"The initialism FAQ possibly started as a contrived three-letter abbreviation with an auditory similarity to the word "facts," ('i.e.,' a statement "check the FAQs" echoes "check the facts.") Arguably the word was deliberately intended to stand for the secret pronunciation "fah-queue". In this sense FAQ may have some passive-aggressive genesis from computer tech support specialists, frustrated with answering over and over the same, perceived stupid questions from computer users"

Bet you didn’t know that. Anyway – here are the all important FAQs for you.

1. Is this the same event as the City Duathlon?

No, this is an entirely different event by a different organizer

2. What is the date of the 2009 RAW DUATHLON Singapore event?

Sunday, 26th April 2009

3. Do I have to qualify to compete in this event?

No. However, we do recommend a medical check by your doctor to check your are physically fit. It also helps if you can run bike run the race distance in less time than the 5.30 hours

4. What is the entry fee?

Entries are open to both individual and team entries. Teams may comprise two or three athletes.

INDIVIDUAL ENTRY FEE $55: Run 10km, Bike 40km, Run 10km (Men &Women)

INDIVIDUAL ENTRY FEE $50: Run 5km, Bike 40km, Run 5km (Men & Women)

TEAM ENTRY FEE $100Run: 10km, Bike 40km, Run 10km (Men, Women & Mixed)

TEAM ENTRY FFE $100: Run 5km, Bike 40km, Run 5km (Men, Women & Mixed)

All entry fees for those signed up include sponsors products if applicable

4. What is the closing date?

The closing date for individual and team entries is set at midnight on 5 April 2009, OR EARLIER if the field maximum of 1500 entries is reached before that date. 

5. Is specific race information (e.g., course maps, event schedule) available?

A comprehensive Competitors Information Booklet will be available as a downloadable PDF file closer to the event. It will contain information on all facets of the event and provides a written briefing on most aspects of race conduct also. 

6. Once I have registered for the event, whom do I contact with an address change?

Please sign in with your Athlete's Circle User Name and PW at the official website to effect your own alterations. However should you have problems, then please send your full name, athlete registration number and your new address to: info@hivelocity.com.sg

7. Which sports nutrition items will be available on-course?

Please refer to the Athlete Guide for specific product use. More infomation will be released shortly.  

8. If I become injured or cannot compete in the race for any reason, can I transfer my slot to the following year or to another person?

Unfortunately, entry slots are non-transferable and to either another race, or another person. For race entry withdrawal, please refer to our comprehensive Withdrawal Policy. 

9. What is the distance of the Raw Duathlon and what are the cut-off times for the race?

Individual: Run 10km, Bike 40km and Run 10km Run 5km, Bike 40km and Run 10km (5.30 Hours)

Team:Run 10km, Bike 40km and Run 10km Run 5km, Bike 40km and Run 5km (4.30 Hours)

10. I know someone who is interested in volunteering during the event. Who do they contact?

Please direct all volunteers to email to volunteers@hivelocity.com.sg. And thank you for volunteering in advance. 

11. I'm a pro athlete, and I'd like to know the prize money for the 2009 Raw Duathlon?

There will not be any prize monies for this event. Instead, there will be prizes in kind by our sponsors. 

12. At what age can I participate in the event?

Eligibilty: Individual categories, participants must be at least 18 years of age on 31 Dec 2009. For team entries, participants must be at least 17 years of age on 31 Dec 2009. 

13. Who is your payment gateway provider?

Direct Payment Solutions are pioneers of Payment and Billing systems; certified with seamless connectivity for settlement into every bank in Australia, Maybank Malaysia, all banks in New Zealand, Westpac Pacific Islands and Citibank in Singapore. DPS develops software which processes electronic transactions, in real time. 

Security and Infrastructure DPS have a dedicated development and data centre specially designed for payments processing. DPS are fully certified as Visa AIS and MasterCard SDP (PCI-DSS) compliant at processor level; using Ernst and Young Risk Management for quarterly scans on systems and full onsite audits, annually. DPS own all internal networking and security infrastructure; dual Host systems and cold stand-by at the IBM data centre, dual UPS, multi-ohm internet connectivity, failover switches and back up generators. We also have a host system based in Sydney for our Australian customers and a private GPRS network, in Australia and NZ, for wireless payment processing.

15. Why is there a password requested for my credit card (3D secure)?

As part of our payment gateway provider continuing efforts to promote best practice solutions, we are allowed to participate in the Verified by Visa and MasterCard's SecureCode schemes. These latest schemes will enhance these various features:Fraud reductionReduced liabilityReduced operational costsIncrease sales and marketing opportunities These schemes allow merchants' to prove to their potential customers that they are serious about protecting the identity and integrity of their customers' sensitive card details. In doing so, the merchant can potentially increase sales generated through their web services, by converting ‘window-shoppers' to ‘shoppers'.These schemes require the card holder to enter a password (only if the card holder is enrolled) as an additional step to entering their credit card number and expiry date that is verified by the issuing bank. Once the issuing bank has verified the password, the user is then redirected back to the merchant's web site.

CVC values are found on Visa and MasterCards. The CVC value is a four digit non-embossed number hat is on the back of a Visa and MasterCard. Please contact your bank for more details on your secure code.

16. Is the payment gateway secured?

DPS provides the website payment page with 128 bit encrypted (SSL) payment page.In view of a seamless registration experience, we have embedded the payment page into our registration page. There is no collection of credit details into Hivelocity and afflicted companies' databases.