If they are allowed always wear a wetsuit. I've done Gulf Roast many times. Never remember not wearing a wetsuit down there.

I think it is around 50-50. Historically it has been wetsuit, but I two of the last 4 have been non-wetsuit. It totally depends on the weather leading up to the race.

For what it is worth, just spent a week in Seaside on 30A about 20 miles or so up the coast from PCB, home last Saturday. The water temperature had just crossed over 70 degrees there recently. Very few tourists willing to get in. The Gulf conditions around there can change dramatically day to day. One evening it was calm and glassy. Next 3 days rough surf with red flag warnings. Beautiful clear water and beaches under all the conditions when we were there.

What do they do if it’s red flag warning? I’m signed up and swim is my best discipline compared to my AG. With a shorter or dropped swim, my expectations for where in the AG pack will have to change 😎

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Not a coach. Not a FOP Tri/swimmer/biker/runner. Barely a MOP AGer.
But I'm learning and making progress.

Florida only owns two flag colors, red and yellow. And they are color blind. Swim will happen.

Sorry I mentioned that scenario but rough conditions can happen of course. I did the race once 20 years ago before Ironman bought it. The swim was like being in a washing machine with white caps but it wasn’t shortened or cancelled. Don’t recall the flag status. The flag protocol is 1 flag take care, 2 flags in the water not allowed. But that is for the typical beach goer. I don’t know if Ironman pays attention to flags in making their swim calls. Stuff can happen, but odds are in your favor for a good swim course.

2019 was not wetsuit legal and was incredibly rough (Matt Russell's comment for reference: https://www.instagram.com/p/BxZyYNLhCli/)

Bring it, and be prepared for anything.

2014 - IMFL (same location) - swim didn't happen
2017 - 70.3 Gulf Coast, swim didn't happen
(I was there in both!!)

Be prepared for whatever.... in FL everything can happen in the swim (wetsuit, no wetsuit, choppy, flat, dolphins, jellyfish....., no swim....)

I'm like you.


These days, IM seems to over-err on the side of caution. They cxl the swim in 2017 for the 70.3 and the full in 2014. I was there for both, actually bodysurfing prior to the race, and they deemed it "too rough". IMO, it wasn't. Beyond the breakers, it was actually pretty smooth swimming, with rolling swells easy to swim over. Definitely would've been a challenge for those that look at the swim and say "I'll just get through the swim and challenge on the bike and run".

Yeah no, it's three disciplines dude.

IM branded events are mass participation events more than competitions, so they cater to the masses. Yes, a lot of them have pro-level competitions on the same course, but their real moneymaker is the thousands of people chucking money at them to participate. Give people all the warnings in the world, it's still a bad look for them to be rescuing people from the water who can't handle the conditions.

A wetsuit is always faster and it preserves your legs. I just did IMTX and it was 75 degrees, right on the edge of wetsuit legal. I worried that my full-sleeved wetsuit would be too warm, but in the end I made the right decision to wear it. Every few hundred yards I just yanked on the collar to let water in and that kept me comfortable. Unless you/re someone who is really prone to overheating, I can't see any reason not to wear a wetsuit if permitted.

As a couple people already mentioned the swim was canceled the first year it was an IM brand event in 2017 due to a rip tide. I did the race. Last year I believe it was very rough and a non wetsuit swim and lots of people struggled with the swim.

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Let food be thy medicine...

maybe you are thinking of another year. last year it was wetsuit legal and I don't remember the water being rough at all

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the world's still turning? >>>>>>> the world's still turning

Correct.

17 - cancelled
18 - glass and wetsuit
19 - no wetsuit and the slowest 70.3 swim of my life
20 - no race
21 - not as easy as 18, but pretty easy, and wetsuit.

That 2019 swim was special - a perfect storm. The swells were huge and no wetsuit made it hard for the below average swimmers. There were many DNF swims that did not make the cut that morning. I had one of my slowest swims in 2019 also, but I was also one of the faster swims in my AG.

This is what I'm hoping for :) But, I guess I shouldn't be wishing bad luck on my fellow competitors.

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Not a coach. Not a FOP Tri/swimmer/biker/runner. Barely a MOP AGer.
But I'm learning and making progress.