Hi, I qualified for my first AG World Championship in Abu Dhabi this November; I was wondering if anyone had tips/advice about air travel and time changes when racing (up to this point I have only raced in the contiguous USA), or competing internationally. I don’t have Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter so it can be hard to keep up with Team USA news, updates and team members so I would also be glad to talk to or “meet” anyone else making the trip!
no advice but congraulations
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Depends on what your race goals are. My experience is that it tends to be a LOT of walking and standing. Sites and navigating them can be a lot. In fact after Laussanne I think I’d maybe do an electric scooter or something for my next one. The logistics of the event can tire you out if you try to do it all… the meet and greets, TeamUSA meeting/s, parade of nations.
My advise is to get there a couple of days ahead and scope things out after a good nights rest. I tend to try and get on whatever time it is there. The largest time gap for me was Australia Goldcoast and it wasn’t terrible. Since it’s your first I’d say do the Parade of Nations and all those extras. Enjoy the race and check your ego… if you’re in that top 1%, prepare to see that .25%.
I like to use Tribike Transport as I normally turn Worlds into a 2 week trip of sorts. Pick my bike up by transition, give it a ride or two to make sure things are good and then after the race drop it back off to them.
I bailed on Abu Dhabi, hopefully things are different for Spain and I’ll jump back in… I digress, have a great time. It’ll probably be a warm/hot race! The moved the race date a couple of weeks for hopefully cooler water, not sure how much cooler it will with a few weeks… but I guess you’re going to find out.
Hi. I am going to do the olympic-distance race in Abu Dhabi too. I’m very excited. There are some old videos of the ITU races there on triathlon.live if you want to see the venue. I booked trip with Premium-Plus sports - I’ve used them before for a couple of international races I did and they do a great job.
No Tri-bike transport this year due to ongoing vagaries of covid and shipment disruptions so you will need a bike container and do research on cost to transport bike on plane (lots of airlines have discarded a special fee for bikes, but any over-size and/or over weight charges still apply).
USAT changed its racing kit this year (it is mandatory under world triathlon rules that you wear your country’s registered race kit). USAT did not opt to keep the old kit (Roka) registered, so everyone has to but new kit this year. Zone3 is the new provider and somehow USAT and Zone3 selected “comfort” kit (super stretchy at 163 lbs I can fit into a small???) rather than “tech” kit for age groupers. New this year, World Triathlon is allowing age groupers to wear short sleaves for shorter races, but USAT and Zone3 didn’t expect we would want to and they ran out of the sleaved suits during the pre-order. Zone3 says it will offer age groupers a “tech” race kit in July but I understand it will be sleeveless only. Sadly, the Zone3 rollout has been very rocky this year with lots of failures to meet timelines, but I am holding off ordering to see what is available in July or so (based on track history that might be a little risky).
The other thing to buy is parade kit: shirt, long pants, hoody jacket, and pants (total price of $270 (maybe a little discount ($30) if you buy all four items) for stuff I will probably never wear again). I am not expecting to need long pants or a jacket in Abu Dhabi. USAT says parade kit is mandatory, but I think you only need it for the parade of nations and team picture – and I think for those all items of parade kit are not required (maybe just shirt and hat? Maybe someone can help here.).The other use of parade kit is if you finish on podium (top 3 in age group) you have to wear parade kit to stand on podium (but I think it is also OK to wear race kit (can anyone help on this)). Web site says all parade kit (except hat) is sold out so it may not be an option to buy, but for me this is an expensive trip already and I don’t need to drop another couple of hundred, so I may not buy any of it if it comes back available.
I am flying there Indy to Chicago to Heathrow to Abu Dhabi and it will be about a 21 hour ordeal! It is an 8 hour time zone difference. I think the rule of thumb is to arrive one day early for each time zone crossed. Yeah, that’s not going to happen for me, but I will be there a couple of days and hope I can adopt to the time zone and heat in that time.
I am staying at team hotel (Crown Island Yas Island) this year – it may make logistics a little easier for team meetings/briefings, etc. They say there will be shuttle buses to venue.
No Tri-bike transport this year due to ongoing vagaries of covid and shipment disruptions so you will need a bike container and do research on cost to transport bike on plane (lots of airlines have discarded a special fee for bikes, but any over-size and/or over weight charges still apply).
USAT changed its racing kit this year (it is mandatory under world triathlon rules that you wear your country’s registered race kit). USAT did not opt to keep the old kit (Roka) registered, so everyone has to but new kit this year. Zone3 is the new provider and somehow USAT and Zone3 selected “comfort” kit (super stretchy at 163 lbs I can fit into a small???) rather than “tech” kit for age groupers. New this year, World Triathlon is allowing age groupers to wear short sleaves for shorter races, but USAT and Zone3 didn’t expect we would want to and they ran out of the sleaved suits during the pre-order. Zone3 says it will offer age groupers a “tech” race kit in July but I understand it will be sleeveless only. Sadly, the Zone3 rollout has been very rocky this year with lots of failures to meet timelines, but I am holding off ordering to see what is available in July or so (based on track history that might be a little risky).
The other thing to buy is parade kit: shirt, long pants, hoody jacket, and pants (total price of $270 (maybe a little discount ($30) if you buy all four items) for stuff I will probably never wear again). I am not expecting to need long pants or a jacket in Abu Dhabi. USAT says parade kit is mandatory, but I think you only need it for the parade of nations and team picture – and I think for those all items of parade kit are not required (maybe just shirt and hat? Maybe someone can help here.).The other use of parade kit is if you finish on podium (top 3 in age group) you have to wear parade kit to stand on podium (but I think it is also OK to wear race kit (can anyone help on this)). Web site says all parade kit (except hat) is sold out so it may not be an option to buy, but for me this is an expensive trip already and I don’t need to drop another couple of hundred, so I may not buy any of it if it comes back available.
I am flying there Indy to Chicago to Heathrow to Abu Dhabi and it will be about a 21 hour ordeal! It is an 8 hour time zone difference. I think the rule of thumb is to arrive one day early for each time zone crossed. Yeah, that’s not going to happen for me, but I will be there a couple of days and hope I can adopt to the time zone and heat in that time.
I am staying at team hotel (Crown Island Yas Island) this year – it may make logistics a little easier for team meetings/briefings, etc. They say there will be shuttle buses to venue.
This all sounds VERY complicated!
Simple advice: Try to get out there as early as you can do adjust to the time change & do easy sessions. If you can, limit the sightseeing/walking you do while you’re there. Add some days for that kind of stuff post race if you’re able.
Congrats, making the US team is a lot harder than making the Canadian team.
My experience with ITU Worlds is…
Vancouver…swim cancelled, course cutters on the run, cocked up timing (took 3 months to publish times).
London, swim shortened, transition mudfest, completely cocked up transition organization (also got food poisoning, surprise it’s England). Fabulous bike course.
Chicago, swim shortened, jetty came adrift in windstorm, rear discs banned (then reinstated, it is the windy city, I think), worlds longest run to T1, completely confusing run course (a friend miscounted and was DQ’d). Daftest bike course I have ever raced.
Takeaway, expect something to go wrong, keep calm and keep it simple,
Check everything twice (or more).
Be early for everything.
Some people cheat.
thanks! we (my husband, my mom, and myself) will be there for 12 nights; at least 5 before the race. good to know and be mindful of getting too worn out by lots of little things pre-race.
I haven’t been fussed about the Zone3 stuff, or the parade kit. I was just happy to finally be able to purchase Team USA apparel We’re also staying at the Crowne Plaza and will be there the 18th-30th of November. We have also already purchased a bike box for airline travel. We’ll be flying direct from Chicago to Abu Dhabi but have to drive to Chicago first, so that rounds out to about 20hrs total as well.
this is great to know. we will have a semi-vacation mentality, and I will be training hard but also trying not to take myself too seriously. honestly I think I got lucky and aged up into an extra slot that someone else didn’t take, with a barely competitive time that was enough due to decreased competition as a result of COVID. BUT I’m taking advantage and going for it because it may be the only chance I get!
Just back from my 1st WC (in Targu Mures ROM). The only thing I will add to this thread is to consider your bike situation carefully. I was not a podium contender, rented a local bike that turned out to be heavy and poor handling on a short, hilly, many turn/many lap technical course and regretted that decision during the race. Until the news about bike transport as luggage (by air) was revealed by other Team USA athletes. Getting the bike seemed mildly complicated, but returning has been a nightmare for some. The last leg to TM was generally on Lufthansa using pretty small planes with limited bike case capacity. Leaving TM, many bikes were stacked up waiting for a plane with capacity. And Lufthansa was inconsistent with pricing/respecting United as the principle carrier and the cost was much higher to fly the bike home vs the forward trip. Just be aware of these types of issues. Last point - put a Tile or AirPod in your bike case if you fly the bike. You can track the location of the case independent of the airlines woefully poor ability to keep track/report the location of your bike… CONGRATS and have fun - it was a pretty awesome experience…
Doing age group worlds is quite pricey, between kits, team fees, entry fees, travel, etc. but it can be a lot of fun, and very rewarding. Get accommodations booked early, or you’ll be stuck with limited and overpriced options if you want anywhere near the venue, also check to see where the team hotel is, because there may be meetings with team management there. Arrive early, and make sure to have at least a day buffer after the race before flying out (schedules are subject to change, and if there’s weather or something the race could be postponed to the next day…, several people had issues with Montreal, where the women’s race was originally listed as friday, but because of permits for road closures, that got moved to saturday and the juniors were moved to friday a month or two out, but with it being a holiday weekend in quebec, people struggled to get the extra night accommodation without switching hotels and what not).
As others have said, especially if it’s your first, make sure to hit the parade of nations and some of the other festivities, it can be a lot of fun, you will meet lots of others too.
Also, definitely peruse the World Triathlon rules, they differ from USAT rules, and are what will be enforced at the event. If you have questions about them, there is usually a technical official Q & A booth near the kit pick-up with certain hours where you can ask.
Also agree with the suggestion for using a tile or Airtag on your luggage (especially bike) when flying, for peace of mind. Get comfortable with packing and re-assembling your bike otherwise you will need to book with a bike shop in Abu Dhabi to have them do it for you.
And as others have said, congrats, don’t take yourself too seriously, and have fun with it. It will be fun, rewarding, challenging and humbling (as someone who has raced a handful of worlds, it still is)…
Last point - put a Tile or AirPod in your bike case if you fly the bike. You can track the location of the case independent of the airlines woefully poor ability to keep track/report the location of your bike…
this is a good idea… raced worlds twice. First time going to Lausanne I had to wait 3 hours in Frankfurt to get my bike off the plane, a friend’s bike never arrived and she had to scramble to find a rental. Second time in Budapest my bike got there OK, friend’s got there only after transition had closed and he had to scramble to get his bike into the area.
The Lausanne race was the best organized event I’ve ever seen, why it ran like a Swiss watch… oh wait…
I used a Tile on my luggage (no bike) going to Worlds in Romania a few weeks ago. I was surprised at how well it worked. Maybe the best part, for me, was the ability to be in my seat on the plane and be able to ping the Tile in the luggage hold, pretty convincing evidence that the bag was on the plane. I suspect that the AirPods have a more robust network than Androids with the Tile app, but somewhere during my travels (Madrid, I think), the Tile app reported that there were 313 users who could ‘see’ my Tile. Dang impressive.
This would have been super helpful on my 1st try getting to Romania. I got as far as Washington DC and, long story short, went back to Nashville for a few days b/c I could not get a seat to Europe after a flight diversion caused me to miss my connection to Munich. The United delayed baggage website reported that they were still looking for my bag in DC a few days later - well after it had been found at IAD, transported to BNA and was in my possession. Pretty terrible technology / information handling…