Race weekend timetable
This year’s race will take place on Sunday 6th September 2026, at Hitchin Swimming and Fitness Centre
Saturday 5th September
4pm – 6.30pm Registration – Hitchin Swim and Fitness Centre Poolside Cafe
Please try to register on Saturday if you can.
Sunday 6th September
Juniors
06:30 Registration opens for juniors
07:00 Transition opens
07:45 Registration for juniors closes
08:00 Junior transition closes
08:15 Junior race briefings start at poolside – Each age group will be called to poolside for briefings before their race starts
08:30 First junior in the pool
Note: as in previous years we will open junior transition for collection of kit as soon as the last junior competitor has left transition. Athletes must return to poolside via the main entrance, not through the gate that leads to the run course.
Adults
08:30 registration and transition area open for adults
09:45 registration for adults closes
10:00 adult transition closes
10:05 adult race briefing at poolside
10:15 first adult in the pool
Registration
You will receive everything you need for your race, including timing chip and number, when you register. Course maps and all other information will be available at registration. Swim hats will not be provided so please bring one on Sunday if you need it.
We will not be sending anything to you by post. You must register in order to race, so please do not miss the registration times!
Registration can be extremely busy on Sunday morning. Please try to register on Saturday afternoon if at all possible.
Whether you register on Saturday or Sunday, please make sure you arrive in good time to manage equipment, set-up transition (the area where you change in to your running gear) and to warm-up on the morning of the race. There will be a team from Freedom Tri on poolside to help if you haven’t done this before or have questions.
Race Briefing
The junior briefings will start place at 08:15 poolside and adult race briefing at 10:05; it is mandatory for all competitors to attend the race briefing.
Timing & Results
Computerised chip-timing will be used, supported by on-site results processing. Your finish time and splits will be available soon after completing the event and posted to the FreedomTri website within 24 hours of the race ending. Please take this into consideration when listening to instructions from Race Marshalls. The cost for any lost timing chip is £25.00 without exception so please ensure that you securely fasten this to your ankle in order to activate timing mats on the course.
Presentations and Trophies
All presentations will happen on Butts Close, by the finish line.
Approx. timings – juniors presentations will start, category by category at 10am and adults presentations will start around 11.45
A trophy will be awarded to the open category and female winner of each group:
Tri Start
Tri Start 1,2 & 3
Youth
Seniors [17-39]
Veterans[40-54]
Super Veterans [55+]
Adult Relay Team
All finishers will receive a medal.
A Sustainable Race
We are trying to reduce the environmental impact of the Duck n Dash as much as possible. Please help us with our efforts by trying to keep your own environmental footprint to a minimum. If you can walk, cycle or take public transport to the race, please do so. And please don’t leave any rubbish on the public areas used throughout the race.
Photography and Publicity
We will have an event photographer as well as our own club members taking shots of various aspects of the Aquathlon, some digital pictures may be used for the purpose of future club and event promotion. Local media will also be covering the event. Please read further details in the Terms & Conditions.
