The rule for wetsuits was a clearly stated modification of USAT rules done under their agreement with WTC for Eagleman and other races that are sanctioned by USAT. See here on the CTA website for Eagleman: http://www.tricolumbia.org/..._Race_Rules_2009.pdf It took me approximately 30 seconds to find these.

The rule is as clear as any statement in the English language could possibly be. "Wetsuits are allowed for all athletes if the water is 78 degrees Fahrenheit or colder." Why people keep coming back to some supposed ambiguity in the rule if the water was 78-84 is beyond my comprehension. There's the rule. Live with it. BTW, if you go to weatherunderground their marine weather for Cambridge yesterday indicated a water temp of 79.5 degrees.

As for implementation and enforcement, USAT rules and procedures place this in the hands of the head referee, not the RD. See competitive rule 4.6. That rule is further elaborated into how it is implemented in the USAT officials manual. The relevant portion is excerpted below:


Measuring Water Temperature

The Head Referee, or his/her designee, will measure the temperature of the water at the swim venue the day before the event. The temperature should be measured as close to the actual next day start time of the event as logically possible. Changing weather conditions may dictate the requirement for an additional measurement on race morning. This will be at the discretion of the Head Referee.

A Fahrenheit or Centigrade thermometer, approved by the Head Referee or his/her agent, will be used to measure the water temperature. The recommended model is found at http://www.professionalequipment.com/...te-4146/thermometer/

Temperature should be measured, at a depth of not less than 6 inches, nor more than 24�, and at a distance of at least 60� from shore. Understanding that all swim venues will be different, it is the responsibility of the Head Referee to devise a method to measure the water temperature in a manner that will stand the test of the �Reasonable Man� (that the reasonable person would agree that the method used was sound and will give the Head Referee a reasonably accurate and representative water temperature). Section 4.6 of the Competitive Rules suggests a method, which may or may not be practicable.

The water temperature will be posted at the packet pickup site, and will be announced at any pre-race meetings. It will also be posted at the race site on race day. If changing weather condition necessitates a race day measurement, participants should be told that they should be prepared to bring wet suits to the race site on race morning pending a measurement.

Understanding that a boat may not be available, the Head Referee may decide to measure at or near the shoreline. The coldest measurement will be in shallow water near dawn. Only the Head Referee is delegated the authority to modify the guidelines for measurement. There can be no modification of the temperature requirements for wetsuit usage.


So as you can see, there is some room for discretion in how the referee tests the water, and how that determination is presented to the athletes. Although I was not there, it seems that the biggest beef that some folks have is that the announcement was not made the prior day. That's a pretty small whine in the big scheme of things.


What irritates me is that some seek to impugn the RD (who has been at this a long time) and the officials, who it seems to me tried to do everything they could to get it right, even at the cost of annoying a few swimmers who seem a bit attached to their neoprene.


Glad everyone made it home after what sounds like a tough day in the heat.

http://www.tricolumbia.org/..._Race_Rules_2009.pdf (as linked to from the "Race Rules" link at http://www.tricolumbia.org/Eagleman/):

5. Wetsuits are allowed for all athletes if the water is 78 degrees Fahrenheit or colder.

If you think that means that wetsuits aren't disallowed if the water is over 78, then you are living in an alternate universe.

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"Go yell at an M&M"

Amazing, so you are saying that you or anyone else can make up rules. I read it as over 78 you must swim in your birthday suit and do the butterfly stroke the entire swim! This continues to be the issue I have with WTC when they ask USAT for a rule mod. They seem to never think about the details. Now, I could blame USAT for approving these type of exceptions, but USAT has told me that it is not their responsibility to tell WTC that their rule mods lack detail, it is a WTC issue.

That is one thing about rules, they must be written so they ATTEMPT to cover, at least, the obvious questions. So, since you are saying wetsuits are not allowed over 78 AT ALL, in your opinion, I guess the rule that USAT has that below a certain temp wetsuits MUST be worn does not matter either.

Why are you sticking up for WTC not doing the full job if they want to become the rule owners?

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Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

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Now, since I did not see your response in pink, are we actually agreeing on something? :o)

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Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

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Also interesting that this does not say 77.9.

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Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

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Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep

They also link on the Eagleman web page to USAT's rule where it states that 78-84 is optional. I just think that it should be more clear. You can't send people to 20 different web pages all with a different set of standards. If you want absolutely no wetsuits above 78 ... don't send people to a link references where it say that it's optional. That's all that I'm saying.

And to your question .. no I'm not living in a alternate universe but thanks for the name calling. If I'm wrong then say I'm wrong but why resort to personal attacks? Can we have a debate without personal attacks? ... oh nevermind. This is ST.

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My marathon PR is "under three, high twos. I had a two hour and fifty-something."

where did I insult slow swimmers? All I'm saying is that the argument about race director decisions needs to go both ways.... we supposedly respect their decisions when they choose to "find" 77.5 degree water so why not do the same when they choose to stand firm on 78.1 degree water.

It's no insult to encourage people to learn to swim. I was a non-swimmer when I started racing and I've worked hard to improve. I know a no wetsuit swim hurts me more than it hurts a good swimmer but I still look forward to them because I know I won't be overheating and relish the challenge. Basically, it is what it is.

We wouldn't be having this discussion if we all swam better.... after all, we're talking about a mere 1900m swim in warm water. Why would you even WANT to use a wetsuit?

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Eric Reid AeroFit | Instagram Portfolio
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Anyone who hosts a USAT sanctioned race can petition for a modification of the rules. That's what Tri Columbia (the race owner & operator) did, and that's what they received. Of course you can bypass USAT sanctioning altogether and make up your own rules all you want.

I actually find the lack of gray area in this rule refreshing. Very few things are like this in sport or in life.

The logic in your second paragraph does not follow. Wetsuits not being allowed over 78 degrees F is not my opinion, it was a stated rule. No one is required to wear a wetsuit under USAT rules, but I understand that some races require them for hypothermia safety under the same rules-modification procedure I just mentioned. (Escape from Alcatraz, perhaps? Anyone?)

If you have read my posts before you know I am not a WTC apologist. I just can't see anything they or the RD or the head referee did wrong here.

Well, if you cannot see that they did anything wrong, then I guess we can agree to disagree. I see so many RD's like this, such lack of detail, but I tend to be the odd man out who cares about detail, which is why I became an engineer.

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Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

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Don't USAT rules allow some leeway for the RD to make calls like this on race morning? A static set of rules doesn't necessarily fit a dynamic environment.


I think changing the swim temp rule down is going to have a big impact on how some of the 70.3 AG races turn out. I wonder if this will be a factor in registration #'s for races where they typically border on 78F water temps?

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Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching
Insta

I don't do that many races per year. I do perhaps 2 per year and I do it for fun as opposed to trying to be at the top of my AG. I think that many people are like me. For people like us who do races for fun, we are inclined to sign up for races where we know, based on history, that wetsuit legal will be highly in our favor. I don't think that the new water temp rule will affect Ironman branded races but will for smaller races. If you are a RD for a small non-WTC race where the water temp tend to be near 78 every year, I think that you should be concerned.

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My marathon PR is "under three, high twos. I had a two hour and fifty-something."

On the Eagleman home page, there is a link called "Race Rules". In the following document is a line that says when wetsuits are allowed. Why do you think that some other rule somewhere else would supercede the explicit rules in "Race Rules?"

As for name calling: I apparently incorrectly assumed you read the "Race Rules" and were still unclear, after reading 5. above under what circumstances wetsuits are allowed. Do you agree that the cited rule is pretty clear that wetsuits above 78 would not be allowed?

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"Go yell at an M&M"

Some things they can but the wetsuit stuff is set in stone since before they made these rules, some RD's would never allow them no matter how cold the water was.

All this comes down to is poor planning. As a former RD, one just needs to ask a few simple questions like:

1): what issues could we have on the swim that might make us have to change from the standard process. Water temps. Weather. Water quality. Permits. support does not show up, Etc. And each one of these possible issues should have a written game plan as to what would happen on race day if the Murphy showed up.

2). Bike course: Accidents. Fires. Road construction. Rain, hail, or snow. Wind. Dust. Floods. Etc. And each one of these possibilities should have a written plan as to what changes would happen.

3). Run, just like the bike.

So, just not that hard.

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Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

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Then I guess you should be very concerned with IM branded races since starting in Sept, the water cutoff rule will be 76 degrees for WTC.

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Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

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Brian, please see my post a few spots up on this. It is a dynamic process leading up to race morning, and it's not up to the RD, but the head referee. As to your second point, yes, I think it may very well become an issue for the very casual athlete (that's a description, not a condemnation folks) who wants a wetsuit-friendly swim. For Eagleman and its field, I would foresee no impact at all.

Good decision by the RD and it makes sense paricularly on a hot day. Why encourage dehydration in the swim with wetsuits when they are not needed for temperature? If you saw the medical tent in 2008, you would understand. Deciding not to race because of the wetsuit restriction may have saved a few people further peril in the heat of the day...

I would agree with you if it stoped there. However, it also references the USAT's rule which states:
"4.4 Wet suits. Each age group participant shall be permitted to wear a wet suit without penalty in any event sanctioned by USA Triathlon up to and including a water temperature of 78 degrees Fahrenheit."

Which is also pretty clear and sounds like what Eagleman says but then USAT goes on on further to clarify that

"When the water temperature is greater than 78 degrees, but less than 84 degrees Fahrenheit, age group participants may wear a wet suit at their own discretion, provided however that participants who wear a wet suit within this temperature range shall not be eligible for prizes or awards. Age group participants shall not wear wet suits in water temperatures equal to or greater than 84 degrees Fahrenheit."

If #5 is taken in context with USAT's rule, it gives the impression that between 78-84 it's optional. If Eagleman stated "Age group participants shall not wear wet suits in water temperatures equal to or greater than 78 degrees Fahrenheit." I think that it would have made it crystal clear. It would have made it crystal clear had they also mentioned it during the briefing. During the briefing, they kept saying not to worry that the AG will be allowed to wear wetsuits.

My problem is with the mixed message and ambiguity.

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My marathon PR is "under three, high twos. I had a two hour and fifty-something."

Mathematically, "if" is not the same as "if and only if." "If the water is 78 or colder then wetsuits are allowed" doesn't state what happens when the water is above 78. It is still a true statement if the water is 79 degrees and wetsuits are allowed: a conditional statement is automatically true if its antecedent is false. "Wetsuits are allowed if and only if the water is 78 or colder" is quite clear.

Details, details, who cares about small things like details. :o)

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Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

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Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep

I understand, believe me. I have overheated in a wet suit during a Oly swim when the RD said the water was 77.9. :o)

So, again, if folks are serious that there is all of a sudden a safety issue with the rules, get WTC and USAT to change to the ITU water temp cutoffs. Then you fix a number of concerns all at one time.

Here is the ITU rules for water temps and wetsuits, which I would love to see used by both WTC and ITU, AS IS.

Go to page 14 at http://www.triathlon.org/...-2010_2010-02-11.pdf





4.2. Wetsuit Use:
a.) Wetsuit use is governed by the following tables:
Elite, U23 and Junior athletes
Swim
Length
Forbidden
Above
Mandatory
Below
Maximum
Stay in Water
300m 20o C 14o C 10 min.
750m 20o C 14o C 20 min.
1500m 20o C 14o C 30 min.
3000m 22o C 16o C 1 h 15 min.
4000m 22o C 16o C 1 h 45 min.
International Triathlon Union
Competition Rules
2010-01-23 15
For Age Group athletes:
Swim
Length
Forbidden
Above:
Mandatory
Below:
Maximum
Stay in Water
750m 22o C 14o C 30 min.
1500m 22o C 14o C 1 h 10 min.
3000m 23o C 16o C 1 h 40 min.
4000m 24o C 16o C 2 h 15 min.
4.3. Modifications:
a.) The swim distance can be shortened or even cancelled according to this table:
Original
swim
distance
Temperature of water
16.9�C �
16.0�C
15.9�C �
15.0�C
14.9�C �
14.0�C
13.9�C �
13.0�C
Below
13.0�C
750 m 750 m 750 m 750 m 750 m Cancel
1500 m 1500 m 1500 m 1500 m 750 m Cancel
3000 m 3000 m 3000 m 1500 m Cancel Cancel
4000 m 4000 m 3000 m 1500 m Cancel Cancel
* Note: The temperatures above are not always the water temperature used in the
final decision. If the air temperature is lower than the water temperature, then the
adjusted value is to decrease the measured water temperature by 0,5�C every 1.0�C of
difference between the air and water temperatures.
(*) Air temperature
15�C 14�C 13�C 12�C 11�C 10�C 9�C 8�C
Water temperature
18�C 16.5�C 16�C 15.5�C 15�C 14.5�C 14�C 13.5�C 13�C
17�C 16�C 15.5�C 15�C 14.5�C 14�C 13.5�C 13�C Cancel
16�C 15.5�C 15�C 14.5�C 14�C 13.5�C 13�C Cancel Cancel
15�C 15�C 14.5�C 14�C 13.5�C 13�C Cancel Cancel Cancel
14�C 14�C 14�C 13.5�C 13�C Cancel Cancel Cancel Cancel
b.) If other weather conditions dictate, i.e., high winds, heavy rain, etc. the Technical and
Medical Delegates may adapt limits on the swim length or provisions about the
wetsuit use. The final decision will be made one hour before the start, and will be
clearly communicated to the athletes by the Technical Delegate.
c.) Water Temperature: Water temperature must be taken one (1) hour prior to the start of
the event on race day. It must be taken at the middle of the course and in two other
areas on the swim course, at a depth of 60 cm. The lowest measured temperature will
be considered as the official water temperature.
International Triathlon Union
Competition Rules
2010-01-23 16
d.) Athletes must wear their ITU approved uniform for non-wetsuit swims. If athletes
choose to wear a second suit, it must be worn underneath the official uniform and
cannot be removed during the entire competition.

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Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

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Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep

I took "End result: learn to swim." as condescension, which is insulting. I apologize if I misinterpreted your tone.

I'll admit that I wanted to wear a wetsuit because it makes me swim faster. I did a 1.2+ mile swim in an 82 degree indoor pool prior to the event to make sure I wouldn't overheat. I didn't -- the trick is to pull on your wetsuit's neck every once in a while to flush the body-heated water out and let cooler water in.

If it had been stated clearly and consistently from the start (that is, when registration opened) that there was a decent chance that wetsuits would not be allowed then I'm sure some of the 100+ people who were DQ'd would have spared themselves the $255 registration fee + hotel + getting stuck in bridge traffic on the way home.

I would argue that yesterday was harder than two years ago. First the race was delayed for almost 20 minutes. Second, people exerted themselves far more in the water than two years ago. Third, the wind on portions of the bike was tough. Fourth, by the times people hit the run it was well after 11am and the run course was baking hot with a nasty wind.

Bob

Why are you all continuing to debate this w/ H2OFUN. He is not going to concede even if he's dead wrong.
There is a long history of that archived here on ST. Its easy to criticize while playing Monday morning quarterback.
The RD put on an amazing event and dealt with the situation with amazing professionalism.

There is no such thing as a perfect event for everyone. CTA did a great job.

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Robert Flanigan