Wait, you mean triathletes might have to swim unaided?! I LOVE non-wetsuit swims personally... Swimming in a wetsuit is like an all-downhill bike route...

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willmillertriathlon.blogspot.com

There'll be a lot of purple there........

.......the magic thermometer will come out. ;-)

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"Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in a grey twilight that knows not victory nor defeat."

Theodore Roosevelt

I'm a bad swimmer, but I really wish RDs and organizing bodies would stop coddling us. Is it so hard to expect someone to be able to complete the whole race in order to call themselves a finisher?

I wonder how much better at swimming I'd be if I knew I wouldn't be able to wear a wetsuit.

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Here! Here!
When I become King of all triathlons, all competitors wishing to use wetsuits will have to put them on AFTER the start. It will be LeMans type start with all those addicted to neoprene having to run to a spot, put on their rubber floaties and then start the swim.

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#swimmingmatters
Laugh hard. Run fast. Be kind.
The Doctor (#12)

I think wetsuits are fine, if you carry it with you the whole race.........

Definitely wetsuits are great for us non-swimmers...it limits our damage in the water so we can rock our strengths(bike/run).

After you guys put on a tri or an open water swim, let us know if your opinion on wetsuits has changed.

When you are responsible for hundreds of lives in the water, you'll understand why race directors stretch the rules a little bit.

jaretj

I have to say, if the wetsuit is making you significantly safer in water, you probably don't belong there. I know it won't happen, but it would be great if people could recognize their limits swimming. I am constantly amazed that people who KNOW they have trouble swimming a certain distance will still put themselves at risk by trying it. Swimming is the only portion where this can get you in trouble. Not being able to complete the bike or run doesn't put your life in danger like swimming does. I know wetsuits aren't going away because the masses love them, but there's no doubt they give far more of an advantage to non-swimmers and I think it's a bummer when they're allowed at temperatures that are clearly above the cutoff. (I'm thinking of Nation's Tri last year...bathwater-like Potomac and you should have a heard the cheer that went up when they announced wetsuits would be allowed. And yes, I wore one, too. I'm certainly not giving up and advantage that everyone else has...)

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It's too warm for wetsuits here for ocean swims from mid-late May to late October, and not only can't I remember anyone having to make a serious swim rescue but we also get very few kayak-hangers outside of extreme water condition situations. We've got a lot of slower swimmers, but those slow swimmers still know and respect the Gulf and understand how to handle swimming in it. I'd say 80%+ of the locals do their first triathlon in races where the floaties aren't allowed, and it's like no big deal they can't use them.

I second that!

As long as you run carrying your bike, you may have a deal....

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Excuse my ignorance, which race is this?

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"How bad can it be?" - SimpleS

St Anthony's in St Petersburg, FL.

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"Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in a grey twilight that knows not victory nor defeat."

Theodore Roosevelt

Thank you. I was going through iconic race in my head but didn't think of St. Anthony's as "A" and it seemed way too early for Alcatraz!

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"How bad can it be?" - SimpleS

Personally, I don't need a wetsuit, I'm a fairly decent triathlon swimmer.

I agree that there are many people that don't belong there, as a race director how would one determine who does and who doesn't? Should he just look at everyone and say to certain people "You are doing the duathlon."

jaretj

And then all you swimmers will still get passed on the bike. It will just take us an extra minute or so to do it. ;)

Meh - I'm kind of hoping it isn't - dealing with the wetsuit is a pain in the ass (although as a 27 min-ish Oly swimmer it definitely helps my time). Do they make the call on race morning or the day before?

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If it's a YMCA pool, the lightning wanders around the locker room naked for an hour, then uses the blow dryer on its junk. -lunchbox

BEST idea I've heard in a long time! love it!

Yeah, I've been to 3 races now where the water was way too warm for wetsuits in the days leading up to the race. Then magically, the temp drops the morning of the race. The first two times I didn't bring my wetsuit to the race. When the gun sounded, I spent the next 20-30mins cussing the race director while in my head "everyone is passing me right now". The 3rd time I knew better and brought it anyway. Thankfully I wear a sleeveless because it was pretty hot out there!

If you're going to ban wetsuits why don't we ban disc wheels as well? What about running shoes?

You can swim fine without a wetsuit, but you can also ride fine without a disc wheel. What's the difference?

Yea, that is right! You tell him Kiwi!!!
Why don't you just ban paddles and fins as well? Then we will see how well you do

Couldn't agree more!

Wetsuits also provide a bit of safety. I was kicked in the head and blacked out for a few, who knows what would have happened if I was not wearing a wetsuit!

I think the issue we're discussing using them when the temperature is not appropriate. Wetsuits are meant to provide warmth not speed, but with technology today they do both. I don't think they should be banned, but when it's warm enough to go without, I would love the rule to be enforced. (By the way, there ARE some races where disc are banned...) You don't need a disc or even running shoes to prevent hypothermia... you do need a wetsuit when it's cold enough...

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That makes more sense. Sure, enforce the rule when necessary. Wearing a wetsuit when its too warm is likely to slow some people down!

How was the 78 degrees measured? I just got an email from someone who lives there and said the temp is currently 68. Either way i'll bring my wetsuit if I get to use it fine..if not that's cool too. We swim in pools all year long without one..soooooooo :-)