The real point of the rule is to make things fair between the every day Joe and the chiseled greek adonis. If I need to protect the public from the sight of my pasty white man boobs then all you fit people shouldn't get an unfair advantage by flaunting your shaved bronzed pectorals and six packs.

What??? my muffin top is freakin awesome

It's an attempt to standardize with the ITU here on long course rules. The ITU has for a long time prohibited zippers from going below the sternum.

As far as back zips, the ITU specifies a total length limit on them - I want to say that it's like 35cm (i'm too lazy to check right now). And virtually every back zip suit is made to these standards. So you can unzip them fully.

There are some ITU-specific long course suits with short front zips and full length back zips, but they are relatively rare. That's why the rule is generally enforced by how far you can unzip it. But for elites, the ITU prohibits even having overly long front zips (or they did in 2011); I think the rule is/was 12cm.

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"Non est ad astra mollis e terris via." - Seneca | rappstar.com | FB - Rappstar Racing | IG - @jordanrapp

There was some ambiguity in some of the prior rules. For instance, The Recon Jet could be considered a communication device, but it was allowed. But Recon had to check with every race.

Likewise, there are plenty of people who are used to using their phone as their bike computer because of the expansion of BTLE.

So this was an acknowledgement that are legitimate reasons for people to have a phone on course. Not everyone wants to go buy a dedicated bike computer.

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"Non est ad astra mollis e terris via." - Seneca | rappstar.com | FB - Rappstar Racing | IG - @jordanrapp

Does anyone think there will not be bare chests at wetsuit strip off? A lot of athletes don't even wear anything but a swim suit under a wetsuit. So they are going to penalize those people now?

Full regs here.So, "bike computers" are not distracting, but "devices" used as bike computers are?
What's the difference btw. an Edge with Connect IQ apps and a smart phone with a bike computer app? Both are "devices", not just "bike computers."

It might we worth reading the rule before complaining about it. From the OP's link, it only applies on the bike and run:

In an effort to better define the rule prohibiting bare torsos during the bike and run, and to align with the global standard, uniforms with a front zipper must not be undone below the point of the end of the breastbone (sternum). If not remedied promptly, athletes will be issued a disqualification.

What does Ironman consider to be a non-distracted and permitted use of a cell phone during the race? Kind of seems like tracking is the only thing. Which is nice and all.

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so no more racing in speedos? someone winning iM superfrog 70.3

In that picture, the speedo is OK. If he had been wearing a 'shirt, jersey or sport top' then he would be OK. When you're shirtless at the finish line like he is, the race timers usually spot that and give them a DQ.

You really think the entire world ought to cater to the most extreme dress codes? There are places where anything less than this is considered "offensive".

While I've never taken a phone on a race before, I am considering an IM with a long point to point bike with two loops at the end where my wife won't be coming to the swim start. Might be nice to have it stowed in the bento with life 360 so my wife knows when she should be at T2 (or, if she wants to be there :) )

And it wasn't a WTC race then

Of course I don't. I consider it absurd entirely.

Skimmed the triathletemag article, missed that. My bad.

I do read stuff before I post most of the time. :)

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This ^^^ would really reduce sunspots & skin cancer. But to your point, being in North America, I don't care what other countries do for dress code in races if I'm racing here, only if I'm there racing. Just like the Mary Jane legality--let the states decide, with dress code, let the country's culture decide what is acceptable. When in Rome...

I am confused how the zipper rule applies to women. I remember a few years ago when I was doing IM COZUMEL, I was running out of T1 with my bike and I had a trisuit with a front zipper that was unzipped all the way to about the "xiphoid" bone level (see anatomy link here https://en.wikipedia.org/...rnum_composition.png). However, since I am a woman, I had a sports bra on and everything was well covered (i.e. NO CLEAVAGE). Anyway, the referee wouldn't let me out of T1 until I fully zipped up my top.

So this for women would be disallowed?

Does this mean that is OK to have 2-way communication with your coach with cell phone or Connect IQ-app on the Edge?

Could for instance be receiving pacing instructions, splits of competitors, and sending power, HR and speed live data to the coach?
I see sweet BBB and live race data-integrations opportunities :)

In that case it will open up for a lot more communication than standing by the road with a sign or yelling?

I have read the post and the rule but I don't understand the zipper standard. It seems silly and ticky espically in hot races. I guess the rules committee got board and fixed a problem that didn't exist.

That part is definitely not super clear.

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