the conclusion of the Championships on Saturday, April 28. Substitutions must be delivered by 3 p.m. on race day to the USAT table on the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater stage. No substitutions will be accepted after this time for any reason, including injury or illness discovered after this time. Substitutes must have competed in the championship or the open wave or be registered for the team relay already. Teams short one or two athletes due to the withdrawal of a teammate(s) will be allowed to start the competition, but will not be given an official result.
Numbering: The Event Organizer will assign the starting position randomly. The order by which each athlete completes the relay will be requested at the time of registration and may be altered only in the case of substitutions when replacing an injured or ill athlete. The order must be female, male, female, male.
The Event Organizer will assign individual race numbers as follows (for example):
Team 1
- 1a – First Athlete (Female)
- 1b – Second Athlete (Male)
- 1c – Third Athlete (Female)
- 1d – Fourth Athlete (Male)
- 20a – First Athlete (Female)
- 20b – Second Athlete (Male)
- 20c – Third Athlete (Female)
- 20d – Fourth Athlete (Male)
- 35a – First Athlete (Female)
- 35b – Second Athlete (Male)
- 35c – Third Athlete (Female)
- 35d – Fourth Athlete (Male)
Pre-Race Briefing:
- Athletes not attending the briefing, without prior notification of the USAT National Events Department about their absence, will be removed from the start list.
- Athletes entering the briefing after the briefing has started and athletes not attending the briefing, but who have informed the USAT National Events Department about their absence, will be reallocated to the last position on the pre-start line up.
Draft Legal Athlete Checklist
Click here or visit www.draftlegalrules.com.
- All team members must attend the mandatory meeting with the team relay race official.
- Athletes must wear a team uniform that fully covers his/her torso from race start to finish. Matching team uniforms are highly encouraged.
- All penalties will be assessed in the Penalty Box located on the run course and may be served by any team members currently on the field of play.
- Wetsuits are not allowed above 20°C (68°F).
- Athletes must move forward after the start signal (no lateral or rearward movement along the start line).
- Blocking or interfering with the forward progress of another competitor is not allowed.
- Aero helmets are not permitted. Helmet chin-strap must be buckled at all times while touching the bike.
- All equipment must be placed in your individual transition bin after use (e.g. swim cap, goggles, helmet).
- Bicycle must have a traditional triangular frame; wheels must have at least 16 spokes; handlebars must be traditional drop-style with bar-ends plugged; clip-on aerobars may not extend beyond the brake levers' foremost line and must be bridged; no bar-end gear shifters allowed; elbow pads are allowed.