Does anyone have a historical perspective as to whether wetsuits have been allowed due to water temp rules? And, what type of suit do you recommend for this race? I have a sleeveless, short legged suit and I am considering the purchase of a full suit for this race.
Thank you for your feedback!
They were allowed last year. Water temps were really high in the weeks before, but cooled just in time… I use a full suit because I am a bad swimmer…
3 out of the 4 years I did Vineman 1/2 it was wetsuit legal. I would never wear a full wetsuit there… way too warm.
Vineman - no more beautiful swim anywhere!
It is often borderline but they are usually allowed. They were allowed each of the three years I did the race ('00-'02). In one of the years ('01??) on the days before the race they kept saying either “its borderline, probably not” or “no wetsuits.” On race morning, they said “temp is low enough that wetsuits will be allowed.” I left my wetsuit at the hotel and got screwed. My fault, nobody else’s, but don’t make the same mistake.
I would never do a wetsuit swim in less than a full. If wetsuits are allowed, it is cool enough that a full will be ok. Particularly at Vineman. Its true that the water is usually warm and you may even be a little uncomfortable by the end of the swim but you are going to be in the water for half an hour or less and the first ten miles of the bike are downright cold. If you get out of the water a little warm, it is not going to last long.
I might think different about full vineman because of the later date (meaning warmer water), longer swim and later (and presumably warmer) hour you will be getting on the bike but for the half I think its an easy call.
It was wetsuit legal the 2 times I have done it but must of been borderline as I got pretty hot. It is a fantastic race that is not too difficult but the weather (heat) on the run can make it challenging.
The only year I did it, wetsuits were not legal. I believe it was 2000 or 2001. I was not comfortable swimming w/o one at the time, so I turned in my chip and wore one anyway.
I did it last year in a full suit and was warm. I am usually the guy complaining how cold the water is, but Vineman was warm about halfway through with the full. I would arch my back and do whatever I could to get some cool water in my suit. It did not slow me down at all, but it was warm. I would still wear a full suit again if I had to do it over again.
Over the last five or so years I can only recall one year it was not legal for wetsuits. The water is pretty darn warm since they dam up the slow moving Russian River by late June and it cooks all summer. I live in Sonoma County (Windsor) and spent my college summers lifeguarding on the river in Healdsburg and we swam all the time without wetsuits. You really don’t need one at all but if they allow them you pretty much have to go with the flow to be competitive.
As for it being a great place to swim, yes it is scenic but you really don’t want to know about the water quality down there. I don’t know anybody that actually swims down there except for the race. The farther down river you go the worst the water quality is. Lots of older homes on the river still are on septic systems and the RR water shed is heavily populated so the poor river takes a beating. Don’t mean to scare anybody off though. I will be there this year and have never been sick. Just don’t swallow the water and you will be fine.
Mike
Yes, only one year since 1999 that the water was too warm for wetsuits (and that was my fastest swim). There have been a couple of years when they had to fudge it a little to get the temp under the wetsuit limit. I’d never wear a full suit there, way too warm.
clm
That’s what I’ll be taking to (half-)Vineman (sleeveless, short-legged QR). Water’s very warm there, I go for comfort and forgo the few minutes I’d save with a fuller suit. Buying a fullsuit might be a good move for you for various reasons, but I wouldn’t call Vineman one of them.