ATHLETE HANDBOOK
We can't wait to welcome you all to the Turf at the 2024 Sydney Fittest in the City competition on the 27th & 28th April at ICC Darling Harbour.
Please find below key information for the weekend. Please note this page will be updated between now and the event day so keep checking back for key things like your heat times, workouts and more as they get updated.
VENUE LOCATION
SPECTATOR TICKETS
HEAT TIMES
Heat times are now live. Click the relevant link below to find out when you and your team will be hitting the comp floor throughout the day. Please note these heat times may change slightly, so please check multiple times to ensure you have your times correct.
WORKOUT FLOW + NOTES
- Teams can only enter the warmup area and bag drop 30 minutes prior to their start time, to begin warming up for ENGINE. Teams cannot use the barbells and lifting platforms for warmup until after they have completed their Engine workout.
- Following workout 1 - Engine - teams will have a 30min break, which is 1 heat (plus the 5 min breaks either side of a heat)
- Once teams have completed Lift A + Lift B, team will have 7 mins to move straight into the AMRAP arena. Teams will begin this workout at the beginning of the next heat.
- At the end of AMRAP, you will have a 1 minute reset in the arena, before immediately starting SPRINT workout.
- Following the completion of SPRINT - your workouts have done. Athletes will need to return to the warm up area and collect their bags
GETTING THERE
Please find directions and travel information for the ICC Darling Harbour in the link below.
VENUE MAP
HEAT TIMES
Heat times are now live. Click the relevant link below to find out when you and your team will be hitting the comp floor throughout the day. Please note these heat times may change slightly, so please check multiple times to ensure you have your times correct.
HEAT # / LANE #
REGISTRATION
Thank you to all team captains for setting up your team. All teams MUST have 4 athletes linked to it on Team Aretas which is the website you bought your team on and also acts as our scoring software; if your team is not correctly set up you will not feature on the leader board.
The 4 athletes linked to your team MUST be the 4 competing on the day; by linking to the team you are accepting the competition online waiver. If you are not linked to the team and you compete then you will not have signed the waiver.
You can sub in team members up until check in on the event day.
Team names can not be changed.
ATHLETE CHECK IN
The venue Check In opens at 7.10am on both days.
Please approach the registration desk and provide your team name. Once checked in you will be given 4 athlete wristbands which you must wear throughout the day. Only one team member needs to check your team in and take the wristbands however you must be wearing your wristband to enter the hall so that person will need to come out of the hall to give the team member a wristband so they can gain access.
If you would like to spectate on the day you are not competing please use your wristband to gain entry. You can check in early if you are competing Sunday but want to spectate on Saturday.
ATHLETE AREA / WARM UP
The Athlete Area where you can leave your belongings is at the back of the hall where it says Warm Up Area. Here you will be able to find a place to leave your bags while you are on the comp floor.
Bottles without a lid or the lid not done up tightly are not permitted in the warm up or any workout arena.
Athletes will not be permitted into the athlete area / warm up arena until 30 minutes prior to their first workout start time. From this time you can enter the area to begin warming up for ENGINE. You are not permitted to use the barbell warm up stations until after you have completed your ENGINE workout. Please respect these rules.
There is limited equipment so please share and be patient and please replace all equipment after using ready for the next person.
Following the completion of your SPRINT workout, you will need to make your way back to the athlete area to collect your bags.
RECOVERY AREA
Our recovery area will be run by Recovery Lab who will have recovery tools such a Normatec compression boots and massage guns available for you to use.
WATER
There will be a water refill station for you to refill water bottles near the entrance to the hall. While this has an unlimited supply of water, it can be slow to fill and the queues may be long. We advise bringing as much water with you as you can. Bottled water can also be bought on site from the venue kiosk.
ATHLETE IMAGES
Photographers will be on site all weekend to capture you and your team. Images will be available within 48 hours of the event finishing through the Sportograf website. You will be able to use facial recognition technology to view all photos you feature in within a personalised gallery.
SPECTATOR TICKETS
Entry tickets for the Sydney FITC can be purchased HERE in advance or on the door at the event.
We encourage you to bring along your cheer squad to enjoy the day. Anyone who isn’t in your team will need to purchase a spectator ticket. Children under the age of 14 are free. It is not permitted to bring dogs into the venue unless they are service dogs and are clearly marked. The owners will be responsible for any mess or damage.
Competing one day, want to spectate on the other?
If you would like to come along and support on the day you are not competing, you DO NOT need to purchase a spectator ticket. The first time you arrive at the venue, you will need to check in and get your athlete wristband. This will give you access to the venue all weekend. Do not take this wristband off if you intend to come back to the venue, otherwise you will need to purchase a spectator ticket.
If you are competing Sunday, and coming to watch Saturday, you will already have checked in and should have your athlete wristband on when you arrive to compete Sunday morning. There will be no need to line up and check your team in on Sunday so please enter the venue and show your wristband to security.
WORKOUTS
The workouts are live and available to view on the link below:
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE WORKOUTS
There will be no formal workout briefings on the 27/28th. If you need to ask questions please direct these to your Master Judge prior to your workout time. However, it is not your judge's role to explain to you the entire workout - you should know this when you enter the workout arena.
KEY TIMINGS
Athlete Check in is from 7.10am - athletes to arrive and at least one athlete per team needs to register with the Registration desk, collect your wristbands and make your way into the venue once all athletes have their wristbands on.
Saturday 27th April
08.00 - First Heat
18.45 - All Heats Finished
Sunday 28th April
08.00 - First Heat
18.00 - All Heats Finished
PARTNERS & VENDORS
There is a kiosk selling coffee, cold drinks, snacks and other meals. We will also have a number of vendors selling clothing and other products for you to engage with.
WHAT YOU CAN/CAN'T WEAR
Please note the following:
- Athletes CAN wear - knee and elbow supports, weightlifting belts, chalk, lifting shoes, wrist straps, grips (like frog grips etc)
- There will be no chalk provided. If you need chalk please do bring along
- Athletes CAN'T wear - anything that attaches/wraps around a bar to aid grip or strength. Gloves cannot be worn on any workout.
- From a foot wear perspective, the workouts will be a mix of tests so if you like - please bring running shoes, lifting shoes, training shoes. Closed toe shoes MUST be worn at all times in each workout arena
- The floor is concrete so please do bring knee sleeves if you wish
EQUIPMENT
We are proud to be continuing our partnership with Alpha Fit as the Official Equipment Supplier of the Turf Games Sydney Fittest in the City. All ergs will be supplied by Concept 2.
BROKEN EQUIPMENT DURING A WORKOUT
During a workout, if a piece of equipment a team is using breaks - i.e. ski erg/tank etc - the team will have the option to use the replacement equipment if available and continue on with the workout. Or at the end of all the heats the team will have the option to redo the workout.
ATHLETE WELFARE/RECOVERY
We want to ensure everyone has a safe and enjoyable day so if you have any concerns or injuries please speak to your judge or one of the TURF GAMES staff. If you are feeling light headed or unwell please let someone know as soon as possible so we can ensure you get recovered and can enjoy the day. Please stay hydrated.
We will be providing a recovery area for all athletes to make running repairs throughout the day. There will be physio’s / sports massage therapists on site for quick treatments.
Again, like previous events, while these brands are here to support you at the event, we do ask that you respect their time and other athletes and only use them for specific/limited requirements and times.
COMPETITION RULES
RESPECT THE JUDGES. The majority of Crew & Judges have given up their time to come along and help make sure the event runs smoothly. We are determined to make this an incredible day for everyone involved. Should you have any concerns about the workouts, judging etc on the day, please speak to your judge or master judge in a calm and respectful way. Lee Phillips is Head Judge and he will have final say on any disputes.
LISTEN FOR DIRECTIONS. If you can listen out for any directions, instructions or timings on the day. We will provide you with where and when you need to be somewhere so please do adhere to the schedule.
ARENA & WARM UP ETIQUETTE. If you take any bottles etc into a workout arena or warm up area, please take it out at the end - please leave the arena/area as you found it, ready for the next team. Also, please place any rubbish in the bins provided.
ATHLETE RESPONSIBILTY. Athletes are expected to cooperate with judges and event organizers during competition. They must be prepared to display the correct movement standards and take responsibility for their own performance.
The goal of a Turf Games competition and the judges is NOT to find the craftiest athlete who can blur the line between what is technically acceptable, and what is not. The majority of people have competed at a fitness competition before and should understand what is acceptable and what would be deemed to be ‘cutting corners’ in a workout.
It is not the judges roll to explain to you the entire workout prior to beginning your workout – ask questions yes, but please read the workout, watch the video and ask any questions either before the event or on the day before you arrive to your workout.
SCORING. Scoring throughout the day will be via a 'Rank' based system i.e. lowest points wins. So if you come 1st in a workout you will get 1 point, 20th will get 20 points.
If for any reason teams are tied on points after the heats, the tie will be broken by a count back system where the team with the highest number of 'better finishers' in the events, will finish higher.
We are passionate about making the Turf Games a high standard, competitive, but fun event.