Well you can't wear a sleeved suit at a non-wetsuit race for one....

Galveston was a non-wetsuit swim so maybe that factored into his decision???

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Favorite Gear: Dimond | Cadex | Desoto Sport | Hoka One One

Just guess, but perhaps it's a fit issue.

Lionel, is a pretty stocky, muscular guy, compared to his fellow competitors at this level. Perhaps that has something to do with it.

I have one of the LG full suits that I was given as a demo sample when I was at Ironman Hawaii last year. It fits me very well - but I am tall and lean ( skinny, really) - the opposite of Lionel. Perhaps he's able to get a better fit with separate top and bottom!

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

Lots of the top pros at Kona including kienle wore sleeved tri suits. The time it takes to pull up while running into transition is neglible.

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Ed O'Malley
www.VeloVetta.com
Founder of VeloVetta Cycling Shoes
Instagram • Facebook

In a wetsuit legal swim are the pros wearing their sleeved trisuits with the sleeves on under the wetsuit, or do they put the arms on during T1? Are the sleeved trisuits too restrictive for the swim with the arms on?

Typically under the wetsuit, people keep the sleeved suit on and zipped up. I raced like this for the first time last weekend and I felt it was totally fine, though Rapp mentioned in one thread that he finds it too restrictive and keeps the top rolled down around his waist under the wetsuit and pulls it up over his shoulders during the run to T1. I think it's totally fine to do either way, whichever way feels best for you.

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Ed O'Malley
www.VeloVetta.com
Founder of VeloVetta Cycling Shoes
Instagram • Facebook

I realize that but everyone goes to Kona knowing it's non-wetsuit. Galveston has never been wetsuit illegal until this year. I "hope" the pros were prepared for such but not many in the AG field were.

There were a lot, and I mean, a lot of people wearing sleeved tri suits yesterday. I'm pretty sure WTC was very, very lax enforcing the sleeved suit rule yesterday, otherwise the DQ list would've been pretty long.

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Favorite Gear: Dimond | Cadex | Desoto Sport | Hoka One One

You mean lots of people were swimming with their sleeved suits up over their shoulders? I guess they just did not prepare for non-wetsuit by bringing a swim skin?

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Ed O'Malley
www.VeloVetta.com
Founder of VeloVetta Cycling Shoes
Instagram • Facebook

Lots of people swimming with there sleeves up. I'm told there were a lot of people ditching their calf sleeves at the swim entrance as well.

No insight from LS, but for me, there's no way I want to be running in sleeves unless it's below 40 degrees. I can use a sleeved top (Kona Wings) and have aero on the bike and comfort in the swim/run.