London Triathlon wetsuit rule derogation from BTF

Triathlon Forum
1

London Triathlon has got a rule exemption from BTF forcing everyone to wear a wetsuit up to 25°C, while the normal range of wetsuit mandatory temperature is below 14°C up to 1500 m (and not permitted above 22°C / 24.6°C).

I asked the organiser the wetsuit rule and got replied that “This rule exemption is in place as a result of the swim course risk assessment and the depth of the dock.”

As a result there is no way I will do this event. And now I wonder how many heat-related incidents will result as London is so hot on a swim course which is “unsafe” under normal rules.

2

It’s been like that at least for a few years. I remember from I think 2018 or 19 they announced if it was above 25 degrees wetsuits would not be allowed but everyone would have to use a tow float…imagine the tangle. Luckily that didn’t happen.

3

It’s been like that at least for a few years. I remember from I think 2018 or 19 they announced if it was above 25 degrees wetsuits would not be allowed but everyone would have to use a tow float…imagine the tangle. Luckily that didn’t happen.

They also mention that as well now but as the water temperature is unlikely to be over 25°C even in a hot day I didn’t mention it here.

I wonder what’s wrong with the swim course making it unsafe under normal rules.

4

It’s been like that at least for a few years. I remember from I think 2018 or 19 they announced if it was above 25 degrees wetsuits would not be allowed but everyone would have to use a tow float…imagine the tangle. Luckily that didn’t happen.

They also mention that as well now but as the water temperature is unlikely to be over 25°C even in a hot day I didn’t mention it here.

I wonder what’s wrong with the swim course making it unsafe under normal rules.

Nothing’s wrong with the swim course. The rules are bent to mitigate the risk of having an abnormal amount of non triathletes toeing the start line.

5

It’s been like that at least for a few years. I remember from I think 2018 or 19 they announced if it was above 25 degrees wetsuits would not be allowed but everyone would have to use a tow float…imagine the tangle. Luckily that didn’t happen.

They also mention that as well now but as the water temperature is unlikely to be over 25°C even in a hot day I didn’t mention it here.

I wonder what’s wrong with the swim course making it unsafe under normal rules.

Nothing’s wrong with the swim course. The rules are bent to mitigate the risk of having an abnormal amount of non triathletes toeing the start line.

And now proper triathletes living in London like me are kept out of the race because the goalpost has been moved. A proper triathlete shouldn’t have the need to use a wetsuit at 22+°C.

The reason why a wetsuit should be used is to prevent getting too cold when leaving the T1 to ride the bike safely, which doesn’t happen at 22+°C.

6

It’s been like that at least for a few years. I remember from I think 2018 or 19 they announced if it was above 25 degrees wetsuits would not be allowed but everyone would have to use a tow float…imagine the tangle. Luckily that didn’t happen.

They also mention that as well now but as the water temperature is unlikely to be over 25°C even in a hot day I didn’t mention it here.

I wonder what’s wrong with the swim course making it unsafe under normal rules.

Nothing’s wrong with the swim course. The rules are bent to mitigate the risk of having an abnormal amount of non triathletes toeing the start line.

And now proper triathletes living in London like me are kept out of the race because the goalpost has been moved. A proper triathlete shouldn’t have the need to use a wetsuit at 22+°C.

The reason why a wetsuit should be used is to prevent getting too cold when leaving the T1 to ride the bike safely, which doesn’t happen at 22+°C.

Honestly, I wouldn’t let it keep you out of the race. Assuming you’re a reasonably strong swimmer you’ll be in the water for <30 minutes so it shouldn’t have a significant impact.

Also, who knows with British weather - last year the bigger issue was dodging hailstones on the bike.

7

It’s been like that at least for a few years. I remember from I think 2018 or 19 they announced if it was above 25 degrees wetsuits would not be allowed but everyone would have to use a tow float…imagine the tangle. Luckily that didn’t happen.

They also mention that as well now but as the water temperature is unlikely to be over 25°C even in a hot day I didn’t mention it here.

I wonder what’s wrong with the swim course making it unsafe under normal rules.

Nothing’s wrong with the swim course. The rules are bent to mitigate the risk of having an abnormal amount of non triathletes toeing the start line.

And now proper triathletes living in London like me are kept out of the race because the goalpost has been moved. A proper triathlete shouldn’t have the need to use a wetsuit at 22+°C.

The reason why a wetsuit should be used is to prevent getting too cold when leaving the T1 to ride the bike safely, which doesn’t happen at 22+°C.

Honestly, I wouldn’t let it keep you out of the race. Assuming you’re a reasonably strong swimmer you’ll be in the water for <30 minutes so it shouldn’t have a significant impact.

Also, who knows with British weather - last year the bigger issue was dodging hailstones on the bike.

I have no confidence to be wetsuit-race-ready in the 2 weeks after I return from my trip departing Thursday, returning 24/7, as I will need to find a suitable wetsuit hire and go down to the coast to find cooler water to train in it (I suspect even the Sussex sea is too hot for me to use a wetsuit), while needing to ramp up my bike training and my swim training for a 21 km non-wetsuit event the week after the London Triathlon.

8

A proper triathlete shouldn’t have the need to use a wetsuit at 22+°C.

Wow 😳 at what point is one allowed to call themselves a “proper triathlete”.

I dread a water temp of 22°C, because I still suffer from the cold at that temperature. I’d rather it was a degree colder and I can keep the wetsuit.

9

It’s been like that at least for a few years. I remember from I think 2018 or 19 they announced if it was above 25 degrees wetsuits would not be allowed but everyone would have to use a tow float…imagine the tangle. Luckily that didn’t happen.

They also mention that as well now but as the water temperature is unlikely to be over 25°C even in a hot day I didn’t mention it here.

I wonder what’s wrong with the swim course making it unsafe under normal rules.

Nothing’s wrong with the swim course. The rules are bent to mitigate the risk of having an abnormal amount of non triathletes toeing the start line.

And now proper triathletes living in London like me are kept out of the race because the goalpost has been moved. A proper triathlete shouldn’t have the need to use a wetsuit at 22+°C.

The reason why a wetsuit should be used is to prevent getting too cold when leaving the T1 to ride the bike safely, which doesn’t happen at 22+°C.

Honestly, I wouldn’t let it keep you out of the race. Assuming you’re a reasonably strong swimmer you’ll be in the water for <30 minutes so it shouldn’t have a significant impact.

Also, who knows with British weather - last year the bigger issue was dodging hailstones on the bike.

I have no confidence to be wetsuit-race-ready in the 2 weeks after I return from my trip departing Thursday, returning 24/7, as I will need to find a suitable wetsuit hire and go down to the coast to find cooler water to train in it (I suspect even the Sussex sea is too hot for me to use a wetsuit), while needing to ramp up my bike training and my swim training for a 21 km non-wetsuit event the week after the London Triathlon.

Well, in that case - there are numerous other events available where wetsuits are optional.

London Tri’s biggest demographic is newbies doing their ‘one and only’ triathlon, so safety for weak swimmers is their bigger concern than putting a ‘proper triathlete’ s nose out of joint.

10

It’s been like that at least for a few years. I remember from I think 2018 or 19 they announced if it was above 25 degrees wetsuits would not be allowed but everyone would have to use a tow float…imagine the tangle. Luckily that didn’t happen.

They also mention that as well now but as the water temperature is unlikely to be over 25°C even in a hot day I didn’t mention it here.

I wonder what’s wrong with the swim course making it unsafe under normal rules.

Nothing’s wrong with the swim course. The rules are bent to mitigate the risk of having an abnormal amount of non triathletes toeing the start line.

And now proper triathletes living in London like me are kept out of the race because the goalpost has been moved. A proper triathlete shouldn’t have the need to use a wetsuit at 22+°C.

The reason why a wetsuit should be used is to prevent getting too cold when leaving the T1 to ride the bike safely, which doesn’t happen at 22+°C.

I’m with you. We experience the same problem here in France, with more and more thermometers reading 24,4° C when it’s hot, and more and more swim shortenings or cancellations due to chop or “cold” water when nobody would have blinked an eye ten years ago… I can’t blame the race directors who take those decisions, they adjust to the crowd and to the ever extending precautionary approach. And I have a renewed admiration for the RDs that stay true to the spirit of the sport!

11

We are in France. Our regional championships were last weekend in May.

The RD sent an email out saying the swim would go ahead no matter what. This year was quite mild compared to previous races in the same lake.

Before covid it was much later in the season and was a non wetsuit swim with quite a bit of chop. Not one person was bothered.

12

It’s been like that at least for a few years. I remember from I think 2018 or 19 they announced if it was above 25 degrees wetsuits would not be allowed but everyone would have to use a tow float…imagine the tangle. Luckily that didn’t happen.

They also mention that as well now but as the water temperature is unlikely to be over 25°C even in a hot day I didn’t mention it here.

I wonder what’s wrong with the swim course making it unsafe under normal rules.

Nothing’s wrong with the swim course. The rules are bent to mitigate the risk of having an abnormal amount of non triathletes toeing the start line.

And now proper triathletes living in London like me are kept out of the race because the goalpost has been moved. A proper triathlete shouldn’t have the need to use a wetsuit at 22+°C.

The reason why a wetsuit should be used is to prevent getting too cold when leaving the T1 to ride the bike safely, which doesn’t happen at 22+°C.

Honestly, I wouldn’t let it keep you out of the race. Assuming you’re a reasonably strong swimmer you’ll be in the water for <30 minutes so it shouldn’t have a significant impact.

Also, who knows with British weather - last year the bigger issue was dodging hailstones on the bike.

I have no confidence to be wetsuit-race-ready in the 2 weeks after I return from my trip departing Thursday, returning 24/7, as I will need to find a suitable wetsuit hire and go down to the coast to find cooler water to train in it (I suspect even the Sussex sea is too hot for me to use a wetsuit), while needing to ramp up my bike training and my swim training for a 21 km non-wetsuit event the week after the London Triathlon.

Well, in that case - there are numerous other events available where wetsuits are optional.

London Tri’s biggest demographic is newbies doing their ‘one and only’ triathlon, so safety for weak swimmers is their bigger concern than putting a ‘proper triathlete’ s nose out of joint.

This is the one and only triathlon held in London itself (as opposed to the whole commuter zone).

A wetsuit does provide safety when the water is cold, but the problem is it isn’t cold at all!

13

The reason for the wetsuits is it’s easier to find and rescue bodies - hopefully before they are dead. They float to the surface rather than disappearing 40ft down into the murky shiiitt Thames docks water. Because probably 90+% of entrants are inexperienced in open water.
(And whilst the top 4-6ft of water is 20+ C the next layer below is a whole lot colder - so the worst of both worlds for safety).

14

The main way in which a wetsuit increases safety is through buoyancy.

It’s a bit weird I have to state the obvious to a proper triathlete.

15

Yep. Exactly!

What I meant about the layers of water at different temperatures is that the inexperienced person that jumps in, goes 6-8ft down, hits the cold water (having been cooking before getting in) gets cold water shock and starts to immediately hyperventilate and suck in water - so with a wetsuit they will resurface. No wetsuit, they stay down in the depths.

My local iron distance race actually also has this wetsuit-always rule too. I suspect the organisers know that

(a) too many entrants haven’t done enough swim training, and defo not OW training, even for an iron distance race (never mind a short event with lots of newbies).

(b) lots on the start line are shitting themselves (partly due to (a))

(c) it’s a mass start, 1200+ people. The mass start is something that makes the race special still. But it does mean people can get swum over, accidentally hit and kicked, etc. Having a floating unconscious person is a lot better than a submerged unconscious person. For EVERYONE concerned.

16

The main way in which a wetsuit increases safety is through buoyancy.

It’s a bit weird I have to state the obvious to a proper triathlete.

We all know that a wetsuit offers buoyancy, which can be an assistance to a weaker swimmer. Therefore the use was condemned in the swimming world, although in recent years FINA finally introduced the wetsuit rule to minimise the chance of hypothermia happening in races.

However, I don’t see how increasing buoyancy offers safety. I can only see that the extra warmth offers safety by avoiding hypothermia.

(a) too many entrants haven’t done enough swim training, and defo not OW training, even for an iron distance race (never mind a short event with lots of newbies).

(b) lots on the start line are shitting themselves (partly due to (a))

(c) it’s a mass start, 1200+ people. The mass start is something that makes the race special still. But it does mean people can get swum over, accidentally hit and kicked, etc. Having a floating unconscious person is a lot better than a submerged unconscious person. For EVERYONE concerned.

This should be done by proper screening of participants.

I moved from Hong Kong where no triathlons / aquathons are held in the wetsuit legal season. However, there is a triathlon (one of the higher level races there) is held in a higher-risk location (deep water start in an open sea which is usually choppy due to it being unsheltered). Entrants are required to do a swim test a few weeks beforehand, at the same time as another aquathon race held in a sheltered beach, if they don’t have previous race results and don’t do that aquathon.

17

The main way in which a wetsuit increases safety is through buoyancy.

It’s a bit weird I have to state the obvious to a proper triathlete.

We all know that a wetsuit offers buoyancy, which can be an assistance to a weaker swimmer. Therefore the use was condemned in the swimming world, although in recent years FINA finally introduced the wetsuit rule to minimise the chance of hypothermia happening in races.

However, I don’t see how increasing buoyancy offers safety. I can only see that the extra warmth offers safety by avoiding hypothermia.

(a) too many entrants haven’t done enough swim training, and defo not OW training, even for an iron distance race (never mind a short event with lots of newbies).

(b) lots on the start line are shitting themselves (partly due to (a))

(c) it’s a mass start, 1200+ people. The mass start is something that makes the race special still. But it does mean people can get swum over, accidentally hit and kicked, etc. Having a floating unconscious person is a lot better than a submerged unconscious person. For EVERYONE concerned.

This should be done by proper screening of participants.

I moved from Hong Kong where no triathlons / aquathons are held in the wetsuit legal season. However, there is a triathlon (one of the higher level races there) is held in a higher-risk location (deep water start in an open sea which is usually choppy due to it being unsheltered). Entrants are required to do a swim test a few weeks beforehand, at the same time as another aquathon race held in a sheltered beach, if they don’t have previous race results and don’t do that aquathon.

How many participants does the race you mention typically have? London is one of the biggest triathlons in the world with 10k+ entrants. Having them all complete a swim test in advance would be logistically impossible.

There are triathlon rules I think are stupid - a DSQ for crossing the finish line with an unzipped trisuit for example. However ultimately these events are run by private companies and they can decide on whatever rules they want. If they mandate that everyone has to compete wearing a giant panda suit then either you suck it up and get yourself a giant panda suit or you just find a different race to enter.

18

The main way in which a wetsuit increases safety is through buoyancy.

It’s a bit weird I have to state the obvious to a proper triathlete.

We all know that a wetsuit offers buoyancy, which can be an assistance to a weaker swimmer. Therefore the use was condemned in the swimming world, although in recent years FINA finally introduced the wetsuit rule to minimise the chance of hypothermia happening in races.

However, I don’t see how increasing buoyancy offers safety. I can only see that the extra warmth offers safety by avoiding hypothermia.

(a) too many entrants haven’t done enough swim training, and defo not OW training, even for an iron distance race (never mind a short event with lots of newbies).

(b) lots on the start line are shitting themselves (partly due to (a))

(c) it’s a mass start, 1200+ people. The mass start is something that makes the race special still. But it does mean people can get swum over, accidentally hit and kicked, etc. Having a floating unconscious person is a lot better than a submerged unconscious person. For EVERYONE concerned.

This should be done by proper screening of participants.

I moved from Hong Kong where no triathlons / aquathons are held in the wetsuit legal season. However, there is a triathlon (one of the higher level races there) is held in a higher-risk location (deep water start in an open sea which is usually choppy due to it being unsheltered). Entrants are required to do a swim test a few weeks beforehand, at the same time as another aquathon race held in a sheltered beach, if they don’t have previous race results and don’t do that aquathon.

How many participants does the race you mention typically have? London is one of the biggest triathlons in the world with 10k+ entrants. Having them all complete a swim test in advance would be logistically impossible.

There are triathlon rules I think are stupid - a DSQ for crossing the finish line with an unzipped trisuit for example. However ultimately these events are run by private companies and they can decide on whatever rules they want. If they mandate that everyone has to compete wearing a giant panda suit then either you suck it up and get yourself a giant panda suit or you just find a different race to enter.

It’s the only race in London itself though.

BTW, how come these triathlons are run by private companies? Aren’t all sport competitions run by clubs governed by the relevant federation?

19

And now proper triathletes living in London like me are kept out of the race because the goalpost has been moved. A proper triathlete shouldn’t have the need to use a wetsuit at 22+°C.

The reason why a wetsuit should be used is to prevent getting too cold when leaving the T1 to ride the bike safely, which doesn’t happen at 22+°C.

FFS “proper triathlete”

Go away with your pseudo elite bs!

I wasnt a proper triathlete when I did my first Sprint race at Excel in 2010. Docklands is (like Blenheim) for 1st timers and for fun. The real fast OD guys do Windsor. Clearly you aint at the required level yet!

20

I ain’t an elite triathlete and I’m quoting age group regulations here.

Although I’m willing to do Windsor it is still outside London proper, so it isn’t exactly a local race to me.