Unless there is a rule prohibiting going topless, there is no reason to wear a shirt/jersey.

A jersey will create a lot of drag in the water; do not swim in it.

A couple of options:

-Do the entire race in a one-piece trisuit. They are skin tight and meant to swim in.

-Swim in a speedo or jammer (not surf trunks), then put on a jersey and bike shorts over for the bike/run. This is a fairly slow option, both due to changes and that bike jerseys aren’t very aero. The advantage is it uses stuff you already have.

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ECMGN Therapy Silicon Valley:
Depression, Neurocognitive problems, Dementias (Testing and Evaluation), Trauma and PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

1980s: Do the whole thing in a speedo. Only half pink

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JustinDoesTriathlon

Owner, FuelRodz Endurance.

That's how I used to race.

Tri suits or triathlon kits are made to be worn for the whole triathlon race.

They come in a lot of different styles 1 and 2 pieces, with sleeves and without.

A two piece kit is a tri top and a tri short. A tri short is similar to a cycling short but the chamois is modified for quick drying after the swim and also so you can run in it more comfortably.

A tri too is a hybrid of a cycling jersey and a run singlet. Compared to a cycling jersey they are more snug and the pockets are smaller and less like parachutes during a swim.

You might not want or need that for your first races in a pool. I just thought this might be helpful.

Thanks for all the responses! It seems there is a difference between a cycling top and a tri top. I am not interested at all in extra drag during the swim!

A buddy of mine is similar to you-- new to triathlons and not focusing on ultimate speed (yet). He swims in a pair of tri shorts. The, he puts on a sleeveless tri top in T1 that he bikes and runs in.