Travel

The USATF National Office Staff is primarily responsible for making all travel arrangements for the U.S. World Indoor Championships Team. Athletes may arrive in Valencia no earlier than March 3, 2008 and depart on or after March 10, 2008. Travel arrangements should have been made during team processing in Boston for the majority of athletes. USATF offers three options for travel. Athletes and support staff traveling to the World Championships should make plans to arrive at the Valencia Airport. This will be the only airport from which the LOC/USATF will provide transportation to the athletes' hotels.

1. USATF Travel Booking: USATF will pay for a true roundtrip ticket from the athlete's home city to Valencia to home city; athletes cannot select this option if deviations from this standard itinerary are required. USATF will ticket the lowest airfare based on a reasonable travel itinerary.
2. Travel Stipend to Agent: An athlete's agent/coach may choose to purchase the athlete's airline ticket and receive the $950 travel stipend from USATF. A full travel itinerary and a copy of the ticket receipt showing cost of ticket must be presented to USATF no later than March 1, 2008 in order to receive the travel stipend. USATF will reimburse the agent/coach $950 per athlete ticket purchased after the World Indoor Championships are over and the athlete has competed. The Local Organizing Committee and USATF will not be responsible for airport pick-up for athletes who have not provided USATF with their travel itineraries. Note: Itineraries and ticket receipts needed for the $950 reimbursement should be emailed to Sandy Snow at Sandy.Snow@usatf.org no later than March 1, 2008.
3. Travel Stipend to Athlete: An athlete may choose to purchase his/her airline ticket and receive the $950 travel stipend from USATF. A full travel itinerary and a copy of the ticket receipt showing cost of ticket must be presented to USATF no later than March 1, 2008 in order to receive the travel stipend. USATF will reimburse the athlete $950 after the World Indoor Championships are over and he/she has competed. The Local Organizing Committee and USATF will not be responsible for airport pick-up for athletes who have not provided USATF with their travel itineraries.

If an athlete fails to select an option by February 27 or changes their option after February 27, 2008, USATF will pay $950 towards the purchase of a ticket, and the athlete will be responsible for any difference in cost or the athlete may choose Options 2 or 3.

Travel itineraries changed after ticketing will be at the expense of the athlete. Athletes must provide changes to Sandy Snow, Associate Director of International Teams and Championships, in order for housing and airport transportation to be revised. Contact Sandy Snow at Sandy.Snow@usatf.org or on her international cell phone at 770-330-6482.

Arrival in  Valencia

The official airport is Valencia (not Madrid or Barcelona). Upon arrival in Valencia, athletes should proceed to the Arrivals area. Once you have been processed through entry formalities and customs clearance, you will be met by USATF staff and Local Organizing Committee staff. A specific Arrivals Desk will be located in the Arrival Halls. Athletes are responsible for handling their own luggage, including vaulting poles. After the poles have been given to the LOC staff, the poles will be transported to the competition venue.