Schools Competitions

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I have never done a biathlon before. Am I going to be the only beginner? Definitely not! This competition is open to ALL school children attending schools in England, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland and therefore lots of the children who enter will never have done a biathlon before. Pentathlon GB firmly believes the Schools' Modern Biathlon offers young people of all abilities a fantastic opportunity to participate in multi-sport in an enjoyable, safe and competitive environment. If you aren't able to compete at the distances required for the Schools' Championships, you can still compete at shorter distances at a local level and submit times to the World Schools' Biathlon Rankings List. Ask us for more details - admin@pentathlongb.org.
What are the age groups and distances?
Ages (as at 31st December 2013) Year Born Swim Distance (m) Run Distance (m)
U10 2004 50 800
U11 2003 50 800
U12 2002 50 800
U13 2001 100 1600
U14 2000 100 1600
U15 1999 200 1600
U16 1998 200 1600
U17 1997 200 1600
U19 1995/96 200 1600
Teachers N/A 50 800
There is not a Pentathlon GB approved competition or time trial in my area, can you help my school to organise one? Of course! Providing there is a need for a competition in your area and the facilities provided by your proposed venue are approved, the Pentathlon GB Development team will help your school organise a 'time trial'. Please get in touch with the relevant Pentathlon Development Officer in your area and they will be able to advise you. For South/South West/South East/East - contact Miranda Palmer at miranda.palmer@pentathlongb.org. All other areas of the UK (except Scotland), please contact Rachael Hares at rachael.hares@pentathlongb.org. Scottish athletes should visit www.pentscot5.wordpress.com for local information.
Is the run/swim continuous? No, we allow a break of about an hour between distances.
Do the run and swim times have to be done on the same day? Yes. The run and swim times must be achieved via one of the Pentathlon GB Regional competitions or Pentathlon GB approved competitions/Time Trials or by qualifying for and competing in the British Modern Biathlon Championships. If an athlete has competed in more than one competition, the best combined score will be included on the rankings list. If an athlete scores the same points over two or more competitions, the score with the best swim time will be used.
Are athletes able to record their swim times in any size pool? No. All swim times MUST be achieved in either 25m or 50m pools. These will be converted by Pentathlon GB to that of a 50m pool (the length of the pool at the venue for the Championships). Times recorded in different length pools will not be accepted.
Do all run and swim times have to be from a Regional qualifying competition or approved Pentathlon GB competition or time trial? Yes. Times obtained from any competitions which are not organised by the Pentathlon GB Regions or have not been approved by Pentathlon GB will not be accepted. You can find out where there is a time trial or competition near you by visiting the calendar page of the website. If you can't find one near you, get in touch with the regional representative in your area and they will be able to advise you. For South/South West/South East/East - contact Miranda Palmer at miranda.palmer@pentathlongb.org. All other areas of the UK (except Scotland), please contact Rachael Hares at rachael.hares@pentathlongb.org. Scottish athletes should visit www.pentscot5.wordpress.com for local information.
What is the difference between a Regional qualifying competition and a Pentathlon GB approved competition or time trial? Competitions organised by the Pentathlon GB Regions and County Championships have automatic qualifying places for both the British Modern Biathlon Championships (29th and 30th November 2014) and the British Schools' Biathlon Championships (28th and 29th March 2015). Competitors entering any other Pentathlon GB approved competitions organised by third parties qualify by merit via their standing on the rankings list (there are no automatic qualifying places).
My school are not participating. What can I do? Anybody (you, your parents, Club, School etc.) can enter you online into one of the Regional Qualifying competitions or Pentathlon GB approved competitions/Time Trials so that you can obtain run and swim times which will then automatically be submitted for the rankings lists for both the British Modern Biathlon Championships and the British Schools' Modern Biathlon Championships. Go to the calendar page of the website to find a competition near you - these will be added as they are organised so keep checking.
Will the run and swim be seeded? At the preliminary competitions, heats will be set alphabetically by school and then surname. This is because the majority of entries to the preliminary competitions last year didn’t submit run and swim times making the seeding of heats largely impossible. At the British Championships, the results from the preliminary competitions will be used to set run and swim heats.
Can my parents enter me or do I have to enter through the school? Your parents can make the online entry if your school is not participating - your school do not need to have any input if they do not wish to. Parents should register in the same way as teachers do, and once registered, they should choose your school from the drop down list and add your personal details.
Will you adjust the run times if done on grass? No. Run times can be achieved on track or grass, however there should be every effort to ensure that the proposed run route is level and that the correct distance is measured. There will be no allowances made for runs completed on grass or weather conditions due to the huge variances of both.
Can athletes compete up one year? Can a 7 year old pupil enter if she has taken part in local Pentathlon GB events in the past? In this example, no. The Schools' Biathlon is only open to athletes born in 1996 to 2005 plus teachers. In all other circumstances, athletes may compete up one year but the youngest must be born in 2005. An athlete born in 2005 (U10) may compete in the U11 class (maybe to make up a team of 3) but must continue to compete in this higher age group for all competitions in this series.
Are the classes mixed? No. Unless there are exceptional circumstances, the classes are by Age and Gender, so U10 Girls, U10 Boys, etc. are separate.
Can I enter by fax, 'phone, post or email? No. All entries will be online at www.pentathlongb.org. You need to login to your account using the username and password that you set up previously, or register as a guest. If you have not registered before and are doing so on behalf of an athlete (or group of athletes), please use YOUR name and email address to create an online account. This is so that anyone wishing to enter more than one athlete only has to register once. When you have registered, you will be sent an activation link to the email address you provided. Once you have clicked on this link, you will be taken to a login screen where you type in your username and password (case sensitive). This will take you to your own personal area where you can enter the athlete(s) by following the steps.
When I register online do I use my name, or the name of the athlete I am entering? If the athlete is an existing member of Pentathlon GB and has already registered on the website, simply login to this account and make the entry that way. If you have not registered before and are doing so on behalf of an athlete (or group of athletes), please use YOUR name and email address to create an online account. This is so that anyone wishing to enter more than one athlete only has to register once. When you have registered, you will be sent an activation link to the email address you provided. Once you have clicked on this link, you will be taken to a login screen where you type in your username and password (case sensitive). This will take you to your own personal area where you can enter the athlete(s) by following the steps.
My daughter is already a member of Pentathlon GB - do I still have to register? If your daughter joined through the website or you have already registered her account online, you can simply login and you will be able to enter her that way. If she did not join online or you have not yet registered that account, you will need to do this using the link and instructions from the login page. To use the registration link we must have an e-mail address on record. If we do not have an email address for you, then please call the office on 01225 386808. If you have changed your e-mail address since first joining us and haven’t yet registered you will need to give the office a call to update your record. When you have registered, you will be sent an activation link to the email address you provided. Once you have clicked on this link, you will be taken to a login screen where you type in your username and password (case sensitive). This will take you to the member's personal area, and you will be able to enter here.
My son took part last year but I don't remember his membership number - do I have to re-register? No. You simply log in using the username and password you created when you registered.
Can I enter more than one athlete at a time? Yes. There is no limit to the number of entries that you make, but the system is limited to you making 10 entries at a time.
How many can we enter per class? Schools can enter as many athletes in each class as they wish to.
Do I have to submit the run and swim times myself to the rankings lists for the British Modern Biathlon Championships and the British Schools' Modern Biathlon Championships? No. All run and swim times achieved at Pentathlon GB Regional or Pentathlon GB approved competitions held prior to the 20th October 2013 will automatically be submitted to the British Modern Biathlon and British Schools' Modern Biathlon rankings list for you. Times achieved at Pentathlon GB approved competitions or time trials held between 1st October and 15th December 2013 will automatically be added to the British Schools' Modern Biathlon Championships only. If an athlete has competed in more than one competition (including the British Modern Biathlon Championships), the best combined score will be included on the rankings list. If an athlete scores the same points over two or more competitions, the score with the best swim time will be used. Times obtained from any other Pentathlon GB competitions, or competitions which have not been approved by Pentathlon GB will not be accepted.
We don't have enough competitors in a class to make up a team of 3, does this matter? Not at all. Any number of athletes can represent their school. If there are 3 or more individuals in a class then the top 3 scoring individuals make up a team.
How much is it to enter? Entry fees for the Regional Qualifying Championships and Pentathlon GB approved competitions are at the discretion of the organisers and are within the information posted under each competiton on the website.
Do the children have to be members of PGB? Competitors who aren't fully paid up members of Pentathlon GB entering the Regional Qualifying competitions and Pentathlon GB approved competitions at County level (eg the Surrey County Schools Biathlon Championships) will become members at the point of entry. The membership fee is £10 for Juniors and £25 for Seniors and will be in addition to any entry fee. Competitors who are already full members of Pentathlon GB will just pay the entry fee. All those who qualify and enter the British Modern Biathlon Championships and/or the British Modern Schools' Biathlon Championships will need to be fully paid up members of Pentathlon GB at the date of competition.
Does the school have to pay any Club affiliation fees? The top three scoring individuals from an affiliated Club in a Class competing at the British Modern Biathlon Championships will create a team. This means that if the Club has more than three qualifying individuals in a class, the team members may change from the Qualifying competition. A Club may have more than one team in a class. Schools wishing athletes to represent them at this competition should ensure that the School is registered as an affiliated club. The Club membership form can be downloaded from https://www.pentathlongb.org/pentathlongb/resources.php.
If I registered online last season, will I have to register again? No. You can login using the username and password you created when you first registered.
How do I check if my entry has been received? Go to the website www.pentathlongb.org and click on the 'Schools' Tab at the top right. Look for the 'Competition Entries' tab where you will be able to see the entries received.
How do I find out my registration time? Will you email me these details? No. The timetable will be posted on the schools page of the website approximately two weeks before the competition. We will not email you at all, other than to confirm your entry. All other notifications will be posted online, and you are therefore advised to check the website regularly.
If there are any changes to the competition or timetable which may affect my athletes, will you notify me of these changes by email? I’m travelling from a distance and need to know urgently what day and time my child is competing because there might be a need to book a hotel room. No. All notifications will be posted on the website so you are advised to check this regularly. The definitive timetable will be found in your competition programme issued at registration. Approximate overall time for each day can be given however we cannot and will not hold any responsibility for changes made to these days or times. We can only release the official timetable once all the entries have been received.
If an athlete is entered by the school/club and they qualify for the championships, does the school/club have to continue with the entry process or can a parent take over if necessary? No, in addition to the person who made the original entry the athlete can log into their account and continue with the entry process.
My teacher entered me online but has now left the school. What do I do? You can log into your account (you must make sure you’ve registered and have your username and password) and enter yourself.
I want to enter but have missed the closing date... We're very sorry, but we cannot take late entries under any circumstances and for any reason. This is not negotiable.
Once times have been submitted, can I update them if a faster time was achieved before the closing date? No, the only reason a time would be updated is if an athlete has competed in more than one competition (Regional Biathlon Qualifying competition, Pentathlon GB approved competition or time trial, British Modern Biathlon Championships), which means the best combined score will be included on the rankings list. If an athlete scores the same points over two or more competitions, the score with the best swim time will be used. Improved times from any other source will not be accepted.
Does the school need to send a teacher? No, a parent can attend instead. Only one representative from each school should report to registration to collect all of the information for that school.
Where do I get my run numbers and programmes? They are all in the Registration Pack when you arrive at the venue. Registration is alphabetically by School, and we ask that one designated person collects the pack.
Is there a cafe at the venue? This depends on the venue. It is advisable to check with the establishment before the competition. As the venue cafe tends to get very busy at peak periods, most competitors bring their own refreshments.
If I am not travelling to the competition with my school group, once at the venue can I register without my teacher? You can, but at the British Championships (because of the huge numbers of athletes attending) we ask that ONE representative from your school collects the run numbers for all of the athletes, and this is usually the first person to arrive. It does not have to be a teacher, it can be a parent if they are happy to take responsibility. This person must sign to acknowledge that they have taken the registration pack, and leave a mobile number so that other athletes arriving can contact this person to collect their run number. Please note that we DO NOT split the registration packs, they go out as one pack, with one person. It is therefore a good idea to organise with your teacher who will pick up the pack before you get to the venue.
I've got my registration time but I might be late. Does it matter if I'm not there exactly on time? The registration times are when the registration for your class opens. However we strongly recommend you are there as close to time as possible as you will need around 30 - 40 minutes before your first discipline starts to get parked, registered, sort out where you are going, get changed and report for your first discipline. We will not delay the competition if you are late.
How are the final placings decided? Points are awarded for each discipline and final positions are decided by the total number of points achieved after both disciplines. There is also a team element to the competition as the three top scoring individuals from a School in a class will count as a team. Schools may have more than one team in a class. Please refer to the Rules for the procedure in deciding placings should there be a tie in points.
Will you email me if the competition has been cancelled? No. All notifications will be posted on the website so you are advised to check this regularly.
Will I get a refund if the competition is cancelled? If a competition organised by the Pentathlon GB regions or by Pentathlon GB is cancelled for reasons within our control, each athlete entered into that competition will be offered an alternative competition (where possible) and in default a full refund. If the decision to cancel is made because of circumstances beyond the control of Pentathlon GB, e.g. adverse weather conditions or the strong possibility of adverse weather conditions, there will be no refund. If schools are concerned about this, we suggest that they consider insuring themselves against loss in the event of cancellation. Please contact the organiser of Pentathlon GB approved competitions or time trials for information about their cancellation policy.
If the British Modern Biathlon Championships or British Schools' Modern Biathlon Championships are cancelled, will there be a replacement competition? No. Rearranging competitions in such circumstances is impossible as venues and officials are simply not available at such short notice.
My school requires an invoice / receipt. How do I get this? Please contact the office as soon as you can and we will arrange this for you. Our number is 01225 386808 and the email is admin@pentathlongb.org