Champions Challenge
Somersault is pleased to announce the return of the Champions Challenge, a competitive program within the 2008 Somersault Triathlon, Duathlon, & Kayak Tri Series. The program consists of three divisions; a Triathlon Champions Challenge, a Duathlon Champions Challenge, and a Kayak Triathlon Champions Challenge.


Junior Triathlon Challenge
We are also very pleased to announce the expansion of our Junior Triathlon Challenge from 19 and under, to age groups of 14 & under, 15-16, and 17-19 years in 2008 . The program is designed for those 13 to 19 years of age and provides a forum for these multi-sport participants to compare themselves against others of the same age and gender. Race distances that qualify for the Junior Challenge are the Super Sprint Triathlon and Sprint Triathlon races, at each 2008 Eastern Triathlon event, and the May and October Duathlon races. These distances are appropriate for those younger participants who are healthy and fit.

Champions Challenge/Junior Challenge
The Champions Challenge/Junior Challenge is a performance based ranking system that scores individual race performances on a points-per-race basis. All individual 2008 Somersault Triathlon. Duathlon, and Kayak Tri Series races (except the Super Sprint Tri & the Try A Tri) are part of the Challenge program and participation in them counts for Challenge Rankings.

Participants receive points based on their place in all triathlon, duathlon. and kayak tri race distances (except the Super Sprint, and the Try A Tri) , with the top 500 finishers in each race, in both men's and women's categories, receiving points.  The athletes with the most Championship Challenge/Junior Challenge Points over the course of the season will be declared the official Triathlon Challenge Champions, Duathlon Challenge Champions, Kayak Tri Challenge Champions, and Junior Challenge Champions. The overall and category winners will be declared the Outstanding Triathletes, Duathletes, Kayak Tri, and Juniors of the Year. All Champions Challenge/Junior Challenge Category Winners will be honoured at the year end Somersault Triathlon, Duathlon, and Kayak Tri Series Champions Challenge Award Reception. 

Champions Challenge/Junior Challenge Eligibility
Who is Eligible
Anyone who enters an Somersault Triathlon, Duathlon, or Kayak Tri Series race (except for the Super Sprint Tri and the Try A Tri) receives points and is ranked in the Champions Challenge or the Junior Challenge. Participants don’t have to register for the Champions Challenge or the Junior Challenge. You are automatically assigned points based on your race place.

Minimum Number of Races
To be officially ranked in the year end in the Champions Challenge or Junior Challenge Rankings, participants must complete a minimum of 3 races (except for the Kayak Tri participants where the minimum is 2).  Only triathlon races count towards the Triathlon Champions Challenge, only duathlon races count towards Duathlon Champions Challenge, and only Kayak Tri races count towards the Kayak Tri Champions Challenge. The Junior Challenge counts only triathlon races except for the May and August duathlon races.

Maximum Number of Races
The point scores from a maximum of 4 races in the series (3 for Kayak Tri participants) can be counted. If participants enter more than 4 races, only their 4 best performances count towards their ranking.

Champions Challenge/Junior Challenge Scoring
In each Champions Challenge or JuniorChallenge Category, an individual race points scoring system is used to determine participants ranking.  Participants who receive a score in a race will appear in two Champions Challenge Category Rankings. They will appear in the Overall Gender Champions Challenge Rankings, and in either the Junior Challenge Gender Rankings, or the Age Group Gender Champions Challenge Rankings.

If a female athlete finishes a race in 5th place overall in her gender, and 1st  place in her age group, she will receive a score of a) 690 pts in the Overall Gender Champions Challenge Ranking, and b) 690 pts in her Gender Age Group Champions Challenge Ranking.

Junior Challenge Categories
Men Overall
Women Overall
Gender Age Categories: 14 & under, 15-16, 17-19

Triathlon & Duathlon Champions Challenge Categories
Men Overall
Women Overall
Gender Age Categories: 19 & under, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35--39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75 & over, Clydesdale, Athena

Kayak Tri Champions Challenge Categories
Men Overall
Women Overall

Champions Challenge/Junior Challenge Scoring Table
Challenge Ranking is determined by the number of Challenge Points accumulated by participants in Somersault Triathlon & Duathlon Series races.

The first 30 finishers in Champions Challenge or Junior Challenge Races are awarded points as outlined on the chart below. The next 470 finishers (from 31st to 500th), each receive 1 point less than the previous finisher.            

Somersault Triathlon Series - Junior Challenge Races
All 2008 Somersault Triathlon Series Super Sprint and Sprint races are contained within the Junior Challenge program. The Sprint Duathlons in May and October may also be counted. Enter any Super Sprint or Sprint Tri race, or either of those duathlons, and you are eligible for Junior Challenge Ranking.

Somersault Triathlon, Duathlon, and Kayak Tri Series Champions Challenge Races