Creating a triathlon

Like any other race, you can set up a triathlon in Copernico in three ways, starting from Add competition (see how to create a race in Copernico):

• By setting up the triathlon from scratch. Copernico warns you to use this option only if the competition does not exist on any of our platforms.
• By importing an existing triathlon from Copernico, with the Import race from Copernico button in the button column on the right.
• By importing the triathlon from Sportmaniacs, with the Import race from Sportmaniacs button in the button column on the right.

Importing replaces everything you have entered in the form.

Setting up a triathlon is similar to setting up any other race, but four elements need specific configuration.

1. Events

A triathlon usually has more events, since it normally includes at least Sprint, Supersprint and Olympic. If each one can also be done individually, in pairs or in relays, the number of events is multiplied by three.

When you set up the race in Copernico, make sure all the events are created. If not, add them with the + button at the end of the events list.

2. Waves

A triathlon usually has many waves, because participants start in waves. Make sure all events have their different waves, each with its Wave name and Start date and time. If one is missing, add it. This article explains how to create waves.

If the waves (or timing points) are the same as in another Copernico race, for example last year's edition, you can copy them with the Import option in the three-dots menu of that event section, choosing the source race and event.

3. Timing points

Triathlons have many Timing points, and the same timing device can be reading one or several timing points of different events at the same physical location. For example:

• You have many different locations: Swim, T1, Cycle, bike lap counter, T2, run lap counter and Finish.
• You have locations that are the passage of several timing points: Swim, transition area in/out (which reads T1, Cycle and T2) and Finish.
• Timing points do not have to be the same for every event: the transition area entry of the “Olympic” event can be the transition area exit of the “Sprint” event.

4. Splits

If you have imported your race from Sportmaniacs, Copernico will have generated the Splits based on the timing points you had already set up. Even so, you need to edit the existing splits and create new ones to extract the times of each discipline.

Triathlons have two transitions: T1 (from the end of Swim to the start of Cycle) and T2 (from the end of Cycle to the start of Run). To extract the time of each discipline, subtracting the transition times, you must create 5 splits in each event of the triathlon:

• Split “Swim”: from the “Start” timing point to the “Swim” timing point. Timed in minutes per 100 m (Swimming average).
• Split “T1”: from the “Swim” timing point to the “T1” timing point, with no average time (No average). This is the time participants take, after leaving the water, to remove their wetsuit and get their bike.
• Split “Cycle”: from the “T1” timing point to the “Cycle” timing point. Timed in km/h (Cycling average).
• Split “T2”: from the “Cycle” timing point to the “T2” timing point, with no average time (No average). This is the time participants take to leave the bike and put on their running shoes.
• Split “Run”: from the “T2” timing point to the “Finish” timing point. Timed in min/km (Running average).

The average type of each split is chosen in the Average measurement units field. Note that each new split is created with the running average (Running): change it in Swim, T1, Cycle and T2.

If you do not know how to set up splits, this article explains how to do it.

With these four elements set up, your triathlon will be ready to time and to obtain the times of each discipline.