It is not legal, at least not USAT races or any around where I live.

---

Jim

**Note above poster works for a retailer selling bikes and related gear*

snorkel?

dorkel

---

Train hard...race well.
www.jimmishler.com
"Jim, I happen to agree with you" DougStern

While it is in fact legal I would imagine the main reason is that you will get your ass kicked for being a dork.

Other reasons include that it isn't very hard to breathe while swimming and that by nature of a snorkel it is an inefficient method of breathing, i.e. restricted flow and you will be rebreathing a decent amount of every breath.

Did I mention that we'll kick your ass for being a dork?

---

I'm beginning to think that we are much more fucked than I thought.

The hardest thing about using a snorkle on the swim is telling your parents you are gay... Not that there is anything wrong with that.

Can you imagine some guy standing there waiting for his wave to start wearing a mask and f-ing snorkel. How funny would that be????

Why are snorkels dorky and aerobars cool?

I thought triatheltes were equipment junkies. There's no piece of equipment that can't make you go faster.

---

----------------------------------------------------------
"A society is defined not only by what it creates, but by what it refuses to destroy."
John Sawhill

Here's the equipment sections of USAT rules, nowhere does it exclude snorkels... But try getting good rotation and breathing with one in a bunch!

[/url]4.7 Official Equipment.

If provided by race management, a swimmer shall wear the proper official swim cap corresponding to his wave. The penalty for an infraction of this rule is a variable time penalty. For safety reasons if no official cap is provided, all swimmers should wear their own brightly colored swim cap.

[/url]4.8 Goggles.

Swimmers may wear, but shall not be required to wear, swim goggles or face masks.

[/url]4.9 Illegal Equipment.

Any swimmer wearing any artificial propulsion device, including but not limited to fins, gloves, paddles, or floating devices of any kind shall be disqualified.

Another very telling post about how serious the swim is in triathlons........

hee hee......

And why don't more people wear black socks and garters on the run?

---

"People think it must be fun to be a super genius, but they don't realize how hard it is to put up with all the idiots in the world."

Snorkels are OK as long as you put an end plug in it. It would be unsafe, otherwise. Oh, I suppose you could put a brake lever on it.

---

Proud member of FISHTWITCH: doing a bit more than fish exercise now.

My bad, I thought it was illegal.

---

Jim

**Note above poster works for a retailer selling bikes and related gear*

I thought the USAT sent out something last summer saying that the Race Director could prohibit them unless medically necessary.

"4.9 Illegal Equipment.

Any swimmer wearing any artificial propulsion device, including but not limited to fins, gloves, paddles, or floating devices of any kind shall be disqualified."

Floating devices of any kind, eh? Guess all the wetsuit wearing world should be DQed. Oh, I forgot... wetsuits are necessary because you'd otherwise freeze in that 77 degree water. :P

Give the choice of gloves, paddles or wetsuit, I'd choose wetsuit as my artificial propulsion device second only to fins.

I suppose this post belongs in the wetsuit whining thread that was a couple months ago though, eh?

I thought last year a "Special Amendment" was made to the USAT rules prohibiting them. I saw that on the Lake Degray Half Ironman web page.

Special Amendment to USAT Rules has been approved:

Snorkels will not be allowed unless they are medically necessary for the the individual to compete.

Who the hell cares if they're legal.....IT"S A FU&KING SNORKEL ... for God's sakes!!!!!!!

f-ing hilarious... can I carry and oxygen tank on my bike?

The first time a Pro goes out and wins a race with one they'll become the hottest freakin thing since sliced bread and everyone will have one. Then someone will make a carbon one, and then there'll be aero snorkels, and then Cervelo will make one which will be so fast that it gets banned.

---

----------------------------------------------------------
"A society is defined not only by what it creates, but by what it refuses to destroy."
John Sawhill

A few months back when I'd just started swimming and couldn't figure it out at all I thought a snorkel would be a good idea.

Now I can swim and realise that a snorkel would be lousy idea - I don't think you could get enough air through it to power your swimming.

Has anyone ever seen one in action ?

[quote] Can you imagine some guy standing there waiting for his wave to start wearing a mask and f-ing snorkel. How funny would that be???? [/quote]

I swear to God I saw that in my wave at Gulf Coast tri. I had to look away -- I felt like I was staring at a freak! Looked completely ridiculous. I was embarrassed for him.

Anyway, I cannot imagine that you could go faster with a snorkel vs. a solid rotation with every breath.

---

*************************
under-trained and over-tapered. . . .yet still hopeful . . . does that make me an optimist or a masochist?

The special ammendment was probably race specific and was of the type that was mentioned earlier in the thread about race directors being allowed to ban them if they chose. The official USAT rules were not changed. Charlie Crawford, head USAT ref, officially said that they are legal at USAT races unless explicitly stated otherwise by the race director.

Triracer,

If you could make a Carbon Fiber one, that was "water dynamic" and only weighted 35g, half these jokers here would be lining up to buy one.

I think it's funny that a sport where a guy can shave his legs, wear a speedo (cough - bikini bottom) and a 'racing singlet' (cough - sports bra) and be considered 'normal' has the audacity to consider a snorkle 'gay'.

RDs can request modifications to USAT rules for their events. That doesn't change the way the rules apply at any other event. At this time, there's no USAT rule prohibiting snorkels.

Larry

I cant imagine a snorkel staying in place long. Just imagine it. A mass start at IMFL, flailing arms would catch that thing. Getting kicked in the face with a snorkel in your mouth. Doesnt sound appealing.