The Clumber Park Duathlon is set to go ahead in North Nottinghamshire on Saturday 24 October with changes to reflect the current environment, including a venue change to next door Thoresby Park. The event should have gone ahead in March but was moved to October, and organisers, Tri Society, have confirmed that the race will follow government guidance on outdoor organised sport with social distancing measures in place – entries are still available.
The move to Thoresby Park comes about due to Clumber Park not being fully open. The new venue is immediately next to Clumber Park with no main roads separating them, meaning that there need only be minor adjustments to the bike course. Thoresby Park was an obvious choice given the vast open space available and how successfully it hosted Outlaw X on 27 September.
Course maps and information for both the sprint and standard distance events are being redrawn this week. Thoresby Park offers very similar terrain to Clumber and offers thousands of acres of beautiful parkland as well as stunning vistas of the grand Victorian Thoresby Hall from around the course.
COVID Measures
The duathlon event will operate under strict COVID secure measures which are approved by British Triathlon. Changes will include:
- No onsite registration, race packs will be sent out in the post
- Race briefing conducted online
- Larger transition spaces
- Individual start times allocated in advance, no large start waves
- Sanitisation points around the venue
- Face coverings to be worn on site, other than when racing
- Additional toilet facilities
Spectators will be permitted to attend as long as they arrive with athletes in the same vehicle. The venue has an on-site café and other facilities available.
Travel to approved outdoor organised sporting events is permitted under current guidance, except for athletes from Wales, where travel is prohibited.
Race Director, Iain Hamilton, said: “We’re really pleased to be able to put the Clumber Park Duathlon on. It was an obvious decision to move it to Thoresby Park having had the experience of Outlaw X at the end of September.
“We’re confident of being able to deliver a safe and fun event, and we hope that athletes will enjoy the opportunity to race, especially at such a stunning venue.”
Entries are open here: https://www.trisociety.co.uk/events/clumber-park-duathlon/